Effect of the Methods of forced molt on the Performance and Egg Quality of Laying Hens During the Second Cycle of Production

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the variation of the body weight, performance and egg quality of laying hens submitted to the forced molt by alternative methods to the fast. The experiment was performed in installations of the Sector of Poultry at Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia UNESP Botucatu – SP. 384 laying hens Isa Brown strain cross were used at the age of 80 weeks. They were,distributed in an experimental delineation block-type randomized, containing 6 treatments with 8 repetitions of 8 birds per unit. The experiment lasted 140 days. The process of forced molt was effected at the first 28 days and the, experimental treatments were performed. The next 112 days were divided in four cycles of 28 days, when some parameters were evaluated: body weight, productive performance and quality of eggs. The treatments used were the following: T1 – commercial ration of production with calcium and phosphorus restriction, T2 - commercial food of production with calcium, phosphorus and sodium restriction, T3 - commercial food of production with calcium, phosphorus, sodium and amino acids (methionine and lysine) restriction, T4 - supply of corn grain ground, T5 - molt conventional by 14 days of starvation followed of commercial food of production until 28 days and T6 – control group that received commercial food of production. All induction and molt diets promoted improvements in the quality of albumen and in the eggshell during the period of production. The treatments with nutrients restriction in diets had satisfactory results for the majority of the productive and qualitative characteristics evaluated, being able to be used as an alternative diet for the molt induction in laying hens.