Feed withdrawal influences egg production, egg quality and antioxidant variables in White Leghorn layers reared during the tropical summer season

Abstract

ABSTRACT 1. An experiment was conducted with White Leghorn layers (Babcock BV 300) to optimise the feed withdrawal schedule for egg-laying hens (67 to 80 weeks) reared in open-sided poultry houses during the tropical summer season. 2. Four feeding schedules (1. ad libitum access to the layer feed, 2. feed withdrawal from 9 AM-5 PM, 3. 11 AM-5 PM, and 4. 1 PM-5 PM followed by free access to the layer feed) were examined. Each feeding schedule was offered to 12 replicates consisting of 12 layers housed in four adjacent cages (45.7 × 35.6 × 43.2 cm). 3. Fasting the layers from 1-5 pm reduced egg production compared to layers fasting from 9 or 11 am. The FI/egg or unit egg mass was highest in layers fasted from 1-5 pm. In the 9 am-5 pm fasted group, the cloacal temperature (CT) increased significantly at 11 am and gradually reduced at 3 pm. In the 1-5 pm fasted group, the CT remained higher at 3 pm and 5 pm. 4. The cell-mediated immune response in layers fasted from 9 am or 11 am was higher than those fed ad libitum or 1-5 pm fasted group. Lipid peroxidation was higher in layers 1-5 pm fasted group, and significantly lower LP was found in groups that fasted from 9 am or 11 am. In general, the activities of serum antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase) were higher in layers that fasted from 9 am or 11 am compared to those that had ad libitum feed or fasted from 1-5 pm. 5. It was concluded that the feed withdrawal should be initiated during the forenoon (9 AM/11 am-5 pm) for optimum production and to reduce oxidative stress in egg-laying hens reared during summer in the tropical region.