CONVENTIONAL VERSUS INNOVATIVE METHOD OF SEPARATE CALCIUM FEEDING IN LAYING HENS

A specific appetite in calcium has been identified during the egg formation in laying hens therefore it is recommending to use a Separate Calcium feeding (SCF) in laying hens. The present study aimed to the. Investigate the timing in the distribution of calcium meal a cafeteria system. A conventional SCF system was compared with an Innovative SCF system. Both system was equipped with a feeder containing a diet with low-calcium (2986.44 Kcal/kg and 19.14% crude protein 0.7% and the last feeder containing CaCo2 (carbonate of calcium) In each group , a sample of 25 laying hens , 27 week-old was involved in the experiment...Laying hens in the conventional SCF group received early in the morning (7.00 AM) both feeders containing a diet with low-calcium and feeder with calcium meal whereas, in the Innovative SCF group, received diet with low calcium meal in the morning while the feeder congaing calcium meal was served in the afternoon (2 PM.). The two batches were monitored for six weeks on the variables of voluntary consumption of total food, calcium meal and egg production. The calcium feed intake in laying in the Innovative SCF was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the conventional SCF (5.77g vs 7.08g) indicating a specific appetite in calcium during then egg formation process. Consequently, egg production was improved also significantly improved the average number of eggs laid (+4.32%), The suggested to distribute a low calcium diet in the morning and calcium meal in the afternoon, this in accordance with the physiology of laying hens during egg formation in tropical areas where the productivity of laying hens are limited by heat stress.