Peter D. Lewis
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
Linda Caston
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
Steve Leeson
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
ABSTRACT
Lohmann White pullets were reared on 6, 9 or 12-h photoperiods and abruptly transferred to 14 h at 16 or 18 weeks or in a series of increments from 16 weeks. Body weight at and feed intake to 16 and 18 weeks increased with photoperiod. There were no interactions of rearing photoperiod with photo stimulation age/mode for any performance parameter. Sexual maturity was advanced by rearing on the longer photoperiods and by photostimulating at 16 rather than 18 weeks. Birds reared on 9 or 12 h laid significantly more eggs than 6-h birds, but neither age nor mode of photostimulation significantly affected egg production. Egg numbers were significantly correlated with age at sexual maturity. Mean egg weight was significantly heavier for pullets reared on 9 or 12 h than on 6 h, despite the formers earlier maturity and for birds photostimulated at 18 rather 16 weeks. Mean daily feed in the laying period was not significantly affected by rearing photoperiod or photostimulation age/method and shell quality, though significantly reduced by rearing on longer photoperiods, was minimally affected by the lighting regimens in practical terms. The trend towards rearing egg-type pullets on longer photoperiods was vindicated, irrespective of photostimulation age or method.
PDF References Citation
How to cite this article
Peter D. Lewis, Linda Caston and Steve Leeson, 2009. Influence of Rearing Photoperiod and Age and Mode of
Transfer to Final Photoperiod on Performance in Egg-Type Pullets. International Journal of Poultry Science, 8: 7-13.
DOI: 10.3923/ijps.2009.7.13
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijps.2009.7.13
DOI: 10.3923/ijps.2009.7.13
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijps.2009.7.13
REFERENCES
- Lewis, P.D. and T.R. Morris, 2005. Change in the effect of constant photoperiods on the rate of sexual maturation in modern genotypes of domestic pullet. Br. Poult. Sci., 46: 584-586.
Direct Link - Lewis, P.D., L. Caston and S. Leeson, 2007. Rearing photoperiod abrupt versus gradual photostimulation for egg-type pullets. Br. Poult. Sci., 48: 276-283.
Direct Link - Lewis, P.D., T.R. Morris and G.C. Perry, 2002. A model for predicting the age at sexual maturity for growing pullets of layer strains given a single change in photoperiod. J. Agric. Sci., 138: 441-458.
Direct Link - Lewis, P.D., G.C. Perry and T.R. Morris, 1996. Effect of constant and of changing photoperiods on age at first egg and related traits in pullets. Br. Poult. Sci., 37: 885-894.
Direct Link - Lewis, P.D., G.C. Perry and T.R. Morris, 1997. Effect of size and timing of photoperiod increase on age at first egg and subsequent performance on two breeds of laying hen. Br. Poult. Sci., 38: 142-150.
Direct Link