EFFECT OF 5 HOUR INCREASES IN PHOTOPERIOD AND IN FEEDING OPPORTUNITY ON AGE AT FIRST EGG

1. ISA Brown pullets were given an 8-h photoperiod and fed ad libitum to 63 d of age. At 63 d the photoperiod was either kept at 8 h or incr eased to 13 h, and the photostimulated birds were subjected to 1 of 3 feeding systems: ad libitum, 8 h daily access to food or a daily indiv idual allocation of food equal to that given to the 8 h control group. 2. Mean age at first egg (AFE) of the groups given the photoperiod in crease was on average 33 d earlier than that of the 8 h controls. With in the photostimulated groups, limiting daily feeding opportunity to 8 h delayed maturity by 4 d compared with ad libitum feeding. The mean AFE of the birds which were given allocated quantities of food was int ermediate and not significantly different from either of the other gro ups. 3. Light was the principal factor which determined AFE, but moder ate food restriction had a small modifying influence, consistent with earlier evidence. 4. The 3 groups given a 5-h increase in photoperiod consumed similar quantities of food to first egg, which was laid aroun d 15 weeks of age. The 8 h control group ate a similar amount of food to this age, but needed more than 40% extra food to reach their first egg at 20 weeks.