Effect of crude protein content of the diets and initial body weight of the pullets on productive performance and egg quality traits of brown egg laying hens | Efecto del nivel de la proteína bruta del pienso y del peso inicial de las pollitas sobre los parámetros productivos y la calidad del huevo en gallinas ponedoras rubias
2011
Jabbour, C., Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (España). Dept. de Producción Animal | Pérez Bonilla, A. | Frikha, M., Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (España). Dept. de Producción Animal | Mirzaie, S., Universidad de Tehran (Irán) | Berrocoso, J., Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (España). Dept. de Producción Animal | García, J. | Mateos, G.G., Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (España). Dept. de Producción Animal
A trial was conducted with 504 Lohmann Brown-egg laying hens to study the effect of initial BW and crude protein (CP) and supplemented fat level of diets with similar indispensable amino acids and AMEn content on performance and egg quality traits of hens from 22 to 49 weeks of age. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with 8 treatments arranged factorially with 4 diets, 3 of them containing 1.9% soy oil and differing in CP content (16.5, 17.5, and 18.5% CP) and an extra diet with 18.5% CP that included 3.6% fat (1.9% soy oil and 1.7% acidulated vegetable soapstocks) and two initial BW of the pullets (1,726 vs.1,987g). Each treatment was replicated 4 times and the experimental unit was formed by 21hens (3 adjacent cages: groups of 7 hens). Productive performance, egg quality, and BW were recorded by replicate by period and cumulatively. For the entire experimental period, diet did not affect any of the productive or egg quality traits studied. In contrast, pullets with heavier initial BW presented improved egg production (P<0.05), egg weight (P<0.001), egg mass (P<0.001), and ADFI (P<0.001) as compared with pullets with lighter BW. Hen mortality, FCR per kg of eggs, and egg quality traits, however, were not affected by the initial BW of the pullets. Moreover, BW gain was higher for the lighter hens (289 vs. 233g). In conclusion, crude protein content of otherwise isonutritive diets did not affect hen performance from 22 to 49 weeks of age. Also, heavier hens are preferred to lighter hens when egg size is of economic interest.
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