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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #287755

Title: Effects of organic selenium and zinc on the aging process of laying hens

Author
item STANLEY, VICTOR - Prairie View A & M University
item SHANKLYN, PAMELA - Prairie View A & M University
item DALEY, MILTON - Prairie View A & M University
item GRAY, CASSANDRA - Prairie View A & M University
item VAUGHAN, VIVIAN - Prairie View A & M University
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Hume, Michael

Submitted to: Agrotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2012
Publication Date: 7/20/2012
Citation: Stanley, V.G., Shanklyn, P., Daley, M., Gray, C., Vaughan, V., Hinton Jr., A., Hume, M.E. 2012. Effects of organic selenium and zinc on the aging process of laying hens. Agrotechnology. 1:103-105.

Interpretive Summary: The objective of the study was to determine whether feeding diets to post-molted hens containing organic selenium (Se) and/or organic Zinc (Zn) could improve laying hen egg production and egg quality. After molt and egg production was reduced to zero, one group of hens was fed a control diet containing no additives, one group was fed Se in the diet, one group was fed Zn in the diet, and one group was fed a combination of Se and Zn. Hens were encouraged to resume egg laying. Changes in daily egg production, egg weight, egg quality, feed consumption, and hen mortality were recorded. Results indicated that average egg production was greater and feed consumption was lower for hens fed a diet containing the combination of Se and Zn compared to the other diets. The diet containing only Zn lowered mortality and increased egg production, but reduced egg quality. Results indicated that Se and Zn may improve egg production and quality in molted hens. This information is of great interest to layer hen researchers and egg producers.

Technical Abstract: The objective of the study was to determine whether supplementing the diets of post-molted hens with organic selenium (Se) (Sel-Plex®) and/or organic Zinc (Zn) (Bio-Plex®) could improve laying hen performance. Prior to molting, 120-78 wk old laying hens were separated into four treatment groups of 30 hens per treatment and were subjected to molting. Molting was induced by reducing photoperiod from 16 h per day to 8 h, and the diet was changed from a standard layer diet (17% CP; 2830 ME/kg) to a straight crushed corn diet. When egg production was reduced to zero, the hens were fed a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.3 ppm Se/kg of feed; 20 ppm Zn/kg of feed, or a combination of Se and Zn. Lighting was restored gradually to post-molting period. Changes in daily egg production, egg weight, egg quality (albumen, yolk, and shell weights), feed utilization, and hen mortality were recorded. Results indicated that mean egg production was significantly (P<0.05) greater and feed utilization was significantly (P<0.05) lower for hens fed diet supplements with the combined treatment of Se and Zn compared to the other diets. Single treatment of Zn significantly (P<0.05) lowered mortality and increased egg production, but significantly (P<0.05) reduced egg, albumen, and shell weights.