Calcium Metabolism in Broiler Breeder Hens: 2. The Influence of the Time of Feeding on Calcium Status of the Digestive System and Eggshell Quality in Broiler Breeders

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Experiments were conducted to determine the influence of time of dietary calcium intake on eggshell quality in broiler breeder hens. In Experiment 1, 60 hens were randomly divided among three treatment groups. The control group received 155 g feed (3.1% calcium) per day at 0800 hr whereas the morning- (a.m.) and evening-fed (p.m.) treatments received a .42% calcium diet (155 g/bird) and were intubated with 4.2 g calcium at 0800 or 1600 hr, respectively. Egg weight, shell weight, and specific gravity were determined at 3-day intervals for 15 days. In Experment 2, 150 breeder hens were randomly divided among two treatment groups. They were fed 122 g per hen during a 2.5-hr feeding time at 0700 to 0930 or 1530 to 1800 hr. Eggs were collected for egg weight, shell weight, and specific gravity determinations. At the end of the 5th week, 10 hens from each treatment group were sacrificed at various times throughout a 24-hr period and the contents of each segment of the GI tract and feces were analyzed for moisture, dry matter, and calcium. In Experiment 3, two commercial broiler-breeder houses with 5,000 hens each were used. They were fed 132 g/hen per day at 0530 hr daily with water provided ad lib. The feeding time of one house was moved forward by 2 or 2.5 hr per day until the feeding time was 1600 hr. Eggs were collected for 2 weeks following pretreatment data and values determined for specific gravity. Eggs were also candled at 7 days incubation to determine embryonic mortality and fertility.Hens intubated at 0800 hr with their daily supply of calcium did not maintain shell quality equivalent to controls (Experiment 1). However, hens intubated at 1600 hr had no difficulty maintaining shell quality. Hens fed at 1530 hr had significantly better shell quality during all weeks tested compared to hens fed at 0700 hr (Experiment 2). The p.m.-fed hens had 66.9% more calcium available at 1800 hr (2.07 vs. 1.24 g) compared to a.m.-fed hens. Hens fed at 1600 hr in the commercial houses (Experiment 3) had significantly better eggshell quality (specific gravity) than hens fed at 0530 hr. There was no significant difference in percent embryonic mortality or percent fertility when eggs were candled after 7 days of incubation. It was concluded that p.m.-fed hens had significantly more calcium available during the stages of eggshell calcification. The result was significantly better eggshell quality.