This document summarizes research on pullet management. It discusses the importance of proper pullet development and nutrition for optimal egg production and quality. Key points include: - Pullets require precise nutrition to support skeletal, organ and reproductive development from 6-18 weeks of age. Interrupted growth can impair later production. - Nutritional interventions like adjusting protein, energy, fat and mineral levels can influence pullet body weight, uniformity, and traits like medullary bone development that impact egg production. - Prelay diets fed before sexual maturity are important for building body reserves and calcium stores to support initial egg laying. Diets with precise energy and nutrient densities optimize pullet composition and performance.

1. Nitin Dhore
V/16/258
DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY
SCIENCE
Advances in Pullet Management
KRANTISINH NANA PATIL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY
SCIENCE SHIRWAL, DIST. SATARA (MS)
MASTER CREDIT SEMINAR
PSC: 691 (0+1)
ON
MAHARASHTRA ANIMAL & FISHERY SCIENCES UNIVERSITY, NAGPUR

2. Introduction
Pullet Development
Nutritional Intervention
Managemental Intervention
Genetic Intervention
Conclusions
Future Prospectus

3. Statistics
(Basic Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Statistic 2022)
2.43% of the World
poultry population
Present in India
The Indian poultry industry:
ranking 3rd in egg
production Growth rate 8
to 10%
Production of 129.60
billion eggs in 2021-22
Total population: 851.81
million (India)
Maharashtra has 74.3
million (Ranked 5th )

4. Pullet?
Karcher et al. (2018)
• Female that have not laid an egg are referred to as
pullets. The term pullet is used until approximately 18
weeks of age, at the point egg production begins.
• The pullet developed according to a
well-orchestrated sequence of
physiologic events.
• Nutrition is the key to optimal
genetic performance.
• Interrupted growth during this developmental phase: results in
lacks of body reserves and organ function fail to sustain high
production.

5. Fast intestine
development
Fully
developed
intestine &
immune
system
6 12
Fastest skeletal
growth
90-100g BW/wk
95% of
skeleton
development
Reaches to
95% of adult
size but only
75% of mature
weight
Muscle growth,
medullary bone &
reproductive tract
development will
continue much of
WG
Full mature BW
achieved
Complete
transition of
skeletal bone to
building medullary
bone.
Estrogen
stimulates oviduct
development
2-3
wk
To aid medullary bone
growth before 1st egg , it
is recommended to
introduce more Ca
through PRELAY DIET
Pullet Development
18
16
Lonkar et al, (2022)

6. 6
Skeletal problem.
Low body weight.
Variation in flock.
Cage fatigue.
Low body reserve.
Poor feather Cover.
Poor performance.
Delayed sexual maturity.
Uniformity flock.
Correct body reserve.
Medullary calcium
reserve.
Correct age at sexual
maturity.
Good body condition.
Skeletal development.
Good Layer
Improve Body Reserve
Sustain egg production.
Better egg quality.
Ability to lay extended laying
cycle.
Good welfare.
Increase per capita
availabilty.
Extended laying cycle result
into pullet cost dilution
Fuel
Poor Pullet
Good Pullet

7. 7
Nutrition
Dietary ME &
CP
Dietary fat
Prelay
Restricted
feeding
Management
Lighting
Vaccination
Stocking density
Biosecurity
Temperature &
Humidity
Genetics
Intensive selection
of trait
Breeding
programme
Fuel

8. Importance of Pullet Nutrition
Body weight
Body composition
Medullary bone
development
Uniformity
Feather cover
• Pullet feed contributes indirectly to egg production by influencing sexual maturity,
live weight and body composition at the onset of lay.
• Optimum feeding management practices followed during the rearing period in pullets
have effects on body weight, uniformity, egg production, egg weight, egg quality, and
hatching properties (Sarica et al., 2009).
• Growing period of a laying hen is the most critical time in a hen’s life and the
mistakes made during this period are difficult to rectify.
8
Pullet Nutrition

