Nutritional management for an extended laying cycle
As the whole agricultural industry strives towards improving the efficiency of production, one key focus for the poultry sector is extending bird laying cycles, in order to help meet egg demands in a sustainable and cost-effective way. The outlook for achieving the milestone of laying to 100 weeks in
the decade ahead will require consideration and changes to everything from breeding and welfare to nutrition and animal health. Premier Nutrition’s poultry nutritionist, Patrick Garland, explains
this is a challenge that he and the company’s team of experts are already working on, to tap into the correct balance of conditions and successfully feed birds through to a later age. “In an average flock, eggshell quality generally reduces in later
lay, and continued production beyond 75 weeks becomes unviable due to the quantity of second quality eggs. However, some producers are now pushing towards laying up to 80 or even 85 weeks of age, thanks to research, technology and expertise,” he says.
Start as you mean to continue Patrick explains it is essential to rear birds correctly from day one to help achieve longer laying cycles. “It’s a challenge to ensure the birds have the right physiological development at the outset to help them meet weight and flock uniformity targets that will set them in good stead for a longer laying cycle,” he says. “Making sure you’ve got an appropriately framed bird with good
musculature is imperative. It’s all about producing a good quality bird to get a good quality laying cycle. “By six weeks of age we’d want to see a bird that’s meeting
weight and size targets, well feathered and has good bone structure. Occasionally we look at shank length for an early indicator of good skeletal development. All of this would be achieved through appropriate nutrition, feed management and vaccination, to create a fit and ready bird ahead of transfer to the laying unit,” he says.
Consider the impacts of transport The second thing to consider is that birds do not always travel well. “Pullets are transferred at a point when they’re going through quite significant metabolic and physical changes, especially with the ovary and reproductive tract developing,” says Patrick.
“The move can cause stress in the bird, not only from the
transport and handling, but because they also have to acclimatise to a new environment, with different feed and water sources, all while establishing a social hierarchy. “These challenges can often lead to reduced feed intake, which
compromise the bird’s ability to continue its development towards the onset of lay.” Therefore, to sustain birds through this intense period, Patrick
recommends increasing the energy density of the diet that is used in the very early stages of lay. “This will give birds the best chance of consuming nutrients to achieve target body weights and support early production of the appropriate size and number of eggs,” he says.
Enhance skeletal strength In terms of skeletal integrity, Patrick outlines that there is a calcium and phosphorus requirement in the early stages of lay. “However, as the bird ages, calcium to phosphorus ratios will
need to be adjusted as excess phosphorus interferes with calcium absorption and metabolism in the bird and therefore impacts on shell quality,” he says. “As the laying cycle continues birds also become less efficient at
transferring calcium from their feed to the eggshell. So, at the same time as increasing calcium levels in the diet it’s important to adjust phosphorus levels to support this metabolic process.”
Maintaining feather cover A lot of work is currently going into minimising pecking and maintaining good feather cover throughout a bird’s lifetime. Farmers are good at providing accessible feed in adequate quantities, so birds are easily able to consume their daily feed intake. The drawback to this is that, with rapid feed consumption, they have more available time for pecking each other. Patrick explains that one of the best ways to avoid this behaviour
is to increase the fibre content of the diet so that as the rate of feed passage in the digestive system slows, the birds demonstrate more but smaller feeding bouts. “This will mean that more time is spent in feeding, which reduces
the incidence of inquisitive pecking that may in turn lead to feather pulling from neighbours. Because of this, bird welfare will be improved, especially in a prolonged laying period. The insulation afforded by good feather cover will also be maintained and hence reduce energy requirements for maintenance. “Added fibre helps to reduce the rate of passage through the
digestive tract, meaning birds will spend more time feeding and less time pecking. But increasing fibre content isn’t always easy, as it’s low in energy so more fats and oils need to be added. It’s a real balancing act to get it right,” he says.
It is essential to rear birds correctly from day one to help achieve longer laying cycles
PAGE 34 MARCH/APRIL 2020 FEED COMPOUNDER
Maintaining production levels Following all the changes in the early stages, maintaining production throughout the laying cycle should not be overlooked. “Birds will lay at above 90% up to 45 to 50 weeks of age, but after this it’s worth slightly reducing diet density, as less energy is required for bird growth and
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