Effect of zinc oxide, potassium iodide and withdrawal diet as alternative moulting methods on performance of commercial laying hens

Figures & data

Table 1. Description of moulting technique.

Treatment	Description
T1	withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then allocated layer diet
T2	withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days;
T3	Feeding ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated layer diet
T4	ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days;
T5	withdrawal diet 2 days and received KI diet 0.5% 14 days then allocated layer diet;
T6	withdrawal diet 2 days and followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days;
T7	Feeding KI diet 0.5% 16 days then allocated layer diet
T8	Feeding KI diet 0.5% 16 days then then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days;
T9	withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet
T10	Layer diet

Table 2. Ingredients and chemical composition of experimental diets.

Ingredient,% of diet	ZnO diet (%)	KI diet (%)	Rest 50% Pr (%)	Rest 75% Pr (%)	Layer diet (%)
Corn	78.10	77.39	83.34	73.24	59.00
Soybean meal	10.40	9.10	2.27	11.63	23.17
Wheat bran	2.39	6.40	1.01	-	-
Alfa alfa meal	-	-	1.5	1.5	1.5
Soybean Oil	-	-	0.34	2.16	4.96
DCP	0.27	0.24	1.94	1.86	1.76
Oyster shell	4.98	4.99	8.74	8.75	8.72
Salt	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35
Vitamin mixture	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25
Mineral mixture	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25
L-Lys	0.19	0.20	-	-	-
DL- Met	0.32	0.32	-	0.02	0.05
ZnO	2.5	-	-	-	-
KI	-	0.5	-	-	-
Calculated analysis
ME (kcal/kg)	2880	2880	2880	2880	2780
Crude protein (%)	10.8	10.73	7.8	11.6	15.42
Ca (%)	2.04	2.04	3.75	3.75	3.7

Notes: The vitamin and mineral premix provide the following quantities per kilogram of diet: Vitamin A, 10,000 IU (all-trans-retinal); cholecalciferol, 2000 IU; vitamin E, 20 IU (a-tocopheryl); vitamin K3, 3.0 mg; riboflavin, 18.0 mg; niacin, 50 mg; D-calcium pantothenic acid, 24 mg; choline chloride, 450 mg; vitamin B12, 0.02 mg; folic acid, 3.0 mg; manganese, 110 mg; zinc, 100 mg; iron, 60 mg; copper, 10 mg iodine, 100 mg; selenium, 0.2 mg; antioxidant, 250 mg. mg; iron, 60 mg; copper, 10 mg iodine, 100 mg; selenium, 0.2 mg; antioxidant, 250 mg.

Table 3. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on eggshell quality during the post moult laying period.

Treatment	Egg index (%)	Yolk colour ( Roche )	Albumen height (HU)	Yolk index (%)	Shell weight (gr)	Shell thickness (mm / 100)
T1	73.6	7.11	89.3	42.2	7.1	34.1
T2	71.9	7.11	92.3	42.4	7.2	35.3
T3	73.0	7.00	98.0	43.3	7.3	33.1
T4	70.8	7.00	95.7	42.4	7.3	32.6
T5	70.1	7.00	97.5	43.7	7.6	34.2
T6	72.4	7.11	98.4	42.6	7.7	33.6
T7	73.4	7.33	91.5	43.1	7.7	34.5
T8	72.1	7.44	99.3	43.6	7.1	32.2
T9	71.2	7.00	97.3	43.1	7.2	35.4
T10	72.1	7.00	92.3	41.8	7.4	33.6
P value	0.21	0.05	0.08	0.07	0.07	0.35
SEM	0.34	0.03	0.90	0.23	0.37	0.88

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 4. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on reproductive, immune and intestinal weight.

