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INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS, PROTEIN, SULFUR AMINO ACIDS, AND LINOLEIC ACID LEVELS ON EGG SIZE AND PERFORMANCE OF HYBRID EGG-TYPE HENS
Abstract
Four experiments were conducted to study the influence of dietary phosphorus (P), protein, SAA and linoleic acid levels on egg size and performance of hybrid egg-type hens. The first study involved five levels of total P from dicalcium phosphate: .38, .45, .52, .59 and .66%. Four strains of layers, 29-30 weeks of age initially, were used. Composite means of all treatments showed significant differences among P levels relative to hen-day egg production rate and feed efficiency favoring the .52% P level. There were no significant differences among P levels relative to egg weight, egg specific gravity and feed consumption. A second study study of 12 weeks duration, was conducted with hens 59 to 71 weeks old fed three levels of protein and three levels of SAA. Neither dietary protein level nor any of the protein-SAA combinations significantly affected egg size, production rate or feed efficiency. Feed consumption was significantly lower for birds receiving 14.5% protein and .46% SAA than for birds receiving the other treatments. A third study of 18 weeks in duration was conducted with hens 21-39 weeks of age. Two levels of protein and three levels of SAA were involved. Composite means for eight bi-weekly periods showed that egg weight was significantly affected by protein level, particularly when the 16% protein diet contained .60% SAA. The effect of protein or SAA levels on egg production, feed consumption and feed efficiency was not significant. Calculations based on the average daily feed intake and dietary nutrient levels indicated that 16.6 g protein, .348 g methionine and .624 g SAA per hen daily were adequate for the most satisfactory performance in layers 21 to 39 weeks of age. A fourth study of 18 weeks duration was conducted with layers 21-39 weeks of age fed 0, 2 and 4% of corn oil with both moderate and higher ME levels. Composite means of eight bi-weekly periods showed that neither increasing levels of linoleic acid from corn oil nor increasing ME levels significantly affected egg size, production rate, feed consumption and feed efficiency. Based on these studies, it was concluded that egg size may be influenced by certain dietary factors such as protein, methionine and linoleic acid.
Subject Area
Nutrition
Recommended Citation
NAJIB, HUTHAIL, "INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS, PROTEIN, SULFUR AMINO ACIDS, AND LINOLEIC ACID LEVELS ON EGG SIZE AND PERFORMANCE OF HYBRID EGG-TYPE HENS" (1982). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8217551.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8217551