A Study of the Niacin Requirement of the Laying Hen

Abstract

BRIGGS et al. (1946) first demonstrated a niacin deficiency in laying hens by feeding a bone-ossein-casein-gelatin diet. The hens lost weight and egg production and hatchability were reduced. Many of the eggs were soft shelled. Adding niacin to the diet corrected all of these problems.Ringrose et al. (1965) fed a cornstarch-casein-gelatin diet and a corn meal-cornstarch-casein-gelatin diet for twelve weeks in studying the laying hen’s requirement for niacin. With both diets, the niacin requirement for egg production appeared to be approximately 800 μg. per 100 grams of diet. With the diet not containing corn meal, the niacin requirement for hatchability appeared to be 1,000 μg. per 100 grams of diet. This diet resulted in reduced feed consumption as compared to a practical type diet which was being used as a positive control. The corn meal diet also resulted in reduced feed consumption but not to the same degree as …