Treatment	Ovary weight (g)	Oviduct length (cm)	Oviduct weight (g)	Liver weight (g)	Pancreas weight (g)	A.A.T.W (g)	Spleen weight (g)	Intestine weight (g)
T1	2.36^d	24^d	6.33^d	24.94^d	2.62^e	11.08^gh	1.32^c	52.13^d
T2	1.47^d	19.33^f	3.23^e	21.66^e	1.76^g	11.86^gh	1.32^c	49.11^d
T3	1.69^d	18^f	2.77^e	22.64^e	1.63^h	17.18^f	1.20^c	46.12^d
T4	2.44^d	21^def	4.26^de	19.30^e	2.19^f	16.17^gf	1.30^c	44.25^d
T5	2.53^d	23^de	4.62^de	22.36^e	1.76^g	51.92^e	1.29^c	51.15^d
T6	7.52^c	32.33^c	15.68^c	23.03^e	2.81^d	64.79^d	1.19^c	59.14^c
T7	13.37^b	41.33^b	22.75^b	32.50^b	3.23^c	77.84^c	1.50^b	68.24^b
T8	13.35^b	42.66^b	21.96^b	33.45^b	3.40^b	85.44^b	1.56^b	70.12^b
T9	1.67^d	17.33^f	2.49^e	17.78^e	1.77^g	9.78^h	1.27^c	41.11^e
T10	28.19^a	54.33^a	29.84^a	38.48^a	4.23^a	96.81^a	1.75^a	97.12^a
P value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
SEM	0.44	5	1.36	1.22	0.0001	8.24	0.008	8.70

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 5. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on body weight loss in difference days and mortality rate.

Treatment	Body weight loss 2 d (%)	Body weight loss 10 d (%)	Body weight loss end of moult 16 d (%)	Mortality rate (% )
T1	6.5^a	23^c	34.1^a	6.30^c
T2	7^a	23.1^c	32^b	6.86^b
T3	5.1^ab	25.3^b	35^a	5.76^c
T4	4.5^b	23.9^bc	31.2^b	6.26^c
T5	6.8^a	8.6^d	9.1^c	3.70^d
T6	5.7^ab	8.4^de	8.6^c	3.13^e
T7	2.1^c	6.7^ef	7.8^c	3.63^de
T8	2.3 ^c	5.8^f	7.9^c	3.90^d
T9	6.1^ab	28.5^a	-	7.93^a
T10	0.60	0.83	0.76	2^f
P value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
SEM	1	1	1	0.08

Note: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄₎ ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 6. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on broken egg, Shell less, cracked shell and Ab normal egg shell (%).

Treatment	Broken egg (%)	Shell less (%)	Cracked shell (%)	Ab normal egg (%)
T1	1.17	0.27	2.65	1.90
T2	1.78	0.28	2.03	1.86
T3	1.76	0.10	1.42	1.5
T4	1.16	0.09	1.69	1.56
T5	1.33	0.69	2.32	1.93
T6	1.61	0.78	2.68	1.86
T7	1.03	0.88	1.94	2.13
T8	1.54	0.92	2.02	1.75
T9	1.23	0.60	2.11	1.66
T10	2.09	1.03	3.23	2.18
P value	0.44	0.31	0.96	0.91
SEM	0.12	0.09	0.32	0.21

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 7. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on heterophil: lymphocyte ratio and Crop PH and Ilium PH.

Treatment	H/L (%)	Crop pH	Ilium pH
T1	0.64^bc	5.8	6.8
T2	0.60^cd	5.9	6.8
T3	0.67^b	5.5	6.2
T4	0.58^de	5.7	6.2
T5	0.52^ef	5.2	7.2
T6	0.56^de	5.1	6.7
T7	0.55^de	5.5	6.7
T8	0.48^f	5.4	6.5
T9	0.78^a	6.1	6.2
T10	0.40^g	4.8	7.1
P value	<0.001	0.6	0.3
SEM	0.0009	1	1

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 8. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on some performance parameters.

