It is a chicken-and-egg situation when it comes to reaching the 100-week production milestone without layer health and eggshell quality coming across one’s mind. Eggshells are formed through the deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is mainly obtained as a source of limestone from the diet, or through depletion of calcium from skeletal bone when dietary levels are insufficient. As a hen progresses through the laying cycle, egg size increases while the thickness of the eggshell decreases, emphasising the need to focus on the health of layers for prolonged egg production. According to Dr Alba Fireman, a poultry nutritionist at Zinpro, the modern-day layer should show robustness with strong skeletal integrity and laying persistency. Industry trends are regulated by consumer preference for responsibly produced products promoting a healthy lifestyle which has, in turn, created modernised challenges for egg producers. Some things never change, though, a penny saved is a penny earned when equipping our layers with the correct nutrients for persistent egg production. Zinpro Performance Minerals® have shown to be better absorbed, promoting ideal layer traits and eggshell quality.
For more information on how to improve eggshell strength and layer health read this article by Dr Alba Fireman entitled: “Three ideal traits for improving layer health and eggshell quality“, as published by our partners on www.zinpro.com. Dr Fireman earned her doctoral degree in animal science from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. She conducts research and provides poultry technical services to Zinpro customers across the globe.
Intern: Poultry
Good Info Margot, thanks 🙂
Well done, Margot!