Research Poultry Layers
Animals and facilities
Schothorst Feed Research has several facilities available for laying hen research. Research can be performed on small scale, like 64 aviary pens with 12 laying hens each, or on large scale, with a maximum of 72 aviary pens with 330 laying hens each. Small scale trials are suitable for testing of feed composition and additives. Large scale trials are suitable for testing of feed composition and feed strategies under practical conditions. Furthermore, Schothorst Feed Research has cages suitable for digestibility studies.
In Europe it will become forbidden to house laying hens in battery cages from 2012 onwards. Therefore, Schothorst Feed Research has no battery cages available for research anymore.
Type of research
Below the possibilities of research with laying hens are described:
o Production trials (small scale)
o Production trials (large scale)
o Digestibility trials
Production trials (small scale)
Objective
o Determine the effect of for example:
o Feed composition
o Additives
o Dosage
o On among others:
o Production performance
o Efficacy
Trial set up
Dependent on the expected effect the number of treatments and replicates will be determined. Research can be performed with 64 aviary pens of 1×2 m with 12 laying hens each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 8 treatments × 8 replicates related to efficacy of additives. Furthermore, research can be performed with 36 floor pens of 4.5×3 m with 74 laying hens each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 6 treatments × 6 replicates related to optimal feed composition and nutrient requirement.
Standard observations (pen level):
o Laying rate
o Egg weight
o Egg mass
o Dirty egg shells
o Floor eggs
o Feed intake
o Feed conversion ratio
o Mortality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like egg quality parameters.
Production performance will be reported per four week period and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Production trials (large scale)
Objective
o Determine the effect of for example:
o Feed composition and feed strategy
o Breed of bird
o On among others:
o Production performance
Trial set up
Laying hens are housed under practical conditions with 330 laying hens per aviary pen of 4.6×4.4 m. The facility has 2 houses with 36 aviary pens each. The number of pens gives the opportunity to test 6 treatments × 6 replicates in each house related to optimal feed composition and feed strategies. Furthermore, breed of the birds or multiple breeds can be chosen when a total production period will be studied (this is only possible at an early stage of research agreement, because birds has to be ordered half-a-year before start of the trial).
Standard observations (pen level):
o Laying rate
o Egg weight
o Egg mass
o Dirty egg shells
o Floor eggs
o Feed intake
o Feed conversion ratio
o Mortality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like egg quality parameters.
Production performance will be reported per four week period and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Digestibility trials
Objective
o Determine the effect of for example:
o Digestibility of feed stuffs
o Effect of additives on digestibility
o On among others:
o Production performance
o Excreta composition
Trial set up
For digestibility trials 51 cages are available in which 6 laying hens per cage can be housed. The number of cages gives the opportunity to test 8 treatments × 6 replicates. This set up is of interest for testing the effect of feed stuffs and additives on digestibility.
Standard observations (cage level):
o Laying rate
o Egg weight
o Egg mass
o Dirty egg shells
o Feed intake
o Feed conversion ratio
o Mortality
o Composition of excreta (total nutrient balance) or intestinal content (ileal digestibility of nutrients)
We like to consult you on further possibilities.
Animals and facilities
Schothorst Feed Research has several facilities available for laying hen research. Research can be performed on small scale, like 64 aviary pens with 12 laying hens each, or on large scale, with a maximum of 72 aviary pens with 330 laying hens each. Small scale trials are suitable for testing of feed composition and additives. Large scale trials are suitable for testing of feed composition and feed strategies under practical conditions. Furthermore, Schothorst Feed Research has cages suitable for digestibility studies.In Europe it will become forbidden to house laying hens in battery cages from 2012 onwards. Therefore, Schothorst Feed Research has no battery cages available for research anymore.
Type of research
Below the possibilities of research with laying hens are described:
Production trials (small scale)
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Feed composition
- Additives
- Dosage
On among others:
- Production performance
- Efficacy
Trial set up
Dependent on the expected effect the number of treatments and replicates will be determined. Research can be performed with 64 aviary pens of 1×2 m with 12 laying hens each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 8 treatments × 8 replicates related to efficacy of additives. Furthermore, research can be performed with 36 floor pens of 4.5×3 m with 74 laying hens each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 6 treatments × 6 replicates related to optimal feed composition and nutrient requirement.
Standard observations (pen level):
- Laying rate
- Egg weight
- Egg masso Dirty egg shells
- Floor eggs
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Mortality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like egg quality parameters.
Production performance will be reported per four week period and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Production trials (large scale)
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Feed composition and feed strategy
- Breed of bird
On among others:
Trial set up
Laying hens are housed under practical conditions with 330 laying hens per aviary pen of 4.6×4.4 m. The facility has 2 houses with 36 aviary pens each. The number of pens gives the opportunity to test 6 treatments × 6 replicates in each house related to optimal feed composition and feed strategies. Furthermore, breed of the birds or multiple breeds can be chosen when a total production period will be studied (this is only possible at an early stage of research agreement, because birds has to be ordered half-a-year before start of the trial).
Standard observations (pen level):
- Laying rate
- Egg weight
- Egg mass
- Dirty egg shells
- Floor eggs
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Mortality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like egg quality parameters.
Production performance will be reported per four week period and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Digestibility trials
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Digestibility of feed stuffs
- Effect of additives on digestibility
On among others:
- Production performance
- Excreta composition
Trial set up
For digestibility trials 51 cages are available in which 6 laying hens per cage can be housed. The number of cages gives the opportunity to test 8 treatments × 6 replicates. This set up is of interest for testing the effect of feed stuffs and additives on digestibility.
Standard observations (cage level):
- Laying rate
- Egg weight
- Egg mass
- Dirty egg shells
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Mortality
- Composition of excreta (total nutrient balance) or intestinal content (ileal digestibility of nutrients)
We like to consult you on further possibilities.
