Abstract
Three experiments were conducted with White Leghorn laying hens to study the effect of changes in ingredient composition of diets varying in calcium level on various parameters. Calcium at 2.75 and 3.5% were compared in a corn-soy diet (CS) or diets containing alfalfa meal, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), torula yeast, fish meal, or a combination of fish meal, alfalfa meal, and torula yeast. Egg breaking strength in two of three experiments was significantly improved by higher calcium while rate of egg production was improved only in one. Egg shell quality was not significantly affected by changes in ingredient composition. However, calcium in plasma in hens fed the CS diet was significantly higher than for hens fed all of the more complex diets except the one with DDGS. Both diffusable and nondiffusable calcium were affected. Plasma calcium was elevated by the higher dietary calcium in only one of the three experiments. No significant differences were observed in tibial ash, plasma estradiol, plasma phosphorus, or egg weight.
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