EVALUATION OF MOLT INDUCTION TO BODY-WEIGHT LOSS OF 15 20, OR 25 PERCENT BY FEED REMOVAL, DAILY LIMITED, OR ALTERNATE-DAY FEEDING OF A MOLTFEED

Postmolt egg production variables were compared among hens induced int o molt by feed removal, by limited daily feeding of a low-density and low-energy molt feed at 22.8 g per hen, or by limited alternate-day fe eding at 45.5 g per hen, until approximate body weight loss of 15, 20, and 25% was obtained. Hens were housed two per cage (25.4 x 45.7 cm) in a house of environmental design, and photoperiod was reduced to 8 h during the 28-d molt period. When target body weight loss was obtaine d, packed cell volume was determined and hens were maintained on 45.5 g/d of 1.2% calcium prelay feed through the 28-d molt period. Egg prod uction and mortality were recorded daily; egg weight, egg specific gra vity, body weight, and feed intake were recorded at 4-wk intervals pos tmolt. Packed cell volume of hens molted by feed removal (36.4%) was h igher (P < .01) than that of alternate-day (34.1%) or daily limited (3 3.6%) hens. Hens that lost 25% of their body weight had higher packed cell volume (36.3%) than hens that had body weight loss of 20% (34.4%) or hens that lost 15% (33.4%). Postmolt mortality and egg production were not different (P > .05) as a result of molt induction method or p ercentage body weight loss. At the 4th wk postmolt, body weights were 50 and 57 g heavier for hens that had lost 15% body weight than those that lost 25 or 20%, respectively, and egg production was negatively l inearly related to body weight loss. From the 8th to the 28th wk postm olt, within 4-wk periods, molt induction method or percentage body wei ght loss did not affect feed consumption (91.8 to 103.9 g), egg weight (66.0 to 66.2 g), egg specific gravity (1.0823 to 1.0831), or body we ight (1,634 to 1,788 g).