Layers

Calcium, phosphor and vitamin D3 are all important nutritional factors in relation to eggshell quality. But, there are also other factors you need to consider. Let’s look at a few: first of all, you have to know the nutrient requirements of the hen. This requirement changes as the bird ages. For example, in older laying hens the calcium requirement increases because less calcium can be made available from the bones. Secondly, during eggshell formation the hen can either use calcium directly from the feed or mobilize it from her bones. This mobilization process is facilitated by vitamin D3 and during it also phosphor gets released that is largely lost. This underlines the importance of also having the correct phosphor and vitamin D3 levels in your feed. Another way to deal with this is by considering the timing of feeding: eggshell formation takes place during the evening and night, so this is the time during which the calcium requirement is the greatest. Therefore, the hen will benefit from extra dietary calcium during this time, something you can achieve with e.g. grit topping in the afternoon.

Feed, water, lighting and climate are the most important factors that determine the degree of herd production. Also, the combination of these factors may lead to the best conditions for the health and performance of the herd. Fortunately, through Koudijs Kapo we have specialists in both nutrition and management who can help with that. From a nutrition perspective, it all relates to the right nutritional components, which are provided in the right quantities and at the right time. This begins during the breeding stage, where it lays the foundation for a successful production stage. And through our research, we have great knowledge that body weight and composition in the early stages of life affects the percentage of eggs during the second stage of production. If there are many factors involved in increasing the number of eggs produced by each hen, you can contact a specialist to discuss your options and obtain advice based on your situation.

The colour of the egg yolk can be influenced through nutrition by the addition of pigments. Pigments are also known as carotenoids and cannot be produced by the chicken herself. Around the world, customers have a different preference for yolk color. At De Heus we understand the importance of meeting customer expectations. To make sure that the yolks in your laying hens’ eggs have just the right color, we have developed extensive knowledge in this area. The different types of carotenoids available for laying hen feeds have been extensively assessed and valued. By understanding the efficiency of the different sources available, we can always provide just the right amount of pigments for the colour you prefer.

The size of the eggs should not change for the duration of the eggs and should be uniform among the herd members. From a practical point of view, we see that the chickens that began to lay eggs produce relatively small eggs, while the eggs produced during the second half of the production stage are relatively large. There are many ways to monitor egg size and uniformity of size over the life of the egg. For example, a flock of chickens that are consolidated during the rearing stage will respond better to changes in feeding and management during the transformation stages and will likely lead to good egg production results when the eggs are started. Also, body weight as well as body condition at initiation of eggs will affect egg weight. From a nutritional perspective, the weight of the eggs is determined by the intake of feed, the utilization of feed and the nutritional value of the feed. The final effect depends on many factors, such as house temperature, intestinal and animal health, and things such as feed composition and protein/energy ratio.

Through De Hues, we are always looking for ways that lead to the optimum cost of feed. On the one hand, we do this through intelligent vehicle sourcing and optimization of production processes. On the other hand, we keep improving the feed composition, which leads to better utilization of ingredients and better performance of laying hens. And performance can be improved by realizing the feeding requirements of the chicken at different ages and stages of production (micro-feeding), as well as by studying the individual components (new) in terms of the ability to digest them and the availability of nutrients for birds. Finally, the latest feed production technology can Helps improve the quality of feed and the availability of nutrients