THE PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS OF LAYING HENS IN FLOOR PENS AND INDIVIDUAL CAGES

1959 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. MacIntyre ◽  
J. R. Aitken

Diets varying in protein content from 10.9 to 16.7 per cent were fed over a 336-day laying period to hens in both floor pens and individual laying cages. All rations were approximately iso-caloric, the mean productive energy value being 825 Calories per pound. Each ration was fed to 200–240 hens in four floor pens and to 90–96 hens in individual cages.A crude protein level of 13 per cent of the diet proved adequate for egg production, but egg weights and body weights were improved when the dietary protein was increased. Egg shell quality was highest on low protein diets. Interior egg quality was not affected by the protein level in the diet.On comparable diets, birds in individual laying cages laid fewer eggs and consumed less feed than birds in floor pens. Caged birds were heavier in body weight and laid heavier eggs with thicker shells than their counterparts in floor pens. The criteria employed in the measurement of interior egg quality showed no differences between the cage and pen environments, nor did there appear to be any differences in protein requirements between the two environments.

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 897
Author(s):  
Marianne Hammershøj ◽  
Gitte Hald Kristiansen ◽  
Sanna Steenfeldt

Egg laying genotypes have been selected for generations due to their high yield and egg quality, resulting in efficient feed utilization and low body weight; hence, they are not suitable for meat production. This imposes an issue for the male layer chicks, which are killed at one day old. Because of ethical and food waste concerns, the search for suitable dual-purpose genotypes in order to avoid euthanasia of male day-old chicks has intensified. The aim of the present study is to evaluate potential dual-purpose genotypes for their egg quality compared to a representative egg laying genotype. Three dual-purpose genotypes with divergent characteristics were evaluated: genotype A represented an experimental crossbreed based on a broiler type male and an egg layer female, genotype B was a pure breed, and genotype C was a crossbreed of a layer type. These were compared to a control genotype D, which was an egg layer. Eggs were collected six times during the period of 21–54 weeks of hen age, i.e., a total of 1080 shell eggs were analyzed. Examined parameters were weights of egg, shell, yolk, and albumen, by calculating their relative proportions. Shell quality was assessed by shell strength, shell stiffness, and shell thickness. Yolk quality was determined as yolk color and inclusions of blood and meat spots, and albumen quality was evaluated in terms of pH and dry matter (DM) content. The egg layer genotype produced the smallest eggs with least blood and meat spot inclusions compared to that produced by the three dual-purpose genotypes. Shell quality was superior for the layer genotype. However, the experimental genotype A laid eggs of comparable shell quality, albumen DM, and yolk weight, but also with the darkest and most red-yellow colored yolk. The two other dual-purpose genotypes produced eggs of low-medium quality. In conclusion, the genotype A could serve as dual-purpose genotype from an egg quality perspective.


2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kumar ◽  
C. Raginski ◽  
K. Schwean-Lardner ◽  
H.L. Classen

Ideally balanced dietary protein is critical for laying hen egg production and feed efficiency, but also affects other important characteristics. This research was designed to study the nonegg production and feed intake response of Lohmann-LSL Lite hens to 550, 625, 700, 775, and 850 mg d−1 of amino acid balanced digestible lysine (Dlys) from 27 to 66 wk of age. Data collection included hen weight (HW), feather scoring, tissue weights, egg specific gravity, egg component weights, and excreta nitrogen (N) content. The experiment was a completely randomized design and level of significance was fixed at P ≤ 0.05. Hen weight (quadratic, Q), pectoralis muscle (absolute, % – Q), and abdominal fat (absolute – linear, L; % – Q) increased with increasing Dlys intake. Although gastrointestinal segment weights and lengths were affected by Dlys intake, interpretation of results was confounded by other aspects of diet composition. Hen feather score (L) and excreta N content (Q) increased, and egg shell quality (L) decreased with increasing Dlys intake. Absolute egg component weights increased with Dlys intake, but effects on proportional weights were Q and relatively minor. In conclusion, balanced Dlys intake affected a variety of practical nonproduction characteristics in laying hens.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2991
Author(s):  
Isabelle Ruhnke ◽  
Yeasmin Akter ◽  
Terence Zimazile Sibanda ◽  
Aaron J. Cowieson ◽  
Stuart Wilkinson ◽  
...  

