An assessment of the optimal range of dietary sodium for inducing a pause in laying.
Laying hens were fed on a diet containing 0-9 g sodium/kg until 34 weeks of age, then groups were fed on diets containing 0-2, 0-3,0-4, 0-5, 0-6 or 0-9 g sodium/kg for 16 weeks before that containing 0-9 g sodium/kg was reintroduced for all birds. 2. Egg production and food consumption were depressed by the low-sodium diets in proportion to the dietary sodium content. 3. Birds receiving 0-3 to 0-6 g sodium/kg diet lost weight initially but subsequently gained weight; birds receiving 0-2 sodium/kg diet lost weight continouosly. 4. In birds receiving 0-2 g sodium/kg diet, the reproductive organs were completely regressed, whereas these organs resembled those of point-of-lay pullets in birds fed on 0-3 or 0-4 g sodium/kg. 5. When the control diet was reintroduced, birds which had received the low-sodium diets resumed normal egg production and food consumption and regained body weight. 6. The optimal range of dietary sodium for inducing a pause in egg laying is 0-3 to 0-4 g/kg.
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium