The Effect of Various Levels of Dietary Protein and Methionine on the Laying Hens Performance and Egg Characteristics in Late Laying Cycle

This experiment was conducted to examine the effect of different levels of protein (13 and 15%) and methionine (0.25, 0.30 and 0.35%) on performance and some egg indices in the late laying period of layer hens. Ninety six leghorn 80 weeks W-36 layers were used as a 2×3 factorial arrangement based on the completely randomized design. The results have shown that as methionine level was increased, the production percentage and egg weight were increased (P<0.05). Different levels of protein had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the production percentage and egg weight. Treatment effect on the production percentage and egg weight was significant (P<0.05), as birds fed diet containing 15% protein and 0.35% methionine had the highest production percentage and egg weight. Experimental treatments had no significant (P>0.05) effect on other parametes (cracked and soft eggs sell, yolk and albumen indices, egg area, egg weight to area ratio, yolk color, haugh unit, egg content and egg shap index). It can be concluded that the best levels of protein and methionine for egg production in the late laying period of laying hens are 15 and 0.35%, respectively.