Restricted Water Time with Dwarf and Normal Size Single Comb White Leghorn Pullets

Abstract

Two experiments with two trials in each experiment for two successive years were conducted to study the effect of varied water treatments on dwarf (Trial 1) and normal size (Trial 2) commercial Single Comb White Leghorn pullets for 10 periods of 28 days each in a positive-pressure, mechanically ventilated house. There were 192 pullets of each strain involved in each trial.In Experiment 1, mean body weight gain and Haugh units in both strains, mean egg specific gravity and percent mortality in dwarfs, and mean egg weights in Babcock (B-300) pullets were not significantly different among the water treatments. In Trial 1, dwarf pullets provided with three 15-min water periods daily at intervals of approximately 6.5 hr (3-15–6.5) during the light period had significantly lower hen-day production and daily feed consumption than pullets provided either eight 15-min water periods spaced at 2-hr intervals (8-15-2) or continuous water (CW). In Trial 2, normal-sized pullets provided with three 15-min water periods at 4-hr intervals (3-15-4) had significantly lower hen-day egg production, daily feed consumption, and better egg specific gravity than either the 3-15-6.5, 8-15-2, or CW treatments.In Experiment 2, dwarf and Shaver (Starcross 288) pullets provided with the 3-15-6.5 water treatment had significantly lower hen-day egg production, daily feed consumption, and mean egg weight than either the 8-15-2, the 60-min a.m. and 105-min p.m. (1–60, 1–105), or two 15-min a.m. and 105-min p.m. (2–15, 1–105) water treatments. From these experiments, it appears that either 3-15-4 or 3-15-6.5 water treatments had a more adverse effect on percent egg production than either CW; 8-15-2; 1–60, 1–105; or 2–15, 1–105 water treatments. Dwarf pullets apparently were more sensitive to infrequent intermittent water periods than were the normal body size commercial layers.