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Author(s): Olayemi W. A., Olatidoye O. P., Shittu A., Omofunmilola E. O..

Volume/Issue: Volume 9, Issue 1 (2026)

Page No: 72-88

Journal: African Journal of Agriculture and Food Science (AJAFS)

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Abstract:

Sustainable solutions for intensive poultry production can help farmers, rural communities, consumers, and regulatory agencies. The movement of eggs from farms to end users usually takes a period of time due to bad road, vehicular breakdown, poor logistics and the situation could be more apparent during a period of lockdown. Hence, the study assessed supplementation of laying hens diet with biochar (0.33- 0.50%), zeolite (0.33~0.50%) and chromolaena leaf-meal (0.33-1.00) to lower the environmental impact while maintaining egg quality. The effect on feed intake, laying performance, egg quality, ammonia (NH3) emissions from excreta, and the excreta composition, were evaluated. The result showed that that dietary treatments had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on parameters such Hen-day production (HEDP), egg mass, feed intake g/bird, total feed intake, feed/dozen egg and total number eggs but chicken on supplemented diet laid highest number of eggs (449) with (HEDP) percentage of 66.81 and feed /dozen egg at 1.93. CH4 concentration reduced by 59% in the excreta chickens in T3, Reduction in CO2 value by 50.5% and Hydrogen gas concentration by 18.6% when compared with control. Studies on storage revealed that pH values of the stored eggs changes on a weekly basis during the storage period of 35days while T3 and T4 maintained slightly acidic medium (5.8 and 5.6) respectively. Bacteria load in eggs reduced by (25.3% and 28%) respectively at day 35. It can be concluded that inclusion of zeolite, biochar and leafmeal combination improved laying parameters, reduced gaseous emission and extend shelf life eggs.

Keywords:

Eggs, biochar, zeolite, leaf meal, gas emission, laying hens.

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