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Eggshell Quality as Influenced by Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Source, and Photoperiod

1987; Elsevier BV; Volume: 66; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3382/ps.0660705

1525-3171

M. N. Makled, O.W. Charles,

Rabbits: Nutrition, Reproduction, Health

The effects of Ca source (limestone or a mixture of one-third limestone and two-thirds oyster shell), NaHCO3 (0 or .5%) and feeding photoperiod (16 or 24 hr) were studied in a 16-week experiment involving 240 Hy-Line W-36 Leghorn hens, 25 weeks of age. Neither egg production (percent hen-day and egg mass, kg egg/bird per 16 weeks) nor feed conversion ratio (kg feed per kg egg) were significantly (P>.05) affected by dietary treatment or photoperiod. However, extending the photoperiod to 24 hr significantly (P<.05) increased feed consumption with a consequent increase in egg weight (P<.01). Feeding oyster shell in combination with limestone significantly (P<.05) improved specific gravity of eggs, whereas dietary NaHCO3 significantly (P<.01) improved elasticity of the egg shell as measured by deformation. Eggshell quality was improved by increasing the photoperiod to 24 hr and was most pronounced when hens were fed diets supplemented with .5% NaHCO3 and limestone as the only source of Ca.