LAYING HEN PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TROPICS AS AFFECTED BY STAGE OF EGG PRODUCTION, FEED RESTRICTION,STOCKING DENSITY AND TIME OF DAY (PRODUCTIVIDAD DE PONEDORAS EN EL TRÓPICO EN FUNCIÓN DE LA ETAPAPRODUCTIVA, RESTRICCIÓN ALIMENTICIA, DENSIDAD DE GANADO Y HORA DEL DÍA)

Ezieshi V.E.

Description

Abstract
Studies were conducted to determine the effects of stage of egg production, feed restriction, stocking density and time of day on hen-day production (HDP), water intake, feed intake and egg weight. Results showed that HDP and egg weight increased with stage of egg production. Feed restriction depressed egg production, water intake and feed intake. Decrease in cage space per bird resulted in decrease in egg production, water intake and feed intake. More eggs were laid between 9 and 10 am than any other period during the day. Water intake and feed consumption per bird were also higher between 8 and 10 am.
Resumen
Se estudió el efecto de la etapa de puesta, restricción alimenticia, densidad ganadera y momento del día, sobre la producción diaria de gallinas (HDP), consumo de agua, ingestión de alimento y peso del huevo. Los resultados mostraron que la HDP y el peso del huevo se incrementaron al avanzar la puesta. La restricción de alimento deprimió la producción de huevos e ingestión de agua y pienso. La disminución del espacio por ave en las jaulas determinó una disminución de la producción huevera así como de la ingestión de agua y pienso. La mayor puesta
de huevos se concentró entre las 9 y las 10 horas a.m. La ingestión de agua y pienso por ave, fue mayor entre las 8 y las 10 horas a.m.

Informations

• Publié par: erevistas
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2003
• Nombre de lectures: 13
• Langue: English