Laying hens require substantial quantities of calcium (Ca) to maintain egg production. However, maintaining recommended dietary Ca through inclusion of limestone may impede nutrient digestibility, including that of other minerals. It was hypothesized that providing a separate source of dietary Ca in the form of limestone grit would preserve Ca intake of hens offered diets containing suboptimal Ca concentrations. Furthermore, the impact of dietary phytase at a “superdosing” inclusion rate on the voluntary consumption of limestone grit was evaluated. One hundred and forty-four laying hens (19 weeks of age) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising three dietary Ca concentrations (40, 30, and 20 g/kg) and ±dietary phytase (3500 FYT/kg diet) on an ad libitum basis for six weeks. Limestone grit (3.4 ± 1.0 mm) was provided to all hens ad libitum. Hens offered diets containing phytase consumed significantly less limestone grit p = 0.024). Egg weight, rate of lay, and egg mass were unaffected by dietary treatment (p > 0.05). Egg shell weight % (p < 0.001), shell thickness (p < 0.001), and shell breaking strength (p < 0.01) decreased in line with dietary Ca levels. In summary, dietary superdosing with phytase reduced the consumption of a separate limestone source in individually housed, early lay ISA Brown hens. Egg shell quality variables but not egg production worsened in line with lower dietary Ca levels.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 210-210
Author(s):  
R Gaykani ◽  
M Zaghari ◽  
M Shivazad

In recent years there has been increasing interest in cultivating canola in tropical areas. This product is used to supply edible oil for humans, and also as a high quality protein source for poultry (Baker and Chang 1992), soybean meal has been replaced by canola meal and there were some negative and positive effects on egg production, egg quality, egg shell quality (Roth-maier1999) In the present study, investigating the effect of canola meal on egg quality, different levels of soybean meal were replaced by canola meal in laying hen diets.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 2229-2234
Author(s):  
Silvana Marques Pastore ◽  
Luiz Fernando Teixeira Albino ◽  
Paulo Cezar Gomes ◽  
Will Pereira de Oliveira ◽  
Gabriel da Silva Viana ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: This trial was performed to determine the dietary digestible threonine-to-lysine (dig. Thr-to-Lys) ideal ratio for laying hens fed with low-protein diets from 24 to 40 weeks of age. At 24 weeks of age, two hundred forty Hy Line W-36 laying hens were randomly assigned to five treatments, represented by five dig Thr-to-Lys ratios (60; 67; 74; 81 and 88%), with eight replicates each one with six hens per experimental unit. Digestible Thr-to-Lys did not affect laying hen performance and egg quality, except for digestible Threonine intake, which showed linear increase as dig. Thr-to-Lys ratios increased. Linear broken-line model was chosen to analyze data according to lack of fit. According to linear broken-linen estimates, digestible Threonine ideal levels for optimum egg production, egg mass, feed efficiency of lysine utilization for egg mass, feed conversion per egg mass and dozens of eggs and nitrogen balance were 0.610; 0.580; 0.614; 0.599; 0.599 and 0.643%, which correspond respectively to dig Thr-to-Lys ratios of 80; 75; 80; 78; 78 and 83%. The digestible threonine-to-lysine ideal ratio for laying hens from 24 to 40 weeks of age is 80%.


1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 719-725
Author(s):  
R. D. WEISENBURGER ◽  
G. W. MATHISON

Thirty-six pregnant beef cows, mainly crossbreds and from 2 to 10 yr of age, were individually fed straw-based diets containing pelleted, ground and chopped barley straw and three levels of protein in a 3 × 3 factorial experiment. The mean weight gain during the last 84 days of the feeding period in which diets containing 86% straw were fed was 0.28 kg/day/cow. Protein content of the diet significantly affected weight gain (P < 0.05) which increased from 0.18 to 0.37 kg daily when the crude protein content increased from 5.7 to 6.6% (dry matter basis). Cows gained weight more rapidly (P < 0.05) on the pelleted diets although feed intakes were more variable. There were no significant differences in daily feed intakes between diets, the mean being 9.9 kg. Type of diet did not significantly affect calf birth weight or plasma non-esterified fatty acid levels. Low plasma urea nitrogen levels in cows given the low protein diets indicated a protein deficiency.


