Egg Industry - April 2009

lem exists. Unconsumed feed is a problem that needs to be addressed quickly to avoid deterioration in quality and mold growth.

5Monitor house insulation and ventilation systems for ideal temperature control. Insulation is much less expensive than having to heat the house through the production of metabolic heat from feed. Usually insulation is maximized at the time of construction or during remodeling. If house temperatures are not maintained between 70-80 F, the ock will consume up to 2 lbs/100/day more feed than at a lower temperature. As the industry increases cage space allowance to meet Animal Welfare guidelines, maintaining house temperature has become more challenging.

6Monitor body weight and gain, case weight and grade distribution. Overfeeding hens to achieve excessive body weight gain and egg

size is in reality a waste of feed if there is no incremental return for extra large eggs. This consideration does not necessarily apply to breaker operations. Research supports maximum egg mass when hens are producing large grade eggs with optimum rates of egg production. Maintaining heavy hens to produce larger grades is not an ef cient use of feed.

7Evaluate strains of hen to select the lowest feed maintenance cost to optimize egg mass given speci c housing and environmental conditions. Management of hens and selection of strain and body weight differ considerably between a breaker and a shell egg operation.

There will be some low-hanging fruit to pick in order to reduce feed wastage. After the mechanical defects and leaks are repaired, emphasis needs to be given to ne tuning record-keeping, quality control, and adherence to goals for egg mass. EI

Dr. Sheila Scheideler is a Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist and currently the interim Head of the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska. She has published on a wide range of topics including management and nutrition since earning her Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1986. She was the recipient of the PSA Helen Cecil Leadership Award in 2007 and was inducted into the Nebraska Poultry Hall of fame in 2008.

To hear Alltech’s Aiden Connolly
discuss the importance of new
technologies for improving poultry
nutrition from this year’s
International Poultry Expo &
International Feed Expo visit:
www.wattpoultry.com/
technology.aspx

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