Afternoon Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation in Water: A Targeted Approach to Improve Laying Hen Nutrition

Title
Afternoon Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation in Water: A Targeted Approach to Improve Laying Hen Nutrition
Publication Date
2025-03-01
Author(s)
Akter, Nasima
Dao, Thi Hiep
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1207
Email: tdao2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:tdao2
Crowley, Tamsyn M
Sukirno, Sukirno
Nawab, Aamir
Moss, Amy F
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8647-8448
Email: amoss22@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:amoss22
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Switzerland
DOI
10.3390/ani15050720
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/65084
Abstract

A modified AM/PM strategy was evaluated in this study by supplementing calcium (Ca) in afternoon/evening (PM) drinking water instead of feed, offering an alternative to supplying two diets. A 10-week trial was conducted with 288 Hy-Line Brown hens (56 weeks old) housed on the floor in 18 pens (16 hens per pen; 9 replicate pens per treatment). The control diet contained 4.5% Ca, while the AM/PM treatment had 4.1% in feed with additional Ca and vitamin D supplemented through PM drinking water, with other nutrients kept constant in both diets. Daily egg production and weekly feed and water consumption were recorded. Hen weight, welfare scores, and egg quality were assessed at weeks 5 and 10. Blood, ileal digesta, and tibia samples were collected (from 4 hens/pen) at week 10 for serum Ca and vitamin D, digestibility, and bone analyses. Liver and kidney weights, as well as keel bone scores, were also recorded at week 10. Hens on the AM/PM diet consumed significantly less water (171.23 vs. 196.85 mL/bird/day; p < 0.001) and had a significantly higher serum vitamin D (27.59 vs. 22.64 ng/mL; p = 0.014), with a tendency towards elevated serum calcium levels (31.99 vs. 29.74 mg/dL; p = 0.089) compared to the control group. No differences in laying performance, co-efficient of variance (CV%) in individual hen and egg weight, liver and kidney weight, or keel and tibia characteristics were observed between treatments (p > 0.05). Similarly, there was no treatment effect on egg quality, and welfare parameters at week 5 and 10, except for smaller eggs (57.13 vs. 57.96; p = 0.015), and reduced chest (0.96 vs. 1.16; p = 0.028) and belly feather damage (1.34 vs. 1.55; p = 0.021), respectively, in hens of the AM/PM treatment compared to the control at week 10. The AM/PM treatment improved ileal digestible energy as is (9.00 vs. 8.22; p = 0.022) and as dry matter (10.00 vs. 9.06; p = 0.014) compared to the control one. Overall, it demonstrated comparable performance to the control, with added benefits of reduced water intake, better feather condition and vitamin D level and energy digestibility.

Link
Citation
Animals, 15(5), p. 1-21
ISSN
2076-2615
Start page
1
End page
21
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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