Calcium Levels and Limestone Granulometries in the Diet of Light Layers in Their Second Production Cycle

Abstract

ABSTRACT Calcium is essential for bone development and eggshell formation in laying hen nutrition. It is therefore important to align the nutritional levels of calcium and the granulometry of limestone. The aim herein was to evaluate the effect of different calcium levels and two limestone granulometries on the performance, egg quality, digestive organ characteristics, and bone quality of layers in their second production cycle. A total of 324 Lohmann LSL Lite layers at 113 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with 3 calcium levels and 2 limestone granulometries, totalling 6 treatments with 6 replicates of 9 birds each. Performance, egg quality, digestive organ biometry, and bone characteristics were evaluated. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, and the means were compared by Tukey’s test. In addition, a canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was carried out. There was no interaction between the factors for any of the variables. However, there was an effect of granulometry on egg weight, and of calcium levels on relative liver weight. No differences were observed in the CDA. It is concluded that coarse-grained limestone improves egg weight, and a 4.3% calcium level is recommended.

Keywords

• Calcium sources
• micromineral
• old hens
• shell