How to manage the nutrition of laying hens in summer

The growth habits and intensive feeding of laying hens lead to heat stress in the high temperature environment in summer, resulting in a decrease in the egg production of laying hens. Therefore, when the high temperature weather in summer comes, it is necessary to strengthen the management of laying hens to ensure the egg production and egg weight of laying hens, so as to provide people with sufficient egg supply.

This article tells you how to manage the nutrition of layer hens in summer, the content is as follows:

1. Rational use of feed additives

The growth of laying hens is inseparable from feed additives, especially in hot weather in summer. Feed additives are beneficial to protect the health of laying hens. For example, additives such as sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride and ammonium chloride can balance ion metabolism in layers. When heat stress occurs, the respiration of laying hens is accelerated, which leads to a decrease in the concentration of HCO3- ions in the blood and an increase in pH, which leads to alkalosis in laying hens. At this time, it is necessary to add 0.1% to 0.3% ammonium chloride and 0.5% sodium bicarbonate to provide HCO3- ions and NH4+ ions for the laying hens, maintain the acid-base balance in the laying hens, and keep the body in a healthy state . Zeolite powder has strong adsorption, which can adsorb mycotoxins in feed, avoid digestive tract-related diseases of laying hens, reduce feces stench, and protect environmental sanitation. If laying hens suffer from heatstroke and diarrhea, they must be treated symptomatically.

2. Scientifically adjust the nutrition of laying hen feed

Due to the negative impact of temperature, the overall feed intake of laying hens showed a downward trend. In order to ensure that the egg production rate can be maintained at a high level, it is necessary to scientifically adjust the nutrition of the laying hen feed so that the laying hens can obtain sufficient nutrients. For example, adjust the protein content in the chicken feed and the energy level of the feed, and further optimize the various nutritional elements in the feed. In addition, a certain proportion of anti-stress drugs should be added to the feed to effectively enhance the immunity and stress ability of laying hens, and reduce the impact of high temperature on laying hens. Among them, the most common application is to add a certain amount of sodium bicarbonate to the feed, which plays a very significant role in controlling the body temperature of laying hens. It promotes the increase in the feed intake of laying hens, and can also prevent alkalosis in laying hens.

3. Supplement vitamins to avoid heat stress

In order to avoid heat stress in laying hens and increase the egg production rate of laying hens, vitamin supplements can be given to them. Add a certain amount of vitamin C to the drinking water of laying hens. Past experience in laying hens has shown that adding 0.1% vitamin C can increase egg production rate by 6%. When the laying hens are under high temperature for a long time in summer and heat stress occurs, more glucocorticoids will be released in the laying hens, and the demand for vitamin C will also increase. Proper vitamin C supplementation for laying hens can effectively reduce the concentration of corticosterone in the blood of laying hens, promote the absorption of calcium, and reduce the egg breaking rate. In addition to vitamin C supplementation, vitamin E can also be properly supplemented. Vitamin E can effectively reduce peroxide in laying hens, avoid cell damage, and is also an effective means to relieve heat stress. Feeding in the morning and evening when the temperature is low can alleviate the decrease in feed intake caused by the presence of high temperature and increase feed intake.

4. Control the timing of feed change

When raising laying hens, it is necessary to provide them with different feeds according to the different growth stages of laying hens. Generally speaking, laying hens at the age of 7 to 8 weeks need to replace the young chicken feed, but the specific feeding time needs to be determined according to the shin length and weight of the laying hen. If the standard is not met, the feeding time needs to be postponed . In actual feeding, it is necessary to pay attention to the appropriate amount of feeding each time to avoid contamination or waste of feed. In the environment of high temperature in summer, it is necessary to clean the trough every day to ensure the hygiene of the feed.

In short, in the environment of high temperature in summer, it is necessary to strengthen the management of laying hen feed. On the one hand, it provides good environmental conditions for the laying hens, and on the other hand, it provides sufficient nutrition for the laying hens, so as to ensure the healthy production of the laying hens. At the same time, the disease prevention of laying hens cannot be ignored, and disease prevention needs to be strengthened to ensure the laying rate of laying hens and the safety of eggs.