Effect of feed form, formulation, and restriction on the performance of laying hens

A laying trial was performed with 1440 DeKalb(R) hens caged at 18 wk of age to test the effect of feed form (expanded pellets or mash) and type of for mulation (for crude protein [CP] or for specific amino acids[AA]), and five levels of feed restriction applied at either 24 wk or 32 wk of age. Formul ation for CP rather than AA content resulted in 4.4% greater egg production and 7.1% greater production of egg mass in hens fed mash and 4.0% better f eed efficiency in hens fed both mash and pellets. Hens fed mash had 2.3% hi gher feed consumption, suggesting that the hens may prefer mash. Feed restr iction reduced body weight and hen-day egg production proportionate to the restriction level, but egg weight was reduced only slightly. These data sug gest that care should be exercised in formulating for AA content rather tha n for CP, especially if feed intake is reduced. This strain of hens was ver y successful at regulating its feed intake for maximum production, and even a slight feed restriction produced a negative effect on production.