Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN, ENERGY, CALCIUM AND EGG PRODUCTION ON FEED CONSUMPTION OF LAYING HENS.
Abstract
Large increases in the cost of protein and energy sources for animal rations has forced a rethinking of the concept of optimum nutrition. Most feed manufacturers have attempted to provide optimum nutrients for maximum rate of lay, quality, and best feed conversion per dozen Thus, many of the nutrients, particularly protein, have been added in excess of needs for efficient performance.Economists have long used the law of diminishing returns, to evaluate production functions. This law states that when production of a product is increased by adding units of a variable input, while the quantities of other inputs are held constant, the increase in total production becomes, after some point, smaller and smaller (Heilbroner, 1972). This law also applies to nutrition of the laying hen. Egg production will be increased by adding units of protein but as the optimum production (maximum number of eggs with minimum quantities of protein), is approached each added unit of protein will result in a smaller increase in egg production. The question to be answered, then, is what level of protein should be added to give optimum returns from a laying operation, especially when hens start to decline in egg production.
Subject Area
Nutrition
Recommended Citation
IVY, RICHARD EARNEST, "INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN, ENERGY, CALCIUM AND EGG PRODUCTION ON FEED CONSUMPTION OF LAYING HENS." (1974). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI7503427.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI7503427