Effect of raw or autoclaved grass pea seeds in diet on performance and egg quality of laying hens

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of raw and/or autoclaved grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) seed in diet on performance and egg quality of laying hens. Three hundred and thirty-six Leghorn laying hens strain W-36 at 87 week of age were assigned in a completely randomize designed (CRD) experiment with 7 treatments, 6 replicates and 8 birds each. The experimental treatments included; corn-soybean meal (control) diet, and 8, 16 and 24% dietary levels of either raw or autoclaved grass pea grain. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Feed consumption, egg production percentage and egg mass of hens fed diets containing different levels of raw and autoclaved grass pea grain were significantly lower and their feed conversion ratio was significantly higher than those fed control diet. The autoclaving of grass pea grain resulted in significant increase in performance and eggshell quality indices in birds fed diets containing 16 and 24% grass pea grain. Although autoclaving of grass pea grain reduced the negative effect of its replacement in the diet on performance and egg characteristics, however, it could not compensate the reduction in performance. According to the results of this experiment, the utilization of raw grass pea grain is not recommended in laying hen diets. Also, autoclaving process alone can’t destroy the anti-nutritional factors present in grass pea grain.