<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Egg production, survival, egg quality and shell characteristics in laying pullets offered honey in drinking water during hot season were determined using hens (28-week-old, n = 120) allotted to either 0 (CONTROL), 10 (10H) or 20 ml honey/L water (20H) for 16 weeks divided into 4 phases of 4 weeks each. Data on hen-day production (EP), egg weight (EW), length (EL), breadth (EB), shape index (ESI), yolk weight (YW), yolk percentage (YP), albumen height (AH), albumen weight (AW), albumen percentage (AP), Haugh unit (HU), shell weight (SW), shell percentage (SP), shell thickness (ST) and survival (SR) were subjected to ANOVA.</p><p>EP was significantly (P &lt; 0.001) affected by treatment during phases 1-4. 20H resulted in higher EP than CONTROL in phase 1. In phase 2, EP was similar in CONTROL and 20H, but 10H was lower than the two. Higher EPs were recorded in CONTROL than in honey groups (phases 3, 4). EW was significantly (P &lt; 0.01) affected by honey in week 1 only. Birds on 10H laid heavier eggs than CONTROL. 10H hens laid significantly longer (P &lt; 0.001) eggs with higher (P = 0.008) ESI than control hens while 20H birds had significantly lower values of AH (P &lt; 0.01), AP (P = 0.05) and HU (P = 0.05). Honey had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on EB, YW, YP, AW, SW, SP and SR, but improved (P &lt; 0.05) ST in the first 2 phases. To ensure improvement in egg production and egg shell thickness in laying pullets during hot season, honey at 20 ml/L water can be offered for 4 weeks.</p></abstract>

Egg production, survival, egg quality and shell characteristics in laying pullets offered honey in drinking water during hot season were determined using hens (28-week-old, n = 120) allotted to either 0 (CONTROL), 10 (10H) or 20 ml honey/L water (20H) for 16 weeks divided into 4 phases of 4 weeks each. Data on hen-day production (EP), egg weight (EW), length (EL), breadth (EB), shape index (ESI), yolk weight (YW), yolk percentage (YP), albumen height (AH), albumen weight (AW), albumen percentage (AP), Haugh unit (HU), shell weight (SW), shell percentage (SP), shell thickness (ST) and survival (SR) were subjected to ANOVA.EP was significantly (P < 0.001) affected by treatment during phases 1-4. 20H resulted in higher EP than CONTROL in phase 1. In phase 2, EP was similar in CONTROL and 20H, but 10H was lower than the two. Higher EPs were recorded in CONTROL than in honey groups (phases 3, 4). EW was significantly (P < 0.01) affected by honey in week 1 only. Birds on 10H laid heavier eggs than CONTROL. 10H hens laid significantly longer (P < 0.001) eggs with higher (P = 0.008) ESI than control hens while 20H birds had significantly lower values of AH (P < 0.01), AP (P = 0.05) and HU (P = 0.05). Honey had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on EB, YW, YP, AW, SW, SP and SR, but improved (P < 0.05) ST in the first 2 phases. To ensure improvement in egg production and egg shell thickness in laying pullets during hot season, honey at 20 ml/L water can be offered for 4 weeks.

Laying Performance, Survival Rate, Egg Quality and Shell Characteristics in Laying Pullets Offered Honey in Drinking Water during Hot Season

Department of Animal Physiology College of Animal Science and Livestock Production Federal University of Agriculture PMB 2240 Abeokuta,

Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture, PMB 2240 Abeokuta,

Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Egg production, survival, egg quality and shell characteristics in laying pullets offered honey in drinking water during hot season were determined using hens (28-week-old, n = 120) allotted to either 0 (CONTROL), 10 (10H) or 20 ml honey/L water (20H) for 16 weeks divided into 4 phases of 4 weeks each. Data on hen-day production (EP), egg weight (EW), length (EL), breadth (EB), shape index (ESI), yolk weight (YW), yolk percentage (YP), albumen height (AH), albumen weight (AW), albumen percentage (AP), Haugh unit (HU), shell weight (SW), shell percentage (SP), shell thickness (ST) and survival (SR) were subjected to ANOVA.EP was significantly (P  0.05) effect on EB, YW, YP, AW, SW, SP and SR, but improved (P < 0.05) ST in the first 2 phases. To ensure improvement in egg production and egg shell thickness in laying pullets during hot season, honey at 20 ml/L water can be offered for 4 weeks.

Egg production, survival, egg quality and shell characteristics in laying pullets offered honey in drinking water during hot season were determined using hens...

Laying Performance, Survival Rate, Egg Quality and Shell Characteristics in Laying Pullets Offered Honey in Drinking Water during Hot Season

Article Category: Original Research Article

Published Online: Feb 08, 2017

Page range: 12 - 19

Received: Jan 15, 2016

Accepted: Jun 28, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ats-2016-0002

Keywords
egg, heat stress, phyto-chemical, anti-oxidant, climate change, global warming

© Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Laying Performance, Survival Rate, Egg Quality and Shell Characteristics in Laying Pullets Offered Honey in Drinking Water during Hot Season

Article Category: Original Research Article

Published Online: Feb 08, 2017

Page range: 12 - 19

Received: Jan 15, 2016

Accepted: Jun 28, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ats-2016-0002

Keywordsegg, heat stress, phyto-chemical, anti-oxidant, climate change, global warming

© Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
egg, heat stress, phyto-chemical, anti-oxidant, climate change, global warming