Influence of the calcium and nutrient content of the prelay diet on egg production, egg quality, and tibiae mineralization of brown egg-laying hens from 16 to 63 wk of age

The influence of the Ca and nutrient content of the diet fed from 16 to 19 wk of age, on egg production, egg quality, and tibiae mineralization, was studied in brown egg-laying hens from 16 to 63 wk of age. The experimental design was completely randomized with 4 prelay diets organized as a 2 × 2 factorial with 2 levels of Ca (2.5 vs. 3.8%) and 2 standardized ileal digestible Lys (g/kg) to AMEn (Mcal/kg) ratios (DLys:ME; 2.84 vs. 3.13) as main effects. From 20 to 63 wk of age, all hens received a common diet with 2.75 Mcal AMEn/kg, 0.75% DLys, and 3.8% Ca. Each treatment was replicated 18 times and the experimental unit was a cage with 10 hens. Hen production and egg quality traits were measured by period (4 wk), feeding phase (prelay and lay), and cumulatively (16–63 wk of age) and tibiae mineralization was measured at 63 wk of age. During the prelay phase, an increase in Ca delayed egg production (P = 0.065), reduced feed intake (P < 0.05), and increased BW gain (P < 0.01) and percentage of shell of the egg (P < 0.05). An increase in the DLys:ME ratio increased feed intake (P < 0.01) and reduced egg size (P < 0.01). Nutrient content of the prelay diets did not affect hen production during the lay phase, except egg weight that increased (P < 0.05) in hens previously fed the low DLys:ME ratio. Eggshell quality (weight, percentage, strength, and thickness) in this phase was better (P < 0.05) in hens previously fed 3.8% Ca. Cumulatively (16–63 wk of age), hens fed the high Ca prelay diets had better shell quality but tibiae mineralization was not affected. In conclusion, an increase in Ca content of the prelay diet from 2.5 to 3.8% improved shell quality for the entire egg cycle without showing any negative effect on hen production.