Successful rearing for a good production in laying period
Paul GRIGNON DUMOULINISA Technical Service Coordinator
PIX, june 2018
Introduction
• Good layer productivity is strongly influenced by management of birds during laying, including early age
• Achieve good growing performance is only one part of the objectives
• Rearing period should be considered as a training phase for the management technics that should be applied during laying period
Criteria defining high quality pullets • A flock of pullets is measured by 6 criteria:
• Bodyweight profile during rearing (5 wk and at transfer)• Uniformity of the flock• Quality of beak trimming (where applicable)• Feed intake capacity• Age at sexual maturity• Health status and immunological competence
The productivity of a flock depends to a large extent on the successful attainment of key targets during rearing
Rearing is the Investment Phase in Layer Production Outline
Rearing system – adaptability to housing system
Use the same housing system in rearing and production
Rearing
Production
Cage
Floor
Aviary
Adaptability
Train the birds in rearing
• Floor system : Access to perchesbefore 4 weeks of age
• Aviary : Water management (ex ‘Jump start’ systems)
=> Birds must be able and trained to jump on the system to find nests, drinkers and feeders in production house
Bodyweight control
Why checking the bodyweights?• A weekly bodyweight control is necessary
to check the real evolution of the flock : the sooner we detect deviations, the quicker adjustments can be implemented
• Feeding technics, with empty feeders once a day, can be correctly implemented only when we know bodyweight evolution.
• Bodyweight evolution at onset of lay is the most reliable indicator of a flock quality
• Minimum frequency to check bodyweight :• Weekly from 3 to 26 weeks of age• Every 2 weeks between 26 and 35
weeks of age• Every 4 weeks after 35 weeks of age
Follow standard growth curves
ISA Brown growth curve
Growth is not linearGrowth / nutritional needs maximum between 6-11 weeks
Graph1
165166.5
2117.52115
31913205
42754292.5
5369.55390
64716485
7577.757575
8686.258665
97939757.5
10894.510847.5
1198911940
121076.5121025
131160.5131120
141237.5141202.5
151307.5151295
161377.5161380
171439171467.5
181500181500
BW max
BW Standard
BW min
Previous STD
66.5
63.5
121.5
113.5
196.5
185.5
282.5
267.5
379.5
359.5
482.8
459.2
591.35
564.15
701.65
670.85
810.5
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913.3
875.7
1009
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1099
1054
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1265
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Feuil1
WeekETWeekly weight gainDaily weight gainBW minBW StandardBW max
11.51646567
245382114118122
35.574113186191197
47.584124268275283
51095145360370380
611.8102156459471483
713.6107157564578591
815.4109168671686702
917.5107159776793811
1018.81021510876895913
11209514119699891009
1222.5881312105410771099
1325841213113611611186
1427.5771114121012381265
1530.5701015127713081338
1633.5701016134413781411
1737.562917140214391477
184561918145515001545
1960801119152015801640
206050720157016301690
216051721162116811741
225529422165517101765
235030423169017401790
245020324171017601810
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285011228175718071857
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305010130177818281878
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59502059190319532003BW minBW maxBW StandardPrevious STDBW minBW maxBW Standard
6050106019041954200416467656718145515451500
61501061190519552005211412211811519152016401580
62501062190619562006318619719120520157016901630
63501063190719572007426828327529321162117411681
64501064190819582008536038037039022165517651710
65501065190919592009645948347148523169017901740
66501066191019602010756459157857524171018101760
67501067191119612011867170268666525172218221772
68501068191219622012977681179375826173418341784
695010691913196320131087691389584827174618461796
7050107019141964201411969100998994028175718571807
7150107119151965201512105410991077102529176818681818
7250107219161966201613113611861161112030177818781828
7350107319171966.5201714121012651238120331178718871837
7450107419171967201715127713381308129532179518951845
