The Response of Layer Hen Productivity and Egg Quality to an Additional Limestone Source when Offered Diets Differing in Calcium Concentrations and the Inclusion of Phytase
| Autor: | Stephanie Maldonado, Dylana Caporale, T Z Sibanda, Stephan Bucker, Yeasmin Akter, Mini Singh, Patrick Hughes, Isabelle Ruhnke, Cormac J O'Shea, S. J. Wilkinson, Aaron J. Cowieson |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Nutrient digestibility
General Veterinary Chemistry behavior Veterinary medicine poultry feed chemistry.chemical_element selection Calcium minerals Breaking strength Article matrix Animal science Productivity (ecology) Dietary treatment QL1-991 choice-feeding SF600-1100 Animal Science and Zoology Phytase Eggshell Zoology performance |
| Zdroj: | Animals Volume 11 Issue 10 Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI Animals, Vol 11, Iss 2991, p 2991 (2021) |
| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ani11102991 |
| Popis: | Laying hens require substantial quantities of calcium (Ca) to maintain egg production. However, maintaining recommended dietary Ca through inclusion of limestone may impede nutrient digestibility, including that of other minerals. It was hypothesized that providing a separate source of dietary Ca in the form of limestone grit would preserve Ca intake of hens offered diets containing suboptimal Ca concentrations. Furthermore, the impact of dietary phytase at a “superdosing” inclusion rate on the voluntary consumption of limestone grit was evaluated. One hundred and forty-four laying hens (19 weeks of age) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising three dietary Ca concentrations (40, 30, and 20 g/kg) and ±dietary phytase (3500 FYT/kg diet) on an ad libitum basis for six weeks. Limestone grit (3.4 ± 1.0 mm) was provided to all hens ad libitum. Hens offered diets containing phytase consumed significantly less limestone grit p = 0.024). Egg weight, rate of lay, and egg mass were unaffected by dietary treatment (p > 0.05). Egg shell weight % (p < 0.001), shell thickness (p < 0.001), and shell breaking strength (p < 0.01) decreased in line with dietary Ca levels. In summary, dietary superdosing with phytase reduced the consumption of a separate limestone source in individually housed, early lay ISA Brown hens. Egg shell quality variables but not egg production worsened in line with lower dietary Ca levels. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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