Authors
MA Jalal, SE Scheideler, D Marx
Publication date
2006/2/1
Journal
Poultry Science
Volume
85
Issue
2
Pages
306-311
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
A study was conducted to assess the effects of varying cage spaces on a commercial laying hen strain fed differing levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) for 15 wk. Four cage space allowances (342, 413, 516, and 690 cm2/hen) were combined with 3 levels of dietary ME (2,800, 2,850, and 2,900 kcal of ME/kg) in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement. Each treatment was assigned to 6 replicate cages for a total of 72 cages in randomized complete block design. Feed intake and metabolizable energy intake were significantly (P < 0.01) greater for hens housed at 690 cm2/hen compared with those housed at 413 and 342 cm2/hen, but not those housed at 516 cm2/hen, across all dietary ME levels. Egg production and egg mass were significantly (P < 0.001) improved for hens housed at 690 cm2/ hen in contrast to other cage spaces and across all energy levels. There were no interaction effects of ME levels on laying hen …
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