7550107519181967.5201816134414111378138033180219021852
7650107619181968201817140214771439146834180819081858
7750107719191968.5201918145515451500150035181419141864
7850107819191969201936182019201870
7950107919201969.5202037182619261876
8050108019201970202038183219321882
8150108119211970.5202139183819381888
8250108219211971202140184319431893
8350108319221971.5202241184819481898
8450108419221972202242185319531903
8550108519231972.5202343185619561906
8650108619231973202344185919591909
8750108719241973.5202445186219621912
8850108819241974202446186519651915
8950108919251974.5202547186819681918
9050109019251975202548187119711921
49187419741924
50187719771927
51188019801930
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Feuil1
Weekly weight gain
Feuil2
Daily weight gain
Feuil3
Weekly weight gain
Daily weight gain
Weekly weight gain
Daily weight gain
BW max
BW Standard
BW min
BW max
BW Standard
BW min
BW max
BW Standard
BW min
Previous STD
Influence of pullet quality on laying performance
+++ : very good correlation + : low correlation++ : good correlation 0 : no correlation
Bodyweight at 5 weeks old
Bodyweight at 10 weeks old
Bodyweight at 16 weeks old
Uniformity at 16 weeks old
Sexual maturity ( % prod 20-24 weeks)
+++ +++ ++ 00,63 0,59 0,39
Prod peristency (% lay 68-72 weeks)
+++ 0 0 ++0,82 0,46
Production per hen housed (until 60 weeks)
+++ ++ 0 +++
0,83 0,3 0,54
Production per hen housed (60-72 weeks)
+++ 0 0 +++
0,94 0,6Production per hen housed (until 72 weeks)
+++ 0 0 +++0,93 0,72
Liveability at 60 weeks +++ 0 0 ++
0,71 0,4
Liveability at 72 weeks +++ 0 0 +++0,65 0,61
Key anatomical and developmental stagesTime-line in Changes of Growth and Body Components of Pullets
Increase in Calcium Pre lay
feed
Reproductive organ
development
Medulary bone
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Frame
Muscles
Organs
Age (weeks)
Growth
Fat
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
01234567891011121314151617181920
Growth
Frame
Reproductive organ development
Increase in Calcium
Pre lay feed
Organs
Muscles
Medulary bone
Age (weeks)
•Uniformity at 16 weeks of age- Uniform flocks are much easier to manage - Light stimulation can be based on bodyweight and not age- Uniformity is more important than bodyweight
•Start of lay to peak of production- Growth between start of lay and peak of production is very important- Between 5 and 90% lay, growth must be 300g minimum- That is essential for a good persistency, eggshell quality and livability
Bodyweight management in end of rearing
Keypoints bodyweightGood bodyweight at 4-5 weeks old
+Good uniformity at 16 weeks old
=Good performance during laying period
Feed the birds for better production
NATURAL FEED CONSUMPTION IN LAYERS
% of daily consumption
White layers - Kersharvaz 1998
60% of the feed is ingested in the last 6 hours of the day
16
FEED SPECIFICATIONS - BROWN EGG LAYERS
PRE STARTER GROWER PULLET - PRE LAY
TEMPERATE CLIMATE
HOT CLIMATE 4 5 10 16
Pre Starter Feed : EM= 2950 / CP = 20-20,5
Grower Feed : EM=2850 / CP=19
Developper Feed : EM = 2750 / CP=16
Pre Lay Feed : EM= 2750 / CP= 16,8
17
OPTIMUM FRAME DEVELOPMENT
Quantity of pre starter Bodyweight at 4 weeksused (g) in % of BW standard
Flock A 0 g 86%Flock B 300 g 95%
During the first few weeks, live weight of pullets is very dependant on the energy
level of the feed
Brown layers experiment
Feed recommendations – feed transition
• Change feed only if birds are at bodyweight target (maximum age planed + 2 weeks)
• Maintain too long high concentrated feed will give small eater birds with feed consumption problems at start of production
Encourage and maintain birds’ appetite
• Lot A - Ad libitum
« Essential to empty the feeders once a day and to adapt the timing of feed distribution in order to encourage appetite, growth and
rapid feed intake »
Flock A Flock B Diff B/ABodyweight at 8 weeks (g) 580 617 + 6 %Bodyweight at 12 weeks (g) 1005 1061 + 6 %Bodyweight at 17 weeks (g) 1340 1435 + 7 %Uniformity 17 weeks (%) 83 87 + 4 pointsConsumption at 119 d (g) 5780 5947 + 3 %ISA 1995
• Lot B with 2 meals (1 in afternoon and 1 in the morning (4 h of empty feeders)
Brown layers experiment
Pre-lay diet
• Neccessary for early sexual maturity flocks• Avoid early demineralisation = impact on the shell quality in end of laying period.
