WorldPoultry: Beating pathogens and maintaining high egg production

Modern laying hens are highly productive. A high egg production can only be maintained when all factors – related to the animal and the environment – are optimised.

Factors as management, nutrition, breeding, environmental circumstances and general animal health should be of excellent quality to enable the hen to produce a large number of eggs – of good quality. The age of the hen is also of high influence. Older hens produce eggs with thinner eggshells and general laying performance might decrease after the age of 40-60 weeks.

Next to these factors prevention and control of pathogens is one of the key issues in animal husbandry. Due to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, there is need for alternative products to beat those pathogens. An effective feed additive consists of monoglycerides: fatty acids linked to glycerol molecules.

Framelco http://www.framelco.com/ developed a product containing monoglycerides of butyric acid and propionic acid: Fra LAC34 (in dry and liquid form). A recent study showed that Fra LAC34 is beneficial for laying hens.

The trial showed that adding 1.5 kg LAC34 liquid per 1000 litres of drinking water of older hens (around 72 weeks) improved feed conversion ratio, layer performance and eggshell strength. The supply of Fra LAC34 to hens results in healthier animals, better production performance and no negative effects on the egg quality.