Are millet and sorghum good alternatives to maize in layer’s feeds in Niger, West Africa?

The effects of diets with corn, sorghum, or pearl millet on growth performance and egg production and quality in poultry were determined on pullets (120), 19-week-old (with a mean of 1,050±11 g) in a 3-month experiment. The control diet was corn-based with fishmeal and peanut meal as the primary protein supplements. Sorghum and millet were used to replace the corn on a wt/wt basis so that treatments are: (i) a corn-based control; (ii) 50% corn + 50% millet; (iii) 50% corn+50% sorghum; (iv) pearl millet; and (v) sorghum. Ingredients samples were collected and analyzed through proximate analysis. Performance response criteria were egg production rate, average daily feed intake (ADFI), egg weight, feed conversion c g of feed/dozen eggs), egg yolk colour and feed cost. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design. Results indicated that layers fed corn versus those fed 50% corn + 50% sorghum, 50% corn + 50% millet, sorghum or millet had similar egg production rate. Feed cost was higher for layer fed corn or sorghum based diets and egg pigmentation was poor in sorghum and millet based diets. Therefore, it is recommended that in Niger, the poultry producers could replace corn up to 50% by millet or sorghum in layer diets.