Weight of first eggs 40 g
% shell 13%
% Calcium in the shell 37%
Calcium export per egg 1.9 g
Calcium export through the egg Calcium ingested
2nd age feed
Pre-lay feed
Calcium content
1% 2.5%
Feed cons 85 g/d 85 g/d
Calcium ingestedg/d/bird
0.9 2.1
Keypoints feeding
• Use a crumble starter feed during first 4-5 weeks• Feed the birds by meal from 5-6 weeks of age• Use empty feeder technic from 6 weeks of age• Feed the birds during the afternoon to benefit from
the natural behaviour of the birds.• Use a pre-lay diet (2-2,5% calcium) the 2 weeks
before start of lay to promote calcium storage in medullary bones
Light stimulation
23
OPTIMUM FRAME DEVELOPMENT
Normal (h/d) Slow step down (h/d)
1st 20 202nd 16 163rd 12 154th 8 14,55th 8 146th 8 13,57th 8 138th 8 12,5
BW at 56 days (g) 678 g 731 g24 th+H4 RST Eike
Lighting programme
Long daylengths throughout the rearing period encourage feed intake and, therfore, growth
SLOW STEP DOWN L.P.
Brown layers experiment
Adequation of light off times between rearing and production house (open house / dark house)
123456789
1011
Heure 12131415161718192021222324
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20Semaine d'âge
Continuous lighting program
• When transfering birds from rearing to production : keep lights off at night the same as in rearing
• Increase light in the morning
25
BODYWEIGHT AT SEXUAL MATURITY & A.E.W.
45
47,5
50
52,5
55
57,5
60
62,5
65
67,5
18-28 weeks 28-40 weeks 40-60 weeks
1350 - 1450 g1550 - 1650 g1750 - 1850 g
1950 - > 2000 g
Bodyweight at first egg influence Egg Weight during
all the laying period
Brown layers experiment
Light stimulation
• Light stimulation should be according to bodyweight and not age
• It is key to determine according to egg weight target at what age layers should be stimulated
• For brown layers, many trials showed a bodyweight modification of 80g at sexual maturity induce an eggweight variation of 1g
• The bigger is the first step, the higher will be the feed intake increase
Feed consumption during night lighting
Period Consumption Ratio water/Feed in g % g / h 4h30 – 8h35 8h35 – 14h20 14h20 – 19h45 0h – 1h30
20 27 50 18
17 23 44 16
4,6 4,7 9,3 11,9
1,9 2,9 1,7 0,6
Total 115 100 6,4 1,83
2 hours light during night allows the birds to feed during the more fresh period of the day and
limits feed low consumption due to high temperature
Period
Consumption
Ratio
water/Feed
in g
%
g / h
4h30 – 8h35
8h35 – 14h20
14h20 – 19h45
0h – 1h30
20
27
50
18
17
23
44
16
4,6
4,7
9,3
11,9
1,9
2,9
1,7
0,6
Total
115
100
6,4
1,83
Keypoints lighting
• Adapt daylength decrease depending on growth target
• Initiate light stimulation depending on bodyweight• Give midnight lighting to compensate low feed intake• Get continuity between rearing and production
house.
Conclusion
• Train the birds in during rearing period is key to avoid any adaptation trouble at start of lay
• Apply good feeding technics and light stimulation is key to get the best expression of genetic potential of the layers
Thank you for your attention
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Successful rearing for a good production in laying period�IntroductionCriteria defining high quality pullets Rearing system – adaptability to housing systemUse the same housing system �in rearing and productionTrain the birds in rearingBodyweight controlWhy checking the bodyweights?Follow standard growth curvesInfluence of pullet quality on laying performanceKey anatomical and developmental stages�Time-line in Changes of Growth and Body Components of PulletsSlide Number 12Keypoints bodyweightFeed the birds for better productionNATURAL FEED CONSUMPTION IN LAYERSFEED SPECIFICATIONS - BROWN EGG LAYERSOPTIMUM FRAME DEVELOPMENTFeed recommendations – feed transitionEncourage and maintain birds’ appetitePre-lay dietKeypoints feedingLight stimulationOPTIMUM FRAME DEVELOPMENTAdequation of light off times between rearing and production house (open house / dark house)�BODYWEIGHT AT SEXUAL MATURITY & A.E.W.Light stimulationFeed consumption during night lightingKeypoints lightingConclusionThank you for �your attention