Effect of Feather Coverage and Temperature on Layer Performance

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with 59-wk-old DeKalb XL White Leghorns to determine the effect of percentage feather coverage (FC) on performance and nutrient intake of layers housed in cold (12.8 C), thermoneutral (23.9 C), and hot (33.9 C) temperatures. At each temperature, 60 hens had 0, 50, or 100% feathers removed and were fed diets containing 2,865 kcal ME/kg. Feed intake of hens housed at 23.9 C (115 g/day for all FC groups) was 25 g/day higher (P < .05) than for hens housed at 33 C and 13 g/day lower (P < .05) than for hens at 12.8 C. The feed intake of hens (across all temperatures) with 100% FC (98 g/day) increased (P < .05) by 26 g/day as FC decreased from 100 to 0%. Percentage hen-day egg production (EP) (across feather treatments) was decreased 7.5 and 6.7% (P < .05) at 12.8 and 33.9 C, respectively, compared with 23.9 C. Total lack of feathers decreased (P < .05) EP from hens with 100% FC by 9.2 and 6.4% at 12.8 and 23.9 C, respectively. Total lack of feathers at 33.9 C increased EP 5.46% compared with 100% FC. Egg weight was reduced 1.9 g (P < .05) at 33.9 C when compared with hens at 23.9 C. Hens without feathers produced a 1.8 g heavier egg (P < .05) than hens with 100% FC. The egg mass (EM) of hens housed at 12.8 and 33.9 C was less than hens at 23.9 C across all feather treatments. Metabolizable energy efficiency (kilocalories ME per gram EM) was improved (P < .05) by the highest temperature across all feather treatments and by increasing FC to 50 or 100% compared with 0% FC. The maintenance ME requirement for hens housed at 12.8 C with 0% FC was 190.4 kcal/kg of BW, which was twice the requirement of hens housed at 33.9 C with 0% FC. Results indicate economic importance of maintaining FC for layers in cold and thermoneutral temperatures and benefits of increased EM output for hens housed in hot climates with partial or complete feather loss.