Responses of Laying Chickens to Diets Formulated by Following Different Feeding Standards

Abstract

Responses of laying chickens to diets based on formulations following different feeding standards were investigated during March to July months under Bangladesh conditions. One hundred twenty Shaver 579 layers of 35-week old were distributed randomly into 5 diet groups with 3 replicates, each of 8 birds. The birds were reared in laying batteries with 2 birds in each cage and 8 birds in four adjacent cages constituted a replicate. The feeding standards that constituted different dietary treatments were: Shaver 579 (1997), recommended by the breeders of the birds considered in this study; NRC (National Research Council, 1994); INSP (International Nutrition Standards for Poultry, 1983) recommended for Asiatic regions; ISI (Indian Standard Institute, 1992) and BSTI (Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute, 1988). Other cares and management were identical for birds of all diet groups. The feeding trial was conducted for 15 weeks and the data on laying performance and egg quality were evaluated. Evaluation of results revealed that responses of laying birds fed diet based on formulation following the recommendation for Shaver 579 (control) were at least equal to or better than those of other standards during March to July months under Bangladesh conditions.