Life-cycle Feeding Programs for Egg Production

Feeding management of egg laying strains involves both feed formulation. and feeding strategy. Life-cycle programs should be developed at day-of-age and be geared to desired production goals in the layer barn. Manipulation of juvenile growth can be accomplished in relation to these goals, the main parameters being mature body weight and age at sexual maturity. Growth of the immature pullet, especially approaching age at first egg, is very responsive to energy intake. Maximising energy intake at this time is not always easy, and choice of diet energy concentration may be dependent upon other management decisions, and especially environmental temperature. The feeding strategy during growth is usually aimed at maximising weight for age, although this may be less important where egg mass output rather than egg size per se is of economic significance. During the prelay period, there may be need to consider specialized diets, although this relates only to calcium level, and especially in situations of high environmental temperature. Feed programs for adult layers must be geared towards expected feed intake. During early production this can be problematic, due to reduced appetite. Egg production seems most responsive to energy intake while protein and amino acid intake seem more critical for maintaining egg size.