| Popis: |
Three experiments conducted simultaneously on radius breaking strength and egg characteristics, were determined on White Leghorn hens housed 1 or 3 per cage, or in floor pens (Experiment 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Hens were fed diets containing supplements of Ca, P, vitamin D3 or metal proteinates. Hens fed the various supplements, in different combinations in Exp. 1 and 2, showed significant increases in bone strength over those fed the basal diet. Bone strengths from hens in Exp. 3, fed 3.78% Ca and 1.0% P, or 3.22% Ca and 0.65% P (floor pens) averaged 3.05 or 3.18 kg., respectively, and were not significantly different from one another. Bone strengths in Exp. 1 and 2, as a result of the supplements, were essentially equal to those of Exp. 3. Hen-day production, egg weight, albumen height, shell thickness and percent shell did not differ statistically, within the respective experiments, due to the dietary supplements. When the data from the three experiments were combined, production was significantly higher with hens housed 1 per cage than 3 per cage, and both the 1 and 3 per cage had significantly higher production than hens in floor pens. Egg weight and shell thickness of caged birds were significantly greater than those from hens in floor pens. Albumen height and percent shell did not differ significantly as a result of housing. |
