Some More Consequences of the Intermittent Feeding of Particulate Calcium to Laying Hens

The commercial laying hen has demonstrated appetites for energy, protein and calcium. Compounded layer diets are balanced with respect to energy as it is generally considered that the energy appetite of the bird is dominant. The current practice of feeding compounded diets has been shown to be inefficient where environmental or disease status alters the bird’s energy metabolism (Mastika, 1987; Walker and Farrell, 1976) which then may result in protein and calcium insufficiency. Similarly, the metabolic requirements of the layer for each of the dietary constituents varies with individual, age and over time; calcium requirement is generally greatest 812 hr after the previous oviposition (Hughes, 1972; Mongin and Sauveur, 1974; Mongin and Sauveur, 1979) which corresponds with the formation of the shell of the next egg*