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Influence of Protein Level in the Resting Diet upon Performance of Force Rested Hens1
Influence of Protein Level in the Resting Diet upon Performance of Force Rested Hens1 R. H. HARMS Department of Poultry Science, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (Received for publication July 6, 1982)
1983 Poultry Science 62:273-276
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
During the past 15 years considerable research has been conducted on force resting commercial laying hens. Some method of feed restriction has been used to force the hen to rest and lose body weight. It has been assumed that body weight should be controlled during the resting period. Originally, weight control during the resting period was accomplished by restricting the amount of feed given each day (Marble, 1963; Len et al, 1964; Cox, 1964). Wilson et al. (1969) reported that feeding a diet containing 8.27% protein during the resting period was an effective method of controlling weight. There was a delay to first egg with hens fed the low protein diet. Egg production for the 168 days post rest period was not significantly influenced by dietary protein during the resting period. Therefore, these workers suggested the use of a diet containing 8.27% protein during the resting period. Recently Brake and Thaxton (1979) have recommended that 16% protein be fed during the resting period as a means of decreasing the time out of production. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the feeding of a low (8.6%) and normal (16.2%) protein diet during the resting period.
Commercial egg production laying hens used in these experiments had been in production for approximately 10 months. Hisex White hens were used in Experiment 1, and Hy-Line W-36 were used in Experiments 2 and 3. They were force-rested by witholding feed for 10 days. On the 11th day an equal number of hens were placed on the two treatments. One group received a diet containing 8.6% protein and the other group received a diet containing 16.2% protein. Each diet contained 1% calcium for 14 days and then 2% calcium thereafter (Table 1). The hens received the diets containing 2% calcium for 7 days and were changed to Layer Diet 1, which they were fed for the remainder of the experiment in Experiments 1 and 2. In Experiment 3 the hens were changed to Layer Diet 2 on Day 52. Sixteen replicates of 10 individually caged hens were used in Experiments 1 and 3. Twelve replicates of 5 hens were used in Experiment 2. Days to first egg was recorded for each hen. Egg production was recorded daily; however, it was calculated at different intervals to demonstrate the influence of resting diet on early egg production. Feed intake, body weight, egg weight, and specific gravity of eggs were obtained at various intervals. Significant differences between treatment means at each measurement were determined by the Student's t test.
1 Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 3926.
273
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
ABSTRACT Three experiments were conducted to compare performance of force rested hens when fed diets with either 8.6 or 16.2% protein during the resting period. Hisex White hens were used in Experiment 1 and Hy-Line W-36 hens were used in Experiments 2 and 3. They had been in production for approximately 10 months. Hens fed the diet with 16.2% protein returned to production significantly sooner and, as a result, laid significantly more eggs. However, after peak egg production, body weight, egg weight or specific gravity were not significantly different for the two treatments. (Key words.- laying hens, force resting, protein egg weights)
HARMS
274 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Experiment 2. Feeding diet during the resting significantly reducing the first egg (Table 3). This
Experiment 3. The number of days to first egg was reduced by feeding the 16.2% protein diet during the resting period (Table 4). This response resulted in a significant increase in egg production from Days 22 to 50. However, egg production was not significantly different for
of the 16% protein period resulted in number of days to response resulted in
TABLE 1. Composition of diets Resting diets'
Ingredients Corn Soybean meal (50% protein) Limestone Dicalcium phosphate (18.5%Pand 21% Ca) Salt Microingredients2 Methionine hydroxy analogue Lysine HC1 (50%) Calculated analyses: Protein % Calcium % Phosphorus (total)% 1 2
Layer diet
8.6-1
8.6-2
16.1-1
16.2-2
1
2
96.4
93.9
70.4 18.7
3.7
72.97 18.47 3.08
64.5 24.4
1.2
74.47 18.47 1.58
7.6
8.3
1.5 .4 .5
1.5 .4 .5
1.52
1.52
.35 .5 .05 .06
.35 .5 .05 .06
2.5 .5 .5 .2
2.5 .5 .5 .1
8.7 1.0 .6
8.5 2.0 .6
16.1
16.2
17.6
15.4
1.0 .6
2.0 .6
3.5 .8
3.6 .6
Indicates percent protein and calcium, respectively.
