Effect of Body Weight Loss During a Molt on Second Cycle Reproductive Performance of Turkey Hens ,

Abstract

One hundred Medium White turkey hens were randomly placed in cages, photostimulated, and provided a breeder diet and water ad libitum. Once egg production began, eggs were collected daily for 19 weeks. When the first egg laying cycle was completed, 95 hens were moved to floor pens and molted to observe the effects of different body weight losses during the molt on the second egg production cycle. Hens were randomly distributed between replicate pens of two treatment groups and exposed to 24 hr of light per day for 7 days. The photoperiod was then reduced to 6 hr for the remainder of the molt. Water was removed for 3 days and feed was removed for 7 and 18 days, respectively, until a reduction in body weight of 10% for the first Treatment (TRT 1) or 20% for the second treatment (TRT 2) was reached. Upon reaching desired body weight loss, hens were fed a holder diet for 5 weeks, then a prebreeder diet for 2 weeks. All hens were then randomly placed in cages, fed a breeder diet ad libitum, and subjected to a 14-hr/day photoperiod for a 20-week laying cycle. Packed cell volume increased during water deprivation during the molt. Body weights were not different at lighting for the second cycle.Production was signifcantly higher for birds with lower weight loss. Percent hen-housed egg production and total eggs per hen-housed bird were significantly (P<.01) greater in TRT 1 than TRT 2. Percent hen-housed egg production and total eggs per hen-housed bird were significantly (P<.01) greater in the second cycle than in the first cycle.