Treatment	Days to lay cessation( days)	Return to lay (days)	Time reach to 50% production (days )	Percentage peak production (%)	Time reach to peak production (days)
T1	5.33	34^e	66^e	76.30^ab	116^ab
T2	5.67	36^d	70^bc	77.45^ab	117^a
T3	6	38^cd	65^e	79.80^a	115^ab
T4	7	39^bc	68^cd	76.66^ab	114^b
T5	8	42^ab	78^a	71.34^cd	110^c
T6	7.67	45^a	75^b	70.17^de	114^b
T7	9	41^ab	72^b	67.56^ef	105^d
T8	8.33	45^a	73^b	65.18^f	106^d
T9	4	32^e	67^de	74.55^bc	108^d
T10	-	-	-	58.55	-
P value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
SEM	1	1.96	2.55	3.87	2.44

Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 9. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets Average performance parameters obtained during the moulting period (1-16 days).

Treatment	Egg production 1–4 w k ( % )	Egg production 4–8 w k ( % )	Feed intake 1–16 days ( g/hen/ d)	Feed intake 16–24 days ( g/hen/ d)	Feed intake 24–32 days ( g/hen/ d)
T1	1.79^b	12.81^c	21.1^d	100.13^b	102.16^b
T2	2.42^a	12.54^c	16.93^d	65.46^d	90.43^cd
T3	1.92^ab	12.74^c	18.5^d	105.9^a	102.16^b
T4	1.82^b	13.49b^c	15.23^d	66.33^d	89.20^de
T5	2.22^ab	15.61^ab	45.16^c	90.43^c	91.96^cd
T6	1.98^ab	15.99^a	45.46^c	88.10^c	85.43^ef
T7	1.85^ab	15.59^ab	57^b	100.10^b	95.1^c
T8	1.66^b	15.15^ab	52.23^bc	88.56^c	83.23^f
T9	1.98^ab	12.45^c	-	98.23^b	93.9^cd
T10	-	-	97.5^a	109.3^a	113.13^a
P value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
SEM	0.093	1.43	21.3	9.15	6.96

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.

Table 10. Effect of moulting and non-moulting diets on Layer performance during the second laying cycle (32 days- end).

Treatment	Egg production 8–20 (%)	Egg weight (g)	Egg mass (g /d/ hen)	Feed intake (g / d /hen )	Feed conversion ratio
T1	69.06^b	71.5	49.38^ab	97.93	1.98^b
T2	71.08^ab	70.69	50.25^ab	103.16	2.05^b
T3	72.58^a	70.66	51.30^a	102.46	2.00^b
T4	71.12^ab	70.17	49.90^ab	97.03	1.94^b
T5	64.12^c	70.29	45.06^b	97.10	2.15^ab
T6	64.31^c	69.96	45^b	102.93	2.29^ab
T7	62.85^c	70.53	44.32^b	95.76	2.16^ab
T8	62.32^c	70.03	43.64^b	97.40	2.23^ab
T9	69.65^b	70.34	49^ab	100.06	2.04^b
T10	54.40^d	71.13	38.69^c	112.96	2.91^a
P value	<0.001	0.62	<0.001	0.48	<0.001
SEM	1.99	1.06	0.85	80.13	0.11

Notes: Means in a column with different superscripts are significant (P< 0.05).

(T₁) withdrawal diet 2 days and followed ZnO diet 2.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₂) withdrawal diet 2 days and received ZnO (2.5%) diet for 14 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₃) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₄) ZnO diet 2.5% 16 days then allocated diet with 50% CP for 8 days followed by feeding diet that contained 75% CP 8 days; (T₅) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then layer diet; (T₆) withdrawal diet 2 days followed KI diet 0.5% 14 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₇) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then layer diet; (T₈) KI diet 0.5% 16 days then feeding Pr 50% diet 8 days followed by feeding Pr 75% diet 8 days; (T₉) withdrawal diet 11 days followed by layer diet and (T₁₀) Layer diet.