9. Importance of Pullet Nutrition
• Elevated Ca: P ratio in pullet and prelay diets decreased femur-breaking strength at the
end of layer phase without affecting pullet BWG and pullet feed efficiency in the cage
system.
• Prelay diet containing 2700 kcal ME/kg and 18% CP for pullets before sexual maturity to
improve body composition and medullary bone development.
• Insufficient dietary Ca during rearing period has an adverse effect on eggshell quality and
bone strength.
• Protein intake during pullet-to-breeder transition period: improve early EW and EP by
increasing CP levels of in prelay diets.
9
Joseph et al. (2000)
Whitehead(2004)
Sujatha et al.(2013)
Fosnaught(2009)

10. Effect of Dietary CP and ME Levels During Growing Period on Early
Egg Production
Feeding the higher protein levels (P2 and P3) had the highest hen-day egg
production and egg mass. The feeding of the pullets with P3E3 diet during the growing period
will give best hen-day egg production.
Babiker et al. (2010)
N=270,9T,3R(10/R)
Experimental period was divided into four phases. In all phases of growing period, control
levels of protein (P1) and energy (E1) were set according to NRC (1994) and the other levels
were higher, for protein in 2% steps (P2 and P3) and for energy by 100 kcal of ME/kg steps
(E2 and E3). 19th wk onward commercial layer diet upto end of trial.
Hen Day Egg
Production (%)
Energy Hen Day Egg
Production(%)
Protein Effect ** Energy Effect NS
P1 18-16-15 50.1b E1(3000-3000-3050) 54.2
P2 20-18-17 56.1a E2(3100-3100-3150) 54.5
P3 22-20-19 58.8a E3(3200-3200-3250) 56.3
Age effect **
22 16.3c
24 51.5b
28 70.0a
32 71.3a
36 65.8a
10

11. Growth and egg production of layer pullets can be affected by the
method of supplying energy and protein sources
N=320, 9woa brown egg laying strain pullet (ISA),4T control (balanced diet);
E60:P40,E40:P60,EPFC (free choice between ES and PS in separate troughs) 4R(20/R).11 h of
light at the initiation of the experiment and reached 14.5 h of light at 21 weeks of age. Egg
laying start lighting programme was gradually increased from 14.5 to 16 h of light upto 33 wk
of age.
Ocak et al.(2009)
• Feeding PS during 60% of the daily photoperiod increased egg production by improving
the feed efficiency compared with other treatments.
Parameter Controla E60:P40 E40:P60 EPFC SEM
Hen-day egg production(22-33wk)
HDEP% 87.3ab 84.3b 88.4a 86.0ab 0.59
Egg weight
(g)
63.9 63.9 63.5 63.0 0.22
11

12. Effect of Dietary fat on pullet developement
The most important factors determining egg weight is body weight of hen at the
age of sexual maturity.
Summers and Leeson (1983)
Increasing dietary energy or dietary fat significantly increases early egg weight due
to increased in Yolk weight.
Wu et al. (2005)
Birds receiving 4% corn oil (2.08% linoleic acid) produce numerically larger eggs,
best feed efficiency and gain slightly more BW as compared to birds receiving 0%
corn oil.
Najib and Sullivan (1986)
12

13. Palm Oil and Animal Fats for Increasing Dietary Energy in Rearing
Pullets
Isika et al. (2006)
N=300, 5 T, 3R(20PULLET/R),(NERA STRAIN PULLET),Birds fed grower diet containing
0%(control),2.5 and 5 % palm oil, 2.5 and 5% broiler fat. From 22nd woa commercial layer diet
was fed.
13
Ingredients Palm Oil Broiler Fat
PO/BF inclusion (%) 0.0 2.5 5.0 2.5 5.0
a. Ages: Week At 1st egg 18b 18b 19a 19a 18b
ii. Hen-house egg production 67.8c 70.5ab 73.3a 67.3c 71.2a
d. Egg qualities I. Size
(g/egg)
50.4b 51.3b 57.1a 54.0b 53.1b
ii. Shell thickness(mm) 0.34 0.33 0.34 0.333 0.32
5% inclusion of palm oil and broiler fat higher hen housed egg production and had higher
egg weight.

