Responses of organic housed laying hens to dietary methionine and energy during a summer and winter season

Br Poult Sci. 2015;56(1):121-31. doi: 10.1080/00071668.2014.989196. Epub 2015 Jan 13.

Abstract

1. The main dietary challenge in organic laying hen production is to fulfil the digestible methionine (MET) requirement in a diet consisting of ingredients of organic origin only. 2. The aim of the present experiment was to determine the response of organic housed laying hens (26-34 weeks of age) to dietary energy and MET during a summer and winter trial. Per trial, a total of 128 17-week-old Brown Nick hens were allotted to 16 pens, which were connected to an outdoor run. Each experiment comprised 8 dietary treatments according to a 4 × 2 factorial design. The factors were AFD MET level (2.3, 2.7, 3.1 and 3.5 g/kg) and energy content (10.9 and 12.1 MJ). 3. Dietary energy content did not affect energy intake (1361 kJ/d) in summer, whereas energy intake in winter was increased in hens that were fed on the 12.1-MJ diets (1514 vs. 1421 kJ/d). Maximal egg mass in summer was achieved if a diet with 3.5 g/kg MET was given, corresponding to a digestible MET intake of 421 mg/d. During winter, maximal egg mass was achieved with a digestible MET intake of 360 mg/d, which was already realised with a MET content of 2.7 g/kg. 4. Because digestible MET content for maximal egg performance differed between the summer and winter trial, dietary energy to MET ratio might be adjusted to seasonal conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Animals
  • Chickens / metabolism*
  • Diet / veterinary*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Energy Intake*
  • Female
  • Housing, Animal*
  • Methionine / metabolism*
  • Random Allocation
  • Seasons*

Substances

  • Methionine