| Popis: |
A trial was conducted to compare the influence of intermittent watering and restricted feeding programs during the growing and laying periods on the performance of layers. Beginning at 10 weeks of age, water was available nine, seven, five, or three 15 min periods per day. One half of the birds assigned to each watering treatment were full fed and the remainder were restricted to 90% of the feed consumed by the full fed group during the previous week. At 22 weeks water was made available twelve, nine, six, or three times per day to the birds which had been exposed to nine, seven, five, or three waterings per day during the growing period, respectively. One half of the birds were full fed and the remainder were restricted to 93% of the quantity of feed consumed by the full fed group. Although the egg production and feed efficiency of the layers limited to three periods of water per day were reduced numerically compared to those of the birds exposed to six, nine, or twelve periods per day, the differences were not statistically significant. In addition, no significant differences were detected in feed consumption or livability. The average body weight of the layers receiving water for three or six periods per day was depressed during the early portion of the laying period but differences were not detectable at 72 weeks of age. The number of waterings per day had no statistically significant effect on 52 or 72 week average egg weight, shell thickness, or Haugh units. The average body weight of the birds restricted in feed consumption during the growing period was significantly reduced at 22 weeks of age and those restricted during the laying period were significantly reduced at all other ages measured. The egg production of the birds restricted in feed consumption during the 10 to 22 week period and then full fed was statistically significantly greater than for any of the other groups. Livability was not significantly influenced by feed treatments. Average weight of eggs of the layers subjected to the restricted level of feeding during both the growing and laying periods was depressed. |