1963 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. MacIntyre ◽  
H. W. R. Chancey ◽  
E. E. Gardiner

Two experiments were conducted with Single-Comb White Leghorn laying hens to measure some of the effects of energy and calcium levels on egg production and quality. In Experiment 1, rations containing 3.95 per cent calcium gave significantly higher egg production than rations containing 3.00 or 2.25 per cent, but in Experiment 2 there was no difference in egg production between rations containing 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 per cent calcium. Rations containing 1.0 per cent calcium gave significantly lower egg production than rations containing 2.0 per cent or more. Levels of calcium up to 6.0 per cent had no adverse effect on egg production.Egg-shell quality as measured by specific gravity improved with increasing levels of calcium. A calcium intake of at least 4 grams per bird per day was necessary for best egg-shell quality.


1973 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 613 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Faichney ◽  
HL Davies

Five groups of Friesian bull calves were given concentrate diets containing 70 % barley in which low (12 %), medium (15 %), and high (19%) protein levels were obtained by varying the amount of peanut meal included. The effects of protein level and of formaldehyde treatment of the complete diet at the low and medium protein levels were studied in terms of liveweight gain, voluntary food consumption, digestibility of the diet, ammonia nitrogen in rumen fluid, and urea and a-amino nitrogen in blood plasma. Observations were begun when the calves reached 70 kg liveweight and continued until they reached 130 kg liveweight. The calves given the low protein diets grew more slowly than those given the higher protein diets. The calves given the high protein diet grew no better than those given the medium protein diets. Formaldehyde treatment was associated with an increase in the rate of liveweight gain of 9% (P = 0.11) at the low protein level but had practically no effect at the medium protein level. The treatment did not adversely affect voluntary food consumption but was associated with decreases in the digestibility of nitrogen and in rumen ammonia levels and small increases in plasma urea levels.


1993 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 437-445
Author(s):  
Tuomo Kiiskinen ◽  
Hilkka Hakatie

Two factorial trials, each including three commercial laying hybrids, were conducted to study the effects of a short laying rest on postrest performance of hens and on egg quality. A total of 1800 hens laying at 65% on an average (70 wks of age) were subjected to one of the following treatments: no rest (control, C) or feeding only whole-grain barley (WB) or fasting (F, Trial 1 only) until the rate oflay dropped to 0%, after which the birds were returned to the previous all-mash diet. The second laying period was six months. Egg production of the WB and F hens ceased within one week on an average and the birds were out of production for 10 days. Laying intensity during the second production period did not differ significantly between the treatments in each trial, but egg weight and daily egg mass production increased as a result of the rest treatments. The laying rest procedures reduced feed intake, improved feed efficiency and increased live weight significantly. Egg shell and albumen quality traits were significantly better in the laying rest groups than in the controls. Significant differences in performance and egg quality between the hybrids were mainly ascertained in Trial 2. The results suggest that a short laying rest is a feasible means of improving egg quality towards the end of the laying period. It can be accomplished successfully by feeding whole-grain barley.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Dong Wang ◽  
Guoshun Chen ◽  
Lili Song ◽  
Mingjie Chai ◽  
Yongfeng Wang ◽  
...  

Diets containing different crude protein levels (16%, 14%, and 12%) were created to feed Bamei pigs in order to study the effect of these compositions on intestinal colonies. Therefore, 27 healthy Bamei pigs of similar weight ( 20.99   kg ± 0.16   kg ) were selected and randomly divided into three groups for microbial diversity analysis. The results of this study show that microbial diversities and abundances in Bamei pig jejunum and caecum samples after feeding with different dietary protein levels were significantly different. Dietary crude protein level exerted no significant effect on the Shannon index for cecum microbes in these pigs, while Simpson, ACE, and Chao1 indices for group I were all significantly higher than those of either the control group or group II ( P < 0.05 ). Indeed, data show that microbial diversities and abundances in the 14% protein level group were higher than those in either the 16% or 12% groups. Dominant bacteria present in jejunum and cecum samples given low-protein diets were members of the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Data show that as dietary crude protein level decreases, representatives of the microbial flora genus Lactobacillus in jejunum and cecum samples gradually increases. Values for the KEGG functional prediction of microbial flora at different dietary protein levels also show that genes of jejunum and cecum microorganisms were mainly enriched in the “metabolism” pathway and indicate that low protein diets increase intestinal metabolic activity. Therefore, we recommend that Bamei pig dietary protein levels are reduced 2% from their existing level of 16% crude protein. We also suggest that essential synthetic amino acids (AA) are added to optimize this ideal protein model as this will increase intestinal flora diversity in these pigs and enhance health. These changes will have a positive effect in promoting the healthy growth of Bamei pigs.


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