Extrait

LAYING HEN PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TROPICS AS AFFECTED
BY STAGE OF EGG PRODUCTION, FEED RESTRICTION,
STOCKING DENSITY AND TIME OF DAY
PRODUCTIVIDAD DE PONEDORAS EN EL TRÓPICO EN FUNCIÓN DE LA ETAPA
PRODUCTIVA, RESTRICCIÓN ALIMENTICIA, DENSIDAD DE GANADO Y
HORA DEL DÍA
Ezieshi, V.E.*, M.J. Nworu, F.O. Bandele, R.O. Suleman, B.C. Ojurongbe and J.M. Olomu
Department of Animal Science. University of Benin. Benin City. Nigeria.
*Corresponding author E-mail address: [e-mail]
ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS PALABRAS CLAVE ADICIONALES
Feed intake. Water intake. Egg weight. Consumo pienso. Consumo agua. Peso huevo.
SUMMARY
Studies were conducted to determine the incrementaron al avanzar la puesta. La restric-
ción de alimento deprimió la producción de hue-effects of stage of egg production, feed restriction,
stocking density and time of day on hen-day vos e ingestión de agua y pienso. La disminución
del espacio por ave en las jaulas determinó unaproduction (HDP), water intake, feed intake and
egg weight. Results showed that HDP and egg disminución de la producción huevera así como
weight increased with stage of egg production. de la ingestión de agua y pienso. La mayor puesta
Feed restriction depressed egg production, water de huevos se concentró entre las 9 y las 10 horas
intake and feed intake. Decrease in cage space a.m. La ingestión de agua y pienso por ave, fue
per bird resulted in decrease in egg production, mayor entre las 8 y las 10 horas a.m.
water intake and feed intake. More eggs were laid
between 9 and 10 am than any other period during
INTRODUCTIONthe day. Water intake and feed consumption per
bird were also higher between 8 and 10 am.
Information on production patterns
and water consumption of layers in a
RESUMEN laying year in Nigeria is limited. Monsi
and Ayodele (1989) published some
Se estudió el efecto de la etapa de puesta, production standards for broilers reared
restricción alimenticia, densidad ganadera y mo- in Nigeria. There is, therefore, the need
mento del día, sobre la producción diaria de to obtain data on the effects of stage of
gallinas (HDP), consumo de agua, ingestión de egg production on laying performance
alimento y peso del huevo. Los resultados mos- and water intake of layers in Nigeria.
traron que la HDP y el peso del huevo se Attempts are often made to reduce
Arch. Zootec. 52: 475-482. 2003.EZIESHI, NWORU, BANDELE, SULEMAN, OJURONGBE AND OLOMU
feed cost, control body weight and EXPERIMENT 1
improve nutrient utilization of layers The study was conducted over 18
by reducing the quantity of feed given weeks to determine at different stages,
to the birds. The optimum feed restriction egg production, water consumption and
regimen to attain these and the conse- feed intake pattern of laying birds in a
quences have not been thoroughly tropical environment like Nigeria. The
studied. The stocking density plays a pullets were raised on the floor on
useful role in determining egg production conventional starter and grower diets
of layers. However, the optimum cage until they were 23 weeks of age at
stocking density for layers in Nigeria which time they had attained 5 percent
has not been fully worked out. Olomu egg production. They were then
(1995) recommended cage-rearing weighed and randomly allocated into
density of 648 sq cm for layers. This 10 lots of 20 birds each that were
recommendation needs further inves- balanced to attain similar average
tigation to ascertain whether it is the weights. Each lot of 20 birds, thus,
optimum space requirement. This paper constituted a replication. The birds
aims at providing useful information were distributed into commercial-type
concerning egg production patterns, battery cages (at 2 birds per cage) and
water intake and feed intake of layers as then placed on layer mash formulated
affected by some management factors. to contain 16 percent crude protein
(CP) and 2400 kcal/kg metabolizable
energy (ME). The diet and water were
MATERIALS AND METHODS supplied ad libitum. Water consum-
ption was measured on three consecu-
SITE OF STUDY tive days of each week to obtain the
The experiments were conducted average water consumption per bird
in the teaching and research farm of per day for the week. Records were
University of Benin (6.2° N and 5.6° also kept on mortality, feed consump-
E) in southern Nigeria. The average tion (on weekly basis), group average
temperature and relative humidity egg production per day and egg weight
Cduring the period of study were 27-32 (average weight of eggs laid by each
and 42-50 percent respectively. group on one day of each week).
BIRDS AND HOUSING EXPERIMENT 2
Four experiments were conducted This study, which lasted 10 weeks,
using Harco layer pullets housed in 45 was carried out to determine the effects
by 40 cm commercial laying cages. of various forms of feed restriction on
The cages were placed in an open- water consumption and production
sided poultry house. The birds were performance of laying birds. A total of
managed under natural day length 120 Harco pullets at 21 weeks of age
without artificial lighting. Diets used and housed in laying cages were used
contained (16 percent CP and 2400 in this study. There were 3 replications
kcal/kg ME as recommended by Olomu of 10 birds (at 2 birds per cage) for
and Offiong (1983). each replication. The experiment
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 52, núm. 200, p. 476.LAYING HEN PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TROPICS
consisted of two parts. In the first part, production characteristics of laying
the treatments consisted of four feeding chickens at different times of the day.
regimens: full feeding; skipping feed One hundred 27-week old Harco
on only one day every 14 days (2 pullets were housed in battery cages
weeks); skipping feed on one day every (at 2 birds per cage). Each set of 10
seven days (one week) and skipping cages constituted a replication and
feed on two consecutive days every there were 5 replications in all. Records
seven days. The feeding regimen for of egg production, feed intake and
the second part of the study consisted water consumption were taken every
of: full feeding; 50 percent feed one hour, starting from 8 a.m. and
restriction once every seven days; 50 ending at 4 p.m. every day for a period
percent feed restriction twice every of 6 weeks. Ambient temperature was
seven days and 50 percent feed recorded every hour.
restriction thrice every seven days. On
the days when feed was not restricted, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
birds were fed ad libitum. The details Data collected during the studies
of the feeding regimen are shown in were analysed as randomized comple-
tables II and III. In both parts of the te block using analysis of variance
study, records of daily egg production, (ANOVA) procedures of Statistical
daily mortality, daily feed intake and Analysis Systems Institute (SAS
daily water consumption were kept. Institute Inc., 1989). The differences
Egg weight was determined as descri- in means were assessed using the
bed in Experiment 1. Duncan's Multiple Range Test option.
EXPERIMENT 3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe study was designed to inves-
tigate the effects of stocking density
The results obtained in Experimenton water intake, feed intake and
1 are presented in table I. The resultsproductive performance of the birds.
indicated that H.D.P significantlyLaying birds were distributed into 45
increased on a weekly basis from pointby 40 cm laying cages. Three treat-
of lay up to the 9th week, which markedments consisting of one laying bird per
the beginning of the peak period. Thecage, two birds per cage and three
peak period lasted from 9th week tobirds per cage resulting in stocking
2 2 18th week during which HDP wasdensities of 1800 cm , 900 cm and 600
2 almost similar for all the weeks. Watercm per bird respectively were em-
intake per bird significantly increasedployed in the trial. Each treatment
up to the 7th week as HDP increased.consisted of 3 replications of 10 cages
Thereafter, water intake appeared toeach. Data collected were similar to
decrease after the first half of the peakthose collected in Experiment 2.
period. Feed intake per bird gradually
decreased from point of lay up to theEXPERIMENT 4
7th week of lay. Thereafter, there wasThe trial was designed to determine
a significant increase as layingwater intake, feed intake and egg
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 52, núm. 200, p. 477.EZIESHI, NWORU, BANDELE, SULEMAN, OJURONGBE AND OLOMU
Table I. Performance of laying birds as affected by stage of egg production. (Eficacia de las aves
según etapa de producción).
Performance characteristics*
Week HDP Water intake Feed intake Water:feed Feed (kg)/ Egg wt.
(percent) (ml/bird/day) (g/bird/day) ratio doz. egg (g)
h h efg def b f1 0.500 259.49 120.300 2.159 2.89.9 4.000
gh h fgh def a e2 2.500 258.65 118.600 2.185 34.184 21.500
fg gh efgh ve b d3 6.750 268.70 119.400 2.304 16.095 40.000
f h i c b d4 9.510 260.43 104.700 2.680 11.445 43.600
e fg hi c b c5 34.141 2091.55 111.000 2.678 4.640 52.419
d cde gh b b bc6 57.083 333.34 113.800 2.940 2.393 52.774
c a fgh a b abc7 72.249 387.70 115.600 3.365 1.968 54.900
b ab ef b b abc8 80.261 370.30 112.800 3.050 1.834 59.700
a gh de