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

775.5

913.3

875.7

1009

969

1099

1054

1185.5

1135.5

1265

1210

1338

1277

1411

1344

1476.5

1401.5

1545

1455

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

255012225172217721822

265012226173417841834

275012227174617961846

285011228175718071857

295011229176818181868

305010130177818281878

31509131178718371887

32508132179518451895

33507133180218521902

34506134180818581908

35506135181418641914

36506136182018701920

37506137182618761926

38506138183218821932

39506139183818881938

40505140184318931943

41505141184818981948

42505142185319031953

43503043185619061956

44503044185919091959

45503045186219121962

46503046186519151965

47503047186819181968

48503048187119211971

49503049187419241974

50503050187719271977

51503051188019301980

52503052188319331983

53503053188619361986

54503054188919391989

55503055189219421992

56503056189519451995

57503057189819481998

58503058190119512001

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

52188319831933

53188619861936

54188919891939

55189219921942

56189519951945

57189819981948

58190120011951

59190320031953

60190420041954

61190520051955

62190620061956

63190720071957

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65190920091959

66191020101960

67191120111961

68191220121962

69191320131963

70191420141964

71191520151965

72191620161966

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79192020201970

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90192520251975

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

www.isapoultry.com/

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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