Effects of ad libitum Feeding of Molting Diet on Post-Molt Egg Production and Egg Quality in Nagoya Breed Laying Hens

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  • 卵用名古屋種における換羽飼料の不断給餌がその後の産卵成績及び卵質に及ぼす影響
  • ランヨウ ナゴヤシュ ニ オケル カンウ シリョウ ノ フダンキュウジ ガ ソノゴ ノ サンラン セイセキ オヨビ ランシツ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ

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Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the post-molt egg production and egg quality on Nagoya breed laying hens molted by ad libitum feeding of a molting diet. A total of 405 53-week-old Nagoya breed laying hens were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups. In the first group (non-treatment group), the hens were fed conventional layer diet ad libitum. In the second group (feed withdrawal group), food was withdrawn for 17 days until the body weight decreased by 25%. In the third group (feed restriction group), a molting diet based on wheat bran was provided at 30 g/hen per day for 21 days. In the last group (ad libitum feeding group), the hens were fed the molting diet with ground rice husk ad libitum for 21 days. The hens of all treatment groups were investigated up to 80 weeks of age. 1. The ad libitum feeding group underwent a pause in egg production, and the ovaries and oviducts regressed to the same extent as that in the feed withdrawal and feed restriction groups. 2. Compared with the non-treatment group, the ad libitum feeding group had a better post-molt egg production rate, which was equivalent to that in the feed withdrawal and feed restriction groups. The feed conversion ratio in the ad libitum feeding group was restored to the level of the non-treatment group. 3. Similar to the feed withdrawal and feed restriction groups, post-molt egg qualities (i.e., Haugh units, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, and b/a value of eggshell color) in the ad libitum feeding group were improved. The post-molt egg qualities in these 3 treatment groups were significantly superior to those in the non-treatment group (P < 0.05). 4. The ad libitum feeding group tended to exhibit the most superior egg production and gross profit. In conclusion, the improvements that induced molting in the Nagoya breed laying hens fed the wheat bran-based molting diet with ground rice husk ad libitum for 21 days at 53 weeks of age were equivalent to those in the feed withdrawal and feed restriction groups. The results also suggest that the ad libitum feeding group can maintain high productivity up to 80 weeks of age.

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