ENZYME COMPLEX AND WHOLE RICE BRAN ON THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY OF EGGS FROM LAYING HENS AT THE SECOND PRODUCTION CYCLE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance as well as the quality of eggs from birds fed diets containing whole rice bran (RB), with or without the addition of an enzyme complex (EC) with different levels of metabolizable energy value. A total of 480 Hisex brown layers were used. The treatments consisted of diets based on corn (C), soybean meal (SBM), rice bran (RB), with or without the inclusion of the enzyme complex (EC) to the diets. Treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4 consisted of the presence of corn (C), soybean meal (SBM) and treatments 5, 6, 7, and 8 consisted of C, SBM, and 20% RB, with or without the inclusion the EC. Treatments 1, 3, 5, and 7 did not receive the CE; however, in treatments 3 and 7 there was energy recovery of 100 kcal / kg (negative controls). The EC was added without energy recovery (on top) to treatments 2 and 6, and valued at 100 kcal / kg in treatments 4 and 8. Birds fed RB produced heavier eggs and yolk. Birds fed RB and that received the EC on top had higher feed intake. The highest Haugh unit and the best feed conversion per dozen were observed in birds that received only the control treatment or the control diet supplemented with EC in a diet reformulated to 100 kcal ME/kg. Keywords: alternative food; exogenous enzymes; Hisex brown