Supplied the following activities per kilogram of diet; vitamin A, 6600 IU; vitamin D 3 , 2200 1CU; menadione dimethyl-pyrimidinol bisulfite, 2.2 mg; riboflavin, 4.4 mg; pantothenic acid, 13.2 mg; niacin, 39.6 mg; choline chloride, 499.4 mg; vitamin B , , , 22 ug; ethoxyquin, .0125%; manganese, 60 mg; iron, 50 mg; copper, 6 mg; cobalt, .198 mg; iodine, 1.1 mg; and zinc, 35 mg.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
significantly increasing egg production from Days 21 to 38, and this increase in egg production continued to day 111. Feeding of the low protein diet during the resting period (Days 10 to 31) resulted in significantly reducing feed intake. However, the amount of feed consumed per hen per day from Days 32 to 111 was not significantly influenced by the diet fed during the resting period. Body weight of hens was significantly reduced on Day 37 when the 8.6% protein diet was fed during the resting period. There continued to be a difference to Day 54, although it was not significant at this time. Body weight of the two groups of hens did not differ significantly on Day 108. Feeding the low protein diet during the resting period resulted in significantly reduced egg weights on Days 27 and 83. A numerical decrease in egg weights was also obtained on Day 47. Specific gravity of eggs laid by hens fed the low protein diet during the resting period was significantly reduced on Day 47; however, there were no differences between groups on Day 83.
Experiment 1. Feeding of the 16.2% protein diet during the resting period resulted in hens returning to egg production significantly sooner than when they were fed the diet containing 8.6% protein (Table 2). This response resulted in significantly more eggs being laid during the period from Days 23 to 46. However, egg production was not significantly different during Days 47 to 72. Feed intake for Days 10 to 31 was significantly lower for the hens fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. A portion of this difference was due to the difference in energy of the two diets. There was no significant difference in feed intake for the two groups of hens during the period from Days 32 to 73. Body weight of the two groups was not significantly different at Days 38 or 73. Egg weight was significantly reduced on Day 45 when hens were fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. Although a difference continued to exist at Day 73, it was not significant. Specific gravity of eggs laid by hens in the two treatment groups was not significantly different at either Day 45 or 73.
30.6* 26.4
8.6 16.2
27.7* 24.6
8.6 16.2
41.4* 61.8
' D , Day(s).
1
44.7* 67.5
69.2 69.1
D51-190
Egg production
D22-50
'Significantly different (P<.05).
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
'D,Day(s).
60.7* 68.9
D10-31
86.4 87.0
1458 1470 1584 1579
D73
Body weight D38
92.2 91.6
D32-111
Feed intake
1398* 1513
D37
1542 1581
D54
Body weight
1617 1608
D108
of laying bens fed ,two levels of protein during the resting period
66.2* 76.9
(g/hen/day)
D32-73
Feed intake D10-31
51.8 56.9
D27
(Expe
• (g)
85.4* 101.6
D10-32
74.0* 99.6
,,
,,
D32-50
Feed intake
104.3 104.9
D51-190
1342* 1432
D38
TABLE 4. Performance of laying hens fed two levels of protein during the molting perio
16.9* 29.5
D39-111
Egg production
D21-38 1
•Significantly different ( P < . 0 5 ) .
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
' D , Day(s).
TABLE 3. Performance
69.6 69.0
17.8* 31.9
28.4' 24.8
8.6 16.2
•Significantly different (P<.05).
D47-72
D23-46 1
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
Egg production
TABLE 2. Performance of laying hens fed two levels of protein during the resting perio
s.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
276
HARMS
feed, which would have partially offset the reduction in egg production. Egg weight was significantly reduced during the early portion of the laying period when hens were fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. The numerical reduction in egg weights continued throughout the remainder of the experiment. The specific gravity of eggs did not appear to be influenced by the diet fed during the resting period. These results indicate that hens can be fed either an 8.6 or a 16.2% protein diet during the resting period; however, certain production parameters will be changed. The program to be selected would be evaluated on the savings in feed cost during the resting period as compared to the loss of egg production.
