Feeding Reduced Crude Protein, Amino Acid Balanced Diets to Laying Hens has Economic Benefits Beyond Reducing Feed Costs
Published:March 30, 2021
By:Ilona A. Parenteau 1, Marvin Stevenson 2, Elijah Kiarie 1. / 1 Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1; 2 Halchemix, Port Perry, ON L9L 1B7.
Summary
A study was conducted to determine if reduced crude protein (CP), amino acid (AA) balanced laying hen diets could maintain egg production and quality with concomitant reduction of production cost. Isoleucine (Ile) was previously reported to be a limiting AA in corn-SBM based layer rations that were reduced by 2 percentage units of CP from the commercial standard (16% CP). A total of 90 White Shaver hens (3 treatments, 5 hens/cage, n=6) were observed for the current analysis from 28 to 48 wks of age (woa) to determine the economic implications associated with CP reduction without (LCP) or with (LCP+Ile) supplemental Ile, which corresponded to digestible Ile to Lys ratios (dIle:dLys) of 68 and 82%, respectively. Hen day egg production, egg weight, feed conversion, and egg quality (shell strength, Haugh unit) were reported, and excreta samples were analyzed for nitrogen content. Cecal digesta was additionally analyzed for short chain and branched chain fatty acid concentrations. Nitrogen excretion was significantly (P<0.001) lower in hens fed the LCP diets, and production performance was optimized in the LCP+Ile group. Cecal concentrations of propionic (P<0.01) and lactic (P=0.02) acid were higher in the LCP+Ile, and BCFA levels were numerically lower (P>0.1) compared to the other treatments. Based on current (2019 Q1) commodity pricing in the Ontario market, the LCP diet was the least costly and the LCP+Ile diet yielded the greatest revenue, driven by increased egg production. Implementing a LCP, AA fortified diet may also save on additional production costs through improving flock health and reducing costs associated with ventilation and excreta removal.
Reducing Crude Protein diets is an interesting topic, but one that is not practical in all production or situations and is highly influenced by the individual ingredients one has to work with and that is not discussed enough.
For example: Most research in that area is done with Corn/soybean meal diets. What happens when it's wheat/ Soybean meal? It can still be done then with small or no performance losses if the wheat is lower in crude protein value (107 g/kg) but what if one only has Higher Crude Protein wheat (190 g/kg) to work with versus lower crude protein wheat (107 g/kg) ? Reducing protein level then will hurt performance and economics. Lower performance will mean more feed used to produce the same amount, so is it then good for the environmental footprint to reduce protein in the diets?
But it is an interesting topic none the less. Thank-you for sharing.
Based on the results of your study I would interpret the "benefits" in the title as improving the sustainable production. In addition to economical benefits, reduction in the excretion of nitrogen etc. would be considered as environmental benefits (reduction in environmental footprint of production). Furthermore, reducing the dietary protein would alleviate metabolic pressure on animal as can be confirmed by the reduction in nitrogen excretion. Therefore, it fits all three pillars of sustainability perfectly! The sustainability pillars can be considered as three P (people, profit, and planet). Here reduction in metabolic pressor and stress on animal would address People's concern about animal right; maximizing revenue would be as Profit; and reduction in environmental footprint of production would address Planet concerns.
