Influence of Xylopia aethiopica and Tetrapleura tetraptera Supplemented Feed on the Production and Quality of Layer Chicken Eggs in Response to Suspected Gumboro Disease

The effects of Xylopia aethiopica and Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit meals on egg production performance and egg quality in laying chickens following a suspected outbreak of Gumboro disease, or infectious bursal disease (IBD), were evaluated. A total of 450 day-old Isa Brown pullet chicks obtained from Agrited were used for the study. The birds were vaccinated against Newcastle disease on arrival and received an IBD vaccine on day 10. On day 18, before the second IBD vaccine dose was administered, high morbidity and some mortality were observed in the flock. Clinical signs and post-mortem findings were consistent with an IBD outbreak. Supportive therapy was instituted, and mortality ceased by day 24, after six days of clinical disease. A total of 138 birds (30.67%) died, and 300 surviving birds were enrolled in the experiment. The birds were randomly assigned to 10 treatment groups, each comprising three replicates of 10 chicks. Treatment 1 served as the control. Treatments 2, 3, and 4 received diets supplemented with 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 g of X. aethiopica fruit meal per kilogram of feed, respectively. Treatments 5, 6, and 7 received corresponding levels of T. tetraptera fruit meal, whereas Treatments 8, 9, and 10 received paired combinations of the two fruit meals at the corresponding inclusion levels. The pullets were weighed weekly. Egg production performance was recorded at 32, 50, and 60 weeks of age (woa), while egg quality was assessed at 43 and 50 woa. The data were analysed using analysis of variance, and means were separated using Duncan's multiple range test. Most treated groups showed better egg production than the control, and birds receiving 0.5 or 1.5 g/kg X. aethiopica recorded hen-day egg production above 80%. Most egg-quality parameters did not differ significantly among the groups, except shell weight and shell thickness at 43 woa and yolk cholesterol at 43 and 50 woa. The findings indicate that lower inclusion levels of X. aethiopica may support laying performance after recovery from suspected IBD.