Poult. Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mazzuco, H
Right arrow Articles by Hester, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mazzuco, H
Right arrow Articles by Hester, P.
Poultry Science, Vol 84, Issue 5, 771-781
Copyright © 2005 by Poultry Science Association

Articles

The effect of an induced molt and a second cycle of lay on skeletal integrity of White Leghorns

H Mazzuco and PY Hester

Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. hmazzuco@purdue.edu

The effect of an induced molt and a second egg laying cycle on White Leghorns hen's skeletal integrity was investigated in a series of 3 experiments. Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the left tibia and humerus were measured in live hens and excised bones and correlated with invasive bone measurement tests, egg traits, and the incidence of broken bones in carcasses of processed hens. The results of all 3 experiments showed that an induced molt was detrimental to skeletal integrity. For hens that were repeatedly scanned throughout the second cycle of lay, the BMD of the humerus never recovered after the molt. Recovery of tibial BMD to premolt values occurred late in the second cycle of lay when egg production was declining. The in vivo BMD scans conducted between 77 and 117 wk of age correlated with bone breaking force and bone ash weight (r = 0.58 and r = 0.65, respectively; P < 0.0001). The percentage of freshly broken bones per bird at the end of processing at 126 wk of age averaged 34% and ranged from 0 to 61%. The incidence of broken bones was negatively correlated with the excised tibial BMD and BMC at 126 wk of age (r = -0.54 and r = -0.53, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion, feed withdrawal for 10 d during an induced molt was detrimental to the skeletal integrity of hens, and as BMD and BMC of excised tibia at 126 wk of age decreased in White Leghorns, the incidence of bone breakage increased.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Poult. Sci.Home page
W. K. Kim, T. M. Herfel, C. S. Dunkley, P. Y. Hester, T. D. Crenshaw, and S. C. Ricke
The Effects of Alfalfa-Based Molt Diets on Skeletal Integrity of White Leghorns
Poult. Sci., November 1, 2008; 87(11): 2178 - 2185.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Poult. Sci.Home page
W. K. Kim, L. M. Donalson, S. A. Bloomfield, H. A. Hogan, L. F. Kubena, D. J. Nisbet, and S. C. Ricke
Molt Performance and Bone Density of Cortical, Medullary, and Cancellous Bone in Laying Hens During Feed Restriction or Alfalfa-Based Feed Molt
Poult. Sci., September 1, 2007; 86(9): 1821 - 1830.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2005 by the Poultry Science Association.