NUTRITION
Y. Akter1, A. Hungerford2, C.E.F. Clark2, P. Thomson2, M.R. Islam2 and C.J. O’shea3 1Poultry Research Foundation, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, Australia 2School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, Australia 3School
of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, United Kingdom
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Monitoring intake patterns of layer hens: a link between behaviour and feed conversion ratio? Feed accounts for approximately 70% of the total cost of laying hen egg production and there is substantial variation in feed conversion efficiency between individual hens. Despite this understanding, there is a paucity of information regarding layer hen feeding behaviour and its impact on feed efficiency. A 49-week-old Isa Brown layer hen intake of an ad-libitum mash diet at 2 minute time intervals, 24 h a day, was determined for 1 week for each of 35 high and 35 low feed conversion efficiency birds as screened from an initial flock of 450. Findings indicate a distinct intake pattern for layer hens with intake rate increasing from 0300 to 1700 h followed by a sharp de-
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