Productive behavior and blood chemistry in replacement pullets of White Leghorn layers fed Tithonia diversifolia forage meal

Tithonia diversifolia foliage meal constitutes a practical alternative for the substitution of conventional feeds in poultry diets, due to its nutritional characteristics. There is limited information on the use of this feed in poultry diets, particularly in the case of replacements for laying hens. In the present study the effect of tithonia (ecotype 10) forage meal on the productive behavior and serum components in replacements of White Leghorn L-33 layers were evaluated. A total of 840 chicken, from 7-126 d of age, with an average initial live weight of 70 +/- 10 g were used. The experimental treatments consisted of a control diet (corn-soybean) and the inclusion of 10, 15 and 20 % of Tithonia diversifolia forage meal, with 7 replicates (cages) each with 30 birds in a cage as the experimental unit. No differences (P>0.05) between tithonia levels and the control diet were detected. The batch uniformity was higher with 20 % tithonia in the diet, for birds of 64-126 d of age. The inclusion of the tithonia (ecotype 10) foliage meal did not affect the concentration of total proteins, albumin and globulins in chicken serum. The results obtained suggest that using up to 20 % of tithonia (ecotype 10) meal in the diet of White Leghorn laying hen replacements, between 1 and 18 weeks of age, does not affect the productive performance and health condition of the chicken.