The effect of restricting the individual daily energy intake of caged layers on the efficiency of egg production

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Abstract
Two experiments are described in which the daily metabolisable energy intake of laying hens fed a concentrated diet (ME = 3550 kcal/kg) was restricted on an individual hen basis. Performance on this diet was compared with that of hens fed a high‐energy diet (ME = 2690 kcal/kg). In experiment 1 medium‐weight hybrid pullets were used and in experiment 2 two light‐weight hybrid strains were used. In both experiments maximum egg production was obtained from the birds fed the high‐energy diet ad libitum. Restriction of the concentrated diet caused a significant reduction of body weight gain and a statistically insignificant fall in the total weight of egg product and in percentage production in both experiments. Restriction of the concentrated diet caused improvements of 22 and 18 per cent in the efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable energy in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. The data are discussed in relation to the relevant literature and the current cost of concentrated sources of energy.