A comparative study of hatchery waste meal with blood meal using laying Japanese quail

Production cost is a major challenge in the poultry industry of developing countries. It has compelled researchers to explore recycling animal protein sources as it has emerged the most expensive feed ingredient. Hatchery waste is readily and commonly available as an animal protein source. It is the left-over from the processes of poultry hatchery, such as shell of hatched eggs, infertile eggs, dead embryos, dead chicks and culled chicks. This trial was conducted to determine the replacement value of hatchery waste meal as an alternative animal protein source for blood meal in diets of laying Japanese quail. One hundred and forty-four mature quails were allocated to three dietary treatments with three replicates of 16 quails each. Treatment (A) contained blood meal (BM), while treatments (B) and (C) contained whole hatchery waste meal (WHWM) and shell-less hatchery waste meal (SHWM), respectively. The trial lasted eight weeks. Average feed intake for treatments A, B and C were 19.7, 18.5 and 17.5 g per day/bird, respectively. Treatment B produced the highest weight gains (37.0 g per week/bird) and treatment A had the least (6.5 g per week/bird). Egg production and qualities differed among the three treatments; percentage hen day production of treatment B, A and C were 71.4, 54.6, 52.6, respectively. Egg weight was higher in treatment B (10.23 g) than treatments A and C. Haematological indices were similar among treatments. It is therefore concluded that blood meal can be conveniently replaced with hatchery waste meal without any deleterious effects in poultry diets.