title: Egg shell and yolk quality characteristics of layers fed with sugarcane press residue in soya and fish based diets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sugarcane press residue (SPR), a by-product of sugarcane industry, which is rich in inorganic salts was assessed at different levels in both soya based and fish based diets of layers for egg shell and yolk quality characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  SPR was incorporated in 32-week-old white leghorn layer diets at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% either in the soya based or fish based diets to form T1 to T8 diets, respectively. Each diet was offered to five replicates of four laying hens each constituting a total of one sixty birds kept for 84 days under colony cages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean egg shell thickness obtained from eggs of experimental hens measured was 0.342, 0.329, 0.320, 0.322, 0.319, 0.332, 0.328 and 0.336 mm in T1 through T8 groups, respectively. About the main factor effects, both showed non-significant results. Similarly, influence of different treatment diets, in imparting colour to the yolks, was found to be non-significant (p>0.05) at different 28-day time intervals. Further, the average yolk index values ranged non-significantly from 0.360 (T6) to 0.383 (T4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SPR can be incorporated into layer diet as a source of inorganic as well as organic nutrients without affecting its egg quality characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Hassan, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suma
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bengalure, India.
authors.forename: B S Venkatarami
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bengalure, India.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Gloridoss
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bengalure, India.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bengalure, India.
authors.forename: C Basavanta
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Instructional Livestock Farm Complex, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Hassan, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Veterinary College, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Hassan, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Shilpa
keywords: egg shell thickness; layer; sugarcane press residue; yolk color; yolk index