Post-moult egg quality of commercial layers induced to moult under various fasting and feeding regimes

The present work was conducted to determine the effect of various fasting and feeding regimes during moulting on post-moult egg quality characteristics of commercial layers. This experiment was carried out on 180 commercial (Babcock) egg-laying hens available at the age of 122 weeks during the second production cycle after the first moult induction. The birds were kept in single deck type cages comprising 18 experimental units of 10 birds each, that had previously been assigned to six treatment groups having three (5, 10, 15 days) fasting regimes x two (once-a-day and skip a day) feeding regimes in a factorial arrangement with three replications each. During the experimental period each bird was served with 0.80 kg layer mash weekly. A total of 18 randomly selected eggs (one egg per experimental unit) taken every week were used for the study of egg quality i.e. egg weight (g), shell thickness (mm), Haugh unit values and yolk index. The fasting and feeding regimes applied during the induced moult did not show any significant effect on post-moult egg weight, shell thicknes, or yolk index. However, the differences in post-moult Haugh unit values in layers induced to moult under various fasting regimes and their interaction with feeding regimes were statistically significant, whereas, feeding regimes did not influence the mean Haugh unit values.