Effect of graded levels broken rice on egg quality of White Pekin ducks during second year of laying

Abstract

A study was conducted to find out the effect of feeding different levels of broken rice (BR) replacing wheat in the diet of White pekin ducks in second year of laying on egg quality parameters. White pekin laying ducks (75; 82 weeks) were divided into five groups; and diets without (BR-0) and with BR, replacing 25 (BR-25), 50 (BR-50), 75 (BR-75) and 100 (BR-100) percent of wheat; were fed for a period of 73 days. There was no significant difference in the egg weight, albumen index, yolk index, Haugh unit, shell thickness (without membrane), percentage of albumen, yolk and shell. The egg shape index was significantly (P<0.05) higher in BR-100 than BR-0. The shell thickness with membrane was significantly (P<0.05) higher in all the groups fed broken rice than the control group. It can be concluded that wheat can be completely replaced by broken rice in the diets of white Pekin laying ducks during second year of egg production without affecting egg quality