REFERENCES Brake, J. T., and P. Thaxton, 1979. Physiological changes in caged layers during a force molt. Body temperature and selected blood constituents. Poultry Sci. 58:699-706. Cox, J., 1964. Forced molting of layers. Georgia Ext. Circ. 540. Len, R. E., H. Abplanalp, and E. A. Johnson, 1964. Second year production of force molted hens in the California Random Sample Test. Poultry Sci. 43:638-646. Marble, D. R., 1963. Comparison of pullet and hen flocks at the New York Random Sample Test. New York State Coll. Agric. Bull. 979. Wilson, H. R., J. S. Moore, A. W. O'Steen, J. L. Fry, and R. H. Harms, 1969. Force molting of laying hens. Florida Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. No. 728.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
the two groups after this period. Feed intake from Days 10 to 50 was significantly reduced when the hens were fed 8.6% protein during the resting period. Feed for the two groups was not different for the remainder of the experiment. Body weight at Day 38 was significantly reduced when the hens were fed the 8.6% protein diet during the resting period. Body weight for the remainder of the experiment was not significantly different for the two groups. Egg weight from the hens fed the diet with 8.6% protein during the resting period was numerically lower at 28 days than from hens fed the 16.2% protein diet. Egg weight remained numerically lower from the hens from the 8.6% protein diet throughout the remainder of the experiment. There was no difference in specific gravity of eggs throughout the experiment. The results of these experiments demonstrate that feeding a diet containing 16.2% protein during the resting period will result in hens returning to egg production sooner than when they are fed an 8.6% protein diet. The earlier onset of egg production when the higher protein diet was fed resulted in significantly more eggs being laid during the early portion of the laying period. There were 3.4, 3.7, and 6.4 more eggs laid per hen during the first month when they were fed 16.2% protein during the resting period in Experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. However, the hens fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period consumed less
1983 Poultry Science 62:273-276
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
During the past 15 years considerable research has been conducted on force resting commercial laying hens. Some method of feed restriction has been used to force the hen to rest and lose body weight. It has been assumed that body weight should be controlled during the resting period. Originally, weight control during the resting period was accomplished by restricting the amount of feed given each day (Marble, 1963; Len et al, 1964; Cox, 1964). Wilson et al. (1969) reported that feeding a diet containing 8.27% protein during the resting period was an effective method of controlling weight. There was a delay to first egg with hens fed the low protein diet. Egg production for the 168 days post rest period was not significantly influenced by dietary protein during the resting period. Therefore, these workers suggested the use of a diet containing 8.27% protein during the resting period. Recently Brake and Thaxton (1979) have recommended that 16% protein be fed during the resting period as a means of decreasing the time out of production. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the feeding of a low (8.6%) and normal (16.2%) protein diet during the resting period.
Commercial egg production laying hens used in these experiments had been in production for approximately 10 months. Hisex White hens were used in Experiment 1, and Hy-Line W-36 were used in Experiments 2 and 3. They were force-rested by witholding feed for 10 days. On the 11th day an equal number of hens were placed on the two treatments. One group received a diet containing 8.6% protein and the other group received a diet containing 16.2% protein. Each diet contained 1% calcium for 14 days and then 2% calcium thereafter (Table 1). The hens received the diets containing 2% calcium for 7 days and were changed to Layer Diet 1, which they were fed for the remainder of the experiment in Experiments 1 and 2. In Experiment 3 the hens were changed to Layer Diet 2 on Day 52. Sixteen replicates of 10 individually caged hens were used in Experiments 1 and 3. Twelve replicates of 5 hens were used in Experiment 2. Days to first egg was recorded for each hen. Egg production was recorded daily; however, it was calculated at different intervals to demonstrate the influence of resting diet on early egg production. Feed intake, body weight, egg weight, and specific gravity of eggs were obtained at various intervals. Significant differences between treatment means at each measurement were determined by the Student's t test.
