A Comparison of the Nutritional Value of High Lysine, Floury-2 and Normal Corn for the Laying Hen

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to compare the nutritional value of high lysine, floury-2 and normal corn for the laying hen in corn-soybean meal diets. In the first experiment, high lysine corn was compared with normal corn in isonitrogenous diets containing 11, 14 and 17% protein with 28-week old pullets. At 14 and 17% protein levels with or without methionine supplementation, egg production and feed conversion during the 15-week period were similar for both corn sources. With 11% protein in methionine supplemented diets, high lysine corn resulted in significantly (P<.05) higher egg production and more efficient feed conversion compared with normal corn.In the second experiment, two high lysine corn varieties, floury-2 corn and normal corn were compared in isonitrogenous diets containing 11.5% protein using 58-week old hens in a twelve week study. Significantly (P<0.05) higher egg production and more efficient feed conversion were obtained with high lysine corn varieties compared to normal corn. Performance of hens fed floury-2 corn was approximately equal to that of hens fed high lysine corn. Methionine supplementation significantly (P. <05) improved egg production and feed conversion with high lysine and normal corn, but not with floury-2-corn. An isonitrogenous substitution of high lysine corn for soybean meal did not significantly influence egg production and feed conversion. The data on body weight, egg weight, Haugh unit, specific gravity and egg yolk color are presented and discussed.