Effects of modified conventional and reverse-protein rearing dietary regimens on the performance of Leghorn hens.
Two commercial Leghorn genotypes were used to study the effects of rearing dietary treatments on juvenile mortality, growth, and adult performance. One control, two modified conventional, and three reverse-protein juvenile dietary regimens were compared. The two genotypes differed in egg production, age at 50% egg production, egg weight, egg specific gravity. Haugh units, and monetary returns. There was no evidence of any genotype X dietary treatment interaction. Juvenile dietary treatments had a significant (P less than .05) effect on body weights at 21 days of age that continued through the juvenile and adult periods to 490 days. Age at 50% egg production, feed efficiency, and initial egg weights were also affected. Although hens reared on one of the modified conventional and two of the reverse-protein regimens returned $.53 per bird more than the remaining three rearing dietary regimens, this difference was not significant (P greater than .05). Evidence is provided that reverse-protein juvenile dietary regimens may support adult performance that equal or surpass the performance of birds reared on conventional dietary programs.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects*
D004044:Dietary Proteins