1 Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 3926.
273
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
ABSTRACT Three experiments were conducted to compare performance of force rested hens when fed diets with either 8.6 or 16.2% protein during the resting period. Hisex White hens were used in Experiment 1 and Hy-Line W-36 hens were used in Experiments 2 and 3. They had been in production for approximately 10 months. Hens fed the diet with 16.2% protein returned to production significantly sooner and, as a result, laid significantly more eggs. However, after peak egg production, body weight, egg weight or specific gravity were not significantly different for the two treatments. (Key words.- laying hens, force resting, protein egg weights)
HARMS
274 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Experiment 2. Feeding diet during the resting significantly reducing the first egg (Table 3). This
Experiment 3. The number of days to first egg was reduced by feeding the 16.2% protein diet during the resting period (Table 4). This response resulted in a significant increase in egg production from Days 22 to 50. However, egg production was not significantly different for
of the 16% protein period resulted in number of days to response resulted in
TABLE 1. Composition of diets Resting diets'
Ingredients Corn Soybean meal (50% protein) Limestone Dicalcium phosphate (18.5%Pand 21% Ca) Salt Microingredients2 Methionine hydroxy analogue Lysine HC1 (50%) Calculated analyses: Protein % Calcium % Phosphorus (total)% 1 2
Layer diet
8.6-1
8.6-2
16.1-1
16.2-2
1
2
96.4
93.9
70.4 18.7
3.7
72.97 18.47 3.08
64.5 24.4
1.2
74.47 18.47 1.58
7.6
8.3
1.5 .4 .5
1.5 .4 .5
1.52
1.52
.35 .5 .05 .06
.35 .5 .05 .06
2.5 .5 .5 .2
2.5 .5 .5 .1
8.7 1.0 .6
8.5 2.0 .6
16.1
16.2
17.6
15.4
1.0 .6
2.0 .6
3.5 .8
3.6 .6
Indicates percent protein and calcium, respectively.
Supplied the following activities per kilogram of diet; vitamin A, 6600 IU; vitamin D 3 , 2200 1CU; menadione dimethyl-pyrimidinol bisulfite, 2.2 mg; riboflavin, 4.4 mg; pantothenic acid, 13.2 mg; niacin, 39.6 mg; choline chloride, 499.4 mg; vitamin B , , , 22 ug; ethoxyquin, .0125%; manganese, 60 mg; iron, 50 mg; copper, 6 mg; cobalt, .198 mg; iodine, 1.1 mg; and zinc, 35 mg.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
significantly increasing egg production from Days 21 to 38, and this increase in egg production continued to day 111. Feeding of the low protein diet during the resting period (Days 10 to 31) resulted in significantly reducing feed intake. However, the amount of feed consumed per hen per day from Days 32 to 111 was not significantly influenced by the diet fed during the resting period. Body weight of hens was significantly reduced on Day 37 when the 8.6% protein diet was fed during the resting period. There continued to be a difference to Day 54, although it was not significant at this time. Body weight of the two groups of hens did not differ significantly on Day 108. Feeding the low protein diet during the resting period resulted in significantly reduced egg weights on Days 27 and 83. A numerical decrease in egg weights was also obtained on Day 47. Specific gravity of eggs laid by hens fed the low protein diet during the resting period was significantly reduced on Day 47; however, there were no differences between groups on Day 83.
Experiment 1. Feeding of the 16.2% protein diet during the resting period resulted in hens returning to egg production significantly sooner than when they were fed the diet containing 8.6% protein (Table 2). This response resulted in significantly more eggs being laid during the period from Days 23 to 46. However, egg production was not significantly different during Days 47 to 72. Feed intake for Days 10 to 31 was significantly lower for the hens fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. A portion of this difference was due to the difference in energy of the two diets. There was no significant difference in feed intake for the two groups of hens during the period from Days 32 to 73. Body weight of the two groups was not significantly different at Days 38 or 73. Egg weight was significantly reduced on Day 45 when hens were fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. Although a difference continued to exist at Day 73, it was not significant. Specific gravity of eggs laid by hens in the two treatment groups was not significantly different at either Day 45 or 73.
30.6* 26.4
8.6 16.2
27.7* 24.6
8.6 16.2
41.4* 61.8
' D , Day(s).
1
44.7* 67.5
69.2 69.1
D51-190
Egg production
D22-50
'Significantly different (P<.05).
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
'D,Day(s).
60.7* 68.9
D10-31
86.4 87.0
1458 1470 1584 1579
D73
Body weight D38
92.2 91.6
D32-111
Feed intake
1398* 1513
D37
1542 1581
D54
Body weight
1617 1608
D108
of laying bens fed ,two levels of protein during the resting period
66.2* 76.9
(g/hen/day)
D32-73
Feed intake D10-31
51.8 56.9
D27
(Expe
• (g)
85.4* 101.6
D10-32
74.0* 99.6
,,
,,
D32-50
Feed intake
104.3 104.9
D51-190
1342* 1432
D38
TABLE 4. Performance of laying hens fed two levels of protein during the molting perio
16.9* 29.5
D39-111
Egg production
D21-38 1
•Significantly different ( P < . 0 5 ) .
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
' D , Day(s).
TABLE 3. Performance
69.6 69.0
17.8* 31.9
28.4' 24.8
8.6 16.2
•Significantly different (P<.05).
D47-72
D23-46 1
Days to first egg
Rest diet (protein %)
Egg production
TABLE 2. Performance of laying hens fed two levels of protein during the resting perio
s.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
276
HARMS
feed, which would have partially offset the reduction in egg production. Egg weight was significantly reduced during the early portion of the laying period when hens were fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period. The numerical reduction in egg weights continued throughout the remainder of the experiment. The specific gravity of eggs did not appear to be influenced by the diet fed during the resting period. These results indicate that hens can be fed either an 8.6 or a 16.2% protein diet during the resting period; however, certain production parameters will be changed. The program to be selected would be evaluated on the savings in feed cost during the resting period as compared to the loss of egg production.
REFERENCES Brake, J. T., and P. Thaxton, 1979. Physiological changes in caged layers during a force molt. Body temperature and selected blood constituents. Poultry Sci. 58:699-706. Cox, J., 1964. Forced molting of layers. Georgia Ext. Circ. 540. Len, R. E., H. Abplanalp, and E. A. Johnson, 1964. Second year production of force molted hens in the California Random Sample Test. Poultry Sci. 43:638-646. Marble, D. R., 1963. Comparison of pullet and hen flocks at the New York Random Sample Test. New York State Coll. Agric. Bull. 979. Wilson, H. R., J. S. Moore, A. W. O'Steen, J. L. Fry, and R. H. Harms, 1969. Force molting of laying hens. Florida Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. No. 728.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at National Institute of Education Library, Serials Unit on April 27, 2015
the two groups after this period. Feed intake from Days 10 to 50 was significantly reduced when the hens were fed 8.6% protein during the resting period. Feed for the two groups was not different for the remainder of the experiment. Body weight at Day 38 was significantly reduced when the hens were fed the 8.6% protein diet during the resting period. Body weight for the remainder of the experiment was not significantly different for the two groups. Egg weight from the hens fed the diet with 8.6% protein during the resting period was numerically lower at 28 days than from hens fed the 16.2% protein diet. Egg weight remained numerically lower from the hens from the 8.6% protein diet throughout the remainder of the experiment. There was no difference in specific gravity of eggs throughout the experiment. The results of these experiments demonstrate that feeding a diet containing 16.2% protein during the resting period will result in hens returning to egg production sooner than when they are fed an 8.6% protein diet. The earlier onset of egg production when the higher protein diet was fed resulted in significantly more eggs being laid during the early portion of the laying period. There were 3.4, 3.7, and 6.4 more eggs laid per hen during the first month when they were fed 16.2% protein during the resting period in Experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. However, the hens fed the 8.6% protein during the resting period consumed less