Relationship between the level and the action period of fiber in diets to laying hens

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the level of fiber and its action period in diets to laying hens on performance and egg quality. 180 Hisex white hens (65 weeks-old) were randomly allocated to 3 groups of 60 birds each, comprising 10 replicates of six birds per treatment. The experimental design was factorial scheme considering three levels of fiber (2.50, 4.87 and 7.24%) in birds’ diets, and three action periods of this fiber (short - 21 days, medium - 56 days, and long - 105 days) in the feed. The estimates of treatments were firstly subjected to ANOVA and a subsequent Tukey test at 5%. Birds fed diets with moderate levels of fiber (4.87%) presented better (p < 0.05) performance. High levels of fiber caused a significant reduction in performance. Birds fed diets with low and moderate levels of fiber produced eggs with better (p < 0.05) quality. High levels of fiber caused a significant reduction in egg quality. The exposure of birds to diets with fiber for long-term caused a negative effect (p < 0.05) on performance, egg weight and percentage of its main structures, albumen height, yolk height, eggshell thickness, and the specific gravity.

Effects of dietary fiber on performance and egg quality of laying hens at pre-laying and laying peak

“…In this same process, higher fiber levels in the diets tend to hurt the performance of the hens. Rufino et al (2021) reported a lower effect of fiber on performance and egg quality in the short-term. However, the same authors pointed a great reduction in these results when hens fed diets with a high level of fiber for the medium or long-term.…”

“…Animal Sciences, v. 45, e57534, 2023 tend to change all gut functioning. And how the absorption of poultry diets nutrients directly depending on mechanisms of the gut mucosa, where the integrity of epithelial cells and the action of digestive enzymes in the lumen are essential for nutrients to be well used (Jiménez-Moreno, Frikha, Coca-Sinova, García & Mateos, 2013), the presence of blockages in these processes can cause significant losses on performance and blocking the nutrients to be deposited in the eggs (Rufino et al, 2021). According to Yokhana et al (2015), high levels of fiber normally cause disturbances in the energy metabolism of the hen, which are even more evident in young birds where the physiology is more sensitive and tends to present a rapid response.…”

“…To egg quality analyses, this study used the same methodology described by Rufino et al (2021). The eggs were stored for one hour at room temperature and weighed using an electronic balance (0.01 g).…”

“…In addition, the structure of fiber and its relationship with water in the lumen greatly influence convective efficiency and microbial dynamics throughout the intestine (Incharoen & Maneechote, 2013;Yokhana, Parkinson, & Frankel, 2015). Rufino et al (2017) and Rufino et al (2021) reported that great variations in the fiber levels applied to poultry diets may result in both positive and negative effects, where moderate levels tend to be the better recommendation. Normally, these effects are caused by the interaction between the type and fiber content (soluble and insoluble), birds' age, and nutritional quality of inhaled non-starch polysaccharides, making fiber acts in different forms on birds' metabolism (Kalmendal, Elwinger, Holm, & Tauson, 2011;Mohiti-Asli et al, 2012;Mtei, Abdollahi, Schreurs, Girish, & Ravindran, 2019).…”