Whole wheat versus mixed layer diet as supplementary feed to layers foraging a sequence of different forage crops

Abstract

In many cases health and welfare problems are observed in organic egg production systems, as are high environmental risks related to nutrient leaching. These disadvantages might be reduced if the layers are allowed to utilise their ability to forage to a higher degree thereby reducing the import of nutrients into the system and stimulating the hens to perform a natural behaviour. However, very little is known about the ability of modern high-producing layers to take advantage of foraging to cover their nutritional needs, and the aim of the present work was to clarify this subject. Six flocks, each of 26 hens and one cock, were moved regularly in a rotation between different forage crops for a period of 130 days. Half of the flocks were fed typical layer feed for organic layers and half were fed whole wheat. The forage crops consisted of grass/clover, pea/vetch/oats, lupin and quinoa. At the beginning of the experiment, wheat-fed hens had a lower intake of supplementary feed (wheat) and a lower laying rate, egg weight and body weight. However, after a period of 6 to 7 weeks, the intake of wheat increased to approximately 100 g per hen per day and the laying rate increased to the same level as for the hens fed layer feed. For both groups of hens egg weight and body weight increased during the remaining part of the experiment. Crop analysis revealed different food preferences for hens fed layer feed and wheat-fed hens. Wheat-fed hens ate less of the cultivated seeds, whereas the amounts of plant material, oyster shells, insoluble grit stone and soil were larger in the crops from wheat-fed hens. Floor eggs were significantly more frequent in the hens fed layer feed, whereas wheat-fed hens only rarely laid floor eggs. Irrespective of treatment, hens were found to have excellent health and welfare. We conclude that nutrient-restricted, high-producing organic layers are capable of finding and utilising considerable amounts of different feed items from a cultivated foraging area without negative effects on their health and welfare.

Prospects from agroecology and industrial ecology for animal production in the 21st century

“…Benefits of improving the efficiency of feed utilization can be extended by appropriate feeding practices: in laying hens, sequential feeding of wheat grain and protein–mineral concentrate improved feed conversion, and could facilitate the use of local feedstuffs introduced as whole grains, thus reducing feeding costs (Faruk et al , 2010). In organic egg production systems, stimulating the hens to exercise natural foraging behavior reduced the import of nutrients into the system: high-producing layers were able to forage on crops consisting of grass/clover, pea/vetch/oats, lupin and quinoa without negative effects on health or performance (egg weight and BW; Horsted and Hermansen, 2007). Geese that grazed unfertilized grass growing between tree rows in a walnut plantation increased walnut production by 26% and tree growth by 6% (Dubois et al , 2008).…”

Effect of grass–clover forage and whole‐wheat feeding on the sensory quality of eggs

“…This has the consequence that most hens prefer to stay in the henhouse or in the area closest to it 4, 5. However, recent studies indicate that, to a large extent, the potential contribution of nutrients to the diet from an outdoor area has been overlooked and underestimated 6, 7. These studies suggest that laying hens actually are able to cover much of their nutrient requirements from the outdoor area if abundant attractive vegetation is available.…”

The effect of breed and feed-type on the sensory profile of breast meat in male broilers reared in an organic free-range system

“…However, it should be noted that the broilers were reared in a very extensive system, where foraging in the open-air run may contribute to the nutrition. Studies on layers in forage-based systems have shown a considerable intake of plant material, earthworms and insects, which contributed to nutrition as well as egg quality (Horsted et al, 2006;Horsted and Hermansen, 2007). In the present study, the New Hampshire was observed to be more active in the open-air run than JA757, which, in contrast, spent a lot of the time resting.…”