The interaction of dietary lysine and temperature on egg laying performance of broiler breeders

Abstract

The objectives of the present experiment were first to examine and explain the effects of two different ambient temperatures 21oC and 32oC on the response of the egg laying performance;total egg mass output, egg weight and egg number of the broiler breeders. Second, to examine the response of four dietary lysine concentrations (40, 52.5, 65 and 90 g/kg crude protein). Third, to examine whether there were temperature x lysine concentration interactions in the responses of the broiler breeders. Two hundred and twenty-four 34-week old hens (308 Broiler Breeder) were randomly placed in one of 16 identical floor pens within four environmentally controlled rooms. Two male birds were each also randomly placed in each pen. The relationship between the lysine concentrations and the egg laying performance variables were compared by regression analysis. A split-plot design was used in which four main plots (rooms) were kept at one of two constant temperatures throughout the whole experimental period. Within each main plot, four sub-plots (pens)were fed each of the four different diets each for a 28 day period. The diet received by each pen in each of four 28 day periods was arranged in a latin-square design. increasing lysine concentration gave a linear increase in egg weight(P=0.017). There were no (P>0.05) effects of temperature on total egg mass output, egg weight or egg number. There were no consistent (P>0.05) temperature x lysine concentration interactions.