14. Egg Size of Saudi Local Layers as Affected by Dietary Fat Level
Huthail Najib and Yousif Al-Yousif (2014)
Linoleic acid play an important role in maximizing the egg size of the local birds by 4% corn oil.
It is a good way of improving the egg size of the Saudi local brown birds during the onset and
first part of the laying year.
14
N=120, 2*3 FACTORIAL DESIGN (black, light (700-900 gm) & Brown, medium (900-1080
gm).* Corn oil, 0, 2 and 4%, 6T(20/T), 4R(5/R) at the age of 22 weeks.
Source of
variation
HD EM EW
Levels NS NS **
0 48.26a 22.52a 46.47a
2 48.02a 22.82a 47.29b
4 49.77a 24.68a 48.92c
p = 0.7535 0.1734 <0.0001

15. Adequate reserve in medullary bones at beginning of the production cycle is crucial in
reducing cage fatigue, in maintaining a good EP and formation of eggs with a good eggshell
quality
Moderate Ca levels (1.5-2.75%) fed during the prelay period allows for the buildup of the
medullary bone reserves of Ca without adversely affecting kidney function and may have an
effect on shell quality in subsequent laying cycle.
A prelay diet is introduce before the commencement of EP is an extremely important period
in the life of a high genetic potential layer.
Good body reserve (fat and protein), positive energy balance and Ca reserves in the
medullary bone at the onset of production is essential for sustained EP and egg size
(Miles & Jacqueline, 2008)
(Williams et al., 2000)
(Sujatha & Rajini, 2015)
Prelay Diet

16. Prelay feeding changes the pullet body composition
N=360,5 pre-lay diet, 6R(12/5),fed during 15woa to sexual maturity in experiment 1.
In experiment 2. Best two nutrient compositions with respect to body composition of
pullets from Exp.1 and fed with 1,1.5, and 2% Ca.
Sujatha et al.(2013)
Treatments (ME/CP) Crude Protein % Fat %
2500/16 21.54b±0.25 7.31b±0.09
2700/16 21.34b±0.15 11.29a±0.35
2700/18 24.38a±0.48 11.44a±0.14
2700/16+10% L+M 21.34b±0.15 11.29a±0.35
2700/16+10% L+M + 2% oil 21.54b±0.31 13.32a±0.05
• It could be concluded that pre-lay diet containing 2700 kcal/kg of dietary energy, 18 per
cent CP and 2 per cent calcium is advisable for pullets before sexual maturity
16

17. Nutrient density in Prelay diet affect the laying performance
Sujatha et al,(2014)
Pre-lay
treatments
Control-2500/16* 2700/16% 2700/18* 2700/16 (10% L&M)* 2700/16 (10% L&M +2% oil)*
Hen day egg production (eggs hen/d)
Age in Weeks Standard layer feed
20-23NS 0.434C (± 4.46) 0.465C (± 4.89) 0.519B (± 5.37) 0.466C (± 3.64) 0.469C (± 4.99)
24-27* 0.725B,c (± 0.99) 0.793B,b (± 1.81) 0.904A,a (± 1.04) 0.789B,b (± 1.86) 0.734B,c (± 1.80)
28-31* 0.788A,c (± 0.50) 0.851B,C,b (± 1.76) 0.946A,a (± 135) 0867A,b (± 1.85) 0841A,b (± 1.71)
32-35* 0.795A,B,c (± 2.83) 0.935A,a (± 1.43) 0.912A,a (± 1.36) 0.879A,a (± 1.67) 0.877A,a (± 1.81)
36-39* 0.837A,c (± 1.56) 0.942A,a (±1.81) 0.957A,a (±
0.702)
0.867A,b,c (± 1.53) 0.888A,b (± 1.84)
40-43* 0.765A,B,c (± 1.16) 0.869A,a (± 1.64) 0.886A,a (±
0.796)
0.747B,b (± 1.51) 0.827A,b (± 1.54)
Overall mean* 0.7245c (± 1.40) 0.809b (± 1.6) 0.853a (± 1.52) 0.769b (± 1.40) 0.773b (± 1.52)
Egg weight (gm)
Age in Weeks Standard layer feed
20-23NS 44.86D (± 0.52) 45.55C (± 067) 46.20D (± 0.74) 45.86C (± 0.81) 46.50D (±0.79)
24-27* 50.42C,c (± 0.23) 51.25B,a,b (± 021) 51.34C,a,b (±024) 50.59B,b,c (± 0.36) 5.30C,a (±0.24)
28-31* 54.11B,c (± 0.22) 55.23A,a,b (± 0.20) 56.12B,a (± 0.41) 54.86A,b,c (± 0.38) 55.41B,a,b (±0.28)
32-35* 55.50A,b (± 0.23) 56.99A,a,b (± 1.09) 57.58A,a (± 039) 55.72A,b (±0.29) 56.94A,a,b (±0.31)
36-39* 55.02A,c (± 0.19) 56.58A,b (± 0.31) 57.50A,a (± 0.35) 55.17A,c (±0.18) 56.20A,B,b (±021)
40-43* 54.03B,b (± 0.12) 56.43A,a (± 0.49) 57.22A,B,a (±
0.44)
55.01A,b (±0.37) 56.17A,B,a (±0.25)
Overall mean* 52.34c (± 0.31) 53.67a,b (± 0.39) 54.33a (± 0.37) 52.87b,c (±0.32) 53.79a,b (±0.33)
17

18. Effects of dietary calcium and phosphorus level on egg shell in
brown egg-type pullets from 0 to 32 weeks of age
N=1380,6T,10R(23PULLET/R), Dietary Ca and P high(7.5-6.7-7.3:3.6-3.2-3.0) and
low(5.8-4.7-5.0:3.2-2.6-2.4)Ca-P) from respectively 0 to 6, 6 to 11,and 11 to 16 wk of age).
WEEKS 22nd 25th 32nd
EFFECT Egg shell
thicknesss
(mm)
Egg shell
thicknesss
(mm)
Egg shell
thicknesss
(mm)
HIGH
(Ca:P)
(7.5-6.7-7.3:3.6-3.2-3.0)
0.401 0.406 0.391b
LOW
(Ca:P)
(5.8-4.7-5.0:3.2-2.6-2.4)
0.397 0.402 0.402a
Egg shell thickness at 22, 25, and 32 wk of age, fed diets during rearing (0 to 16 wk of age) and high or low Ca and P level.
• Low dietary Ca-P during rearing had no clear effect on pullet development and egg
production, but some improvements on egg shell quality were identified at 32 wk of age.
Dijkslag et al.(2021)
18

19. Targeting the Pullet Body Weight for efficient layer performance
19
Most important factors determining egg weight is body weight of hen at the age of
sexual maturity.
Oke et al. (2004)
Hens with low or average initial body weight had higher EP and EW than the lighter hens.
Perez-Bonilla et al. (2012)
BW and BC play an important role in sexual maturation and egg production in laying hens.
Hanlon et al. (2021)

20. N=96 shaver brown 6th wk of lay, 4T(24/T) (T1= 0.9-1.2kg, T2= 1.3-1.4kg, T3=1.5-1.6kg and
T4= 1.7-2.0kg). 4R(6/R).
Edeh et al.(2020)
The effect of bodyweight variation on laying performances of
Shaver brown hen in humid tropical environment
Parameters T1 T2 T3 T4 Sig
Body
Weight(kg)
1.05 1.35 1.55 1.85 NS
Average
Daily Feed
Intake, g
73.50±0.29ab 75.5±0.65ab 69.25±4.19b 78.50±1.32a *
Egg
Weight(g)
61.89±0.62b 63.22±0.64ab 64.62±1.81a 64.65±1.06a *
Hen Day egg
Production, %
73.97±1.07a 74.30±0.81a 70.35±0.35b 69.65±0.67b
20
The light weight hens had the highest yield and less cost of feeding which is more profitable
to farmers.

21. BODY FAT
Both low and high body fat contents could have a negative effect on the productivity of hens.
21
Hocking et al. (2002)
Body fat threshold between 10% to 15% is required to initiate sexual maturation.
Bahry et al. (2023)

22. N=45 TETRA SL laying hens,3T.Experiment was started at 20 weeks of age.
• The