Mohammad Arif Awan

Effect of Forced Molting on body characteristics and post-molting egg production performance of Layers in Quetta, Pakistan

White leghorn layer (n=2740), with 85weeksof age, were submitted to forced molting by fasting for 13 days and changes in body characteristics and subsequent laying performance during second laying cycle were evaluated. Live body weight (LBW),ovary weight (OW), oviduct weight (OvW) and oviduct length (OvL) were measured before and after fasting. Post-fasting restricted feeding was applied, initially feeding crushed corn with added 2% Ca for 20 days and thereafter layer crumble feed was offered. Layers lost 632.16g (36%) of their LBW and significant reductions of 45.32, 47.53 and 54% were observed in post-fasting/molt OW, OvW and OvL, respectively (p<0.05). Resting period was 49 days and birds consumed 4.79kg feed during resting period. Egg production reached 50% in the 3rdweek and peak mean egg production (87%) was recorded between 13 to16thweeks of production. Hence, it is concluded that while molting exhausted layers, the procedure adapted to induce molting and season would be a core factor in the subsequent laying cycle egg production and gain.