Effects of Calcium Pidolate Feed Premix Supplementation on Laying Productivity and Eggsehell Quality of 70-week-old Dekalb White Layer Hens

Date

2024

Degree

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Adviser/Committee Chair

Joseph F. Dela Cruz

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of calcium pidolate supplementation on the laying productivity and eggshell quality of 70-week-old layer hens. The objective was to assess its potential as a replacement for other calcium sources due to its high absorption rate of 95%, regardless of gut pH conditions. The experiment involved 2,000 Dekalb White layer hens divided into control and treatment groups. The treatment group received a premix powder form of calcium pidolate at a concentration of 96.90% in addition to their basal diet. The study utilized a completely randomized design, with each group comprising 1,000 hens distributed across 250 replicates. Contrary to the positive benefits of calcium pidolate based on previous studies, the findings of this study revealed unexpected negative outcomes in the treatment group. The treatment group exhibited lower hen-day and hen-housed egg production, a higher feed conversion ratio, an increased percentage of defective eggs, reduced eggshell thickness, and lower profit with higher expenses compared to the control group throughout the entire duration of the experiment. Meanwhile, the control group, adhering to the basal diet with 4.53% calcium, showed better results than the treatment group throughout the 9-week trial period. These results indicate that the higher concentration of calcium pidolate, without adjusting the overall calcium content in the diet, may have led to an imbalance, contributing to the observed adverse effects. In conclusion, this study challenges previous findings on the positive effects of calcium pidolate supplementation. The unexpected outcomes emphasize the critical importance of carefully balancing calcium levels in layer diets, particularly considering the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. The study recommends further research to validate and elaborate on the effects of calcium pidolate supplementation, taking into account specific conditions and stages of the production cycle. Adjusting the calcium content in the diet to achieve a balanced nutritional profile before supplementing with calcium pidolate is crucial. Additionally, exploring the influence of environmental factors and varying concentrations of calcium pidolate can provide insights into optimizing its effectiveness in layer hen diets. Lastly, conducting necropsies on the mortalities from the control and treatment groups is recommended to confirm and assess the probable cause of death and a possible association with hypercalcemia or the suspected calcium-to-phosphorus imbalance with an excess of calcium. The unexpected results emphasized the complexity of calcium's effects on layer hens and the necessity for comprehensive research to optimize the benefits of calcium pidolate supplementation without unintended consequences.

Language

English

Location

UPLB College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM)

Notes

Awards: UP Society of Men Best Undergraduate Thesis Award in Zootechnics

Document Type

Thesis

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