Research Note: Effect of increasing fat supplementation in diets on productive performance, egg quality, and fatty liver incidence in laying hens throughout the entire laying cycle

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of increasing fat supplementation in diets on productive performance, egg quality, and fatty liver incidence in laying hens during the entire laying cycle. A total of three hundred eighty-four 18-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments with 8 replicates for a 52-wk feeding trial. Each replicate comprised 16 consecutive cages with 1 hen per cage. The experimental diets were prepared by supplementing 0, 1.5, or 3.0% tallow to a basal diet, but all nutrients and energy in 3 diets were formulated to be equalized according to the recommended nutrient and energy concentrations at each phase of laying hens. Results indicated that increasing fat supplementation in diets decreased (linear, P < 0.01) feed conversion ratio (FCR) by increased egg mass (linear, P < 0.05) but decreased feed intake (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) in laying hens during overall periods. Increasing fat supplementation in diets decreased (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) egg yolk color during overall periods. Increasing fat supplementation in diets had no effects on liver color and hemorrhagic score measured at 60 wk (phase 3) and 70 wk of age (phase 4) without affecting hepatic fat concentrations during overall periods. However, the relative abdominal fat weight in laying hens was increased (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) during overall periods by increasing fat supplementation in diets. In conclusion, increasing fat supplementation up to 3.0% in diets improves FCR with no impacts on fatty liver incidence and economics in laying hens throughout the entire laying cycle.