APPARENT FEED PARTICLE SIZE PREFERENCE BY LAYING HENS

Abstract

Trials were designed to investigate the effect of feed particle size on apparent feed intake of laying hens. Feed was offered to five different groups of four birds each as either regular crumbles, mash, large crumbles (trained birds), large crumbles (untrained birds) or small crumbles, respectively. Except for the untrained birds, all birds were given a 15-d adaptation period. In each trial hens were offered 200 g of feed at 05:00 h and at each subsequent hour, until 20:00 h, feed was removed from the trough, sieved, weighed, remixed and returned to the feeders. Chemical analysis of the diet and various diet fractions was undertaken. There was marked disappearance of larger particles when birds were fed regular crumbles. However, smaller particles disappeared as the concentration of large ones decreased throughout the day. There was no marked disappearance of particles smaller than 0.60 mm. Feed intake was comparable when regular crumbles or mash rations were fed. Overall feed intake increased when small particles were offered, while intake decreased when the feed was changed abruptly to one of only large particles. It is concluded that particle size in regular crumbled layer feed is not uniform, and that particle size influences disappearance rate. Key words: Layer, particle preference, nutrient preference