A comparison of the use of conventional and semipurified diets of high and low linoleate content on the responses of laying hens to dietary linoleic acid

Abstract

AbstractPullets given a semi‐purified, low‐linoleate (SPLL) diet from 15–40 weeks of age produced significantly larger eggs but had significantly smaller body weights at 40 weeks than birds fed conventional diets to this age. When semi‐purified diets were fed from 40 weeks subsequent body weight gain was significantly greater in birds previously fed the semi‐purified diet. The minimum increase in mean egg weight between 40–68 weeks was observed in pullets fed from 15 weeks on the SPLL diet and given restricted amounts of food from 40 weeks. This poor egg weight increase was offset by ad libitum feeding, by feeding a conventional diet between 15–40 weeks or by feeding a semi‐purified, high‐linoleate, maize oil‐supplemented diet at similar ME intakes from 40–68 weeks. However, the actual mean egg weights at 68 weeks of restricted or ad libitum fed birds given the SPLL diet from 15 weeks were little different to those of birds on equivalent feeding regimens and consuming greater amounts of linoleic acid.