Laying hen nutrition: optimising hen performance and health, bone and eggshell quality

Description

Hen nutrition must address a number of different goals including maximising egg production, maintaining egg quality, extending the laying cycle and ensuring hen health and welfare. This chapter focuses on the dietary influences on eggshell quality and bone health. It looks first at the role of phosphorus and calcium in the diet. It then goes on to review other nutritional factors such as fatty acids, vitamins, magnesium and trace elements. After a review of dietary influences on egg yolk coloration, the chapter concludes by discussing the ways nutrition can promote hen health in such areas as the prevention of hepatic steatosis, osteoporosis, keel bone disorders and feather picking.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Hen phosphorus nutrition 3 Hen calcium nutrition 4 Other nutritional factors affecting hen health and eggshell quality 5 Dietary control of egg yolk colouration 6 Controlling hen health 7 Conclusions 8 Where to look for further information 9 References