Effects of Varying Levels of Dietary Metabolizable Energy and Crude Protein on Performance and Egg Quality of Organic Laying Hens

• Published in: Korean journal of poultry science Vol. 35; no. 4
• Main Authors: Yu, D.J. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), E-mail: djyu@rda.go.kr, Na, J.C. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Choi, H.C. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Bang, H.T. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Kim, S.H. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Kang, G.H. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Kang, H.K. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea), Suh, O.S. (National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Republic of Korea)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.12.2008
• Subjects: dietary energy and protein; EGG PRODUCTION; egg quality; organic hens; PRODUCCION DE HUEVOS; PRODUCTION D'OEUFS
• ISSN: 1225-6625

This experiment was conducted to determine optimum dietary levels of dietary energy and protein for laying performance and egg quality in organic laying hens. In a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, 360 Hy-Line pullets (21 wk of age) were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 2,800, 3,080, and 3,360 kcal of ME/kg of diet, each containing 16 and 18% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Experimental birds were raised in floor and received 14h of light throughout 52 weeks of experimental period. The birds were observed for feed consumption, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, Haugh unit, shell thickness, and shell color at 30, 50, and 70 wk of age. Egg production, egg weight, and egg mass were higher (P less than 0.05) in hens receiving diets with 2,800 kcal/kg of ME/kg of feed than those fed diets containing 3,080 and 3,360 kcal of ME/kg of diets. Eggshell breaking strengths were not significantly different among the dietary ME and CP concentrations. Eggshell thickness was higher (P less than 0.05) in hens receiving diets with 3,360 kcal of ME/kg of feed than those fed diets containing 2,800 and 3,080 kcal of ME/kg of diets at 50 and 70 week. With increasing in dietary energy levels, the concentrations of blood total cholesterol were also significantly increased. Overall, the laying hens fed organic diet of 2,800 kcal ME/kg and 16% CP showed superior egg production than those of other dietary regimens.