Particle Size Distribution of Organic Complete Diets for Laying Hens during Feed Offering

Dietrich Nunnenkamp,Heiner Westendarp,Petra Wolf,Eyleen Bierschenk

doi:10.3390/agriculture12020272

Dietrich Nunnenkamp, Heiner Westendarp + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020272

Copy DOI

Journal: Agriculture	Publication Date: Feb 15, 2022
License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Rostock, Osnabrück University

Abstract

Complete diets for laying hens are usually offered in meal form. This form initially promotes the laying hens’ natural feed intake behavior and allows them to satisfy their pecking behavior. At the same time, it can also cause difficulties, because it consists of different particles and is not a homogeneous unit. A homogeneous mixture is essential to ensure that each laying hen in the flock can meet its nutritional needs. If feed exhibits a wide particle size distribution, this can promote feed segregation during transport and selective feed intake behavior of laying hens. These two processes sometimes lead to significant differences between the composition of the feed produced and the composition of the feed that is finally ingested by the laying hens. Multi-stage sampling can be used to investigate progressing differences in feed composition. In this study, samples of different complete diets for laying hens (n = 76) were collected from ten organic farms in Germany to examine their particle size distributions (dry sieve analysis). Samples were taken at four different locations (V1 = loading, V2 = silo, V3 = at the beginning of the feed chain, V4 = at the end of the feed chain) in each farm. There was a tendency for V1 and V2 to be characterized by high proportions of particles between 1400 and 3150 µm (V1 = 61.2%, V2 = 43.5%). V3 and V4 consisted mainly of particles of size 500–800 µm and 200–400 µm, respectively. The lowest proportions across all variants were in the range above 3150 µm (V1 = 2.20%, V2 = 1.30%, V3 = 1.00%, V4 = 0.400%) and between 400 and 500 µm (V1 = 2.50%, V2 = 4.50%, V3 = 5.70%, V4 = 6.60%). The mean value comparison of the proportions of sieve mesh sizes from 200 to 1000 µm resulted in: V1 < V2 < V3 < V4; and of sieve mesh sizes between 1400 and 2000 µm in: V1 > V2 > V3 > V4. This observation can be explained by segregation of the feed during transport and a selective feeding behavior of the laying hens. However, trends were discontinuous and varied between the farms. Deviations from the guideline values were found in particular for particle sizes in the range of 1000 to 1400 µm.

Highlights

Compound feed for laying hens in organic farms exists in diverse physical forms
FRierssut,ltist asnhdouDlidscbuessnioonted that this study was a field-scale study. It must be assumed tha3t.1d.ifGfeenreernatl Ccoomndmietniotsns prevailed on the ten farms despite uniform organic farming practices
Dry sieve analysis was used to investigate the particle size distribution of commercial organic layer diets. It was examined whether the guideline values were met and, on the other hand, whether trends in the particle size distribution could be found

Summary

Introduction

Compound feed for laying hens in organic farms exists in diverse physical forms. The administration of pelleted feed contradicts the fact that the risk of luxury consumption [1,2,3] and lack of employment [1,4,5,6] can increase. Processing with pressure and heat causes, on the one hand, higher costs for the energy consumption [9,10,11,12,13,14] and, on the other hand, nutrient losses [12,13], especially for heat-labile ones. For these reasons, feeding mash diets is generally recommended [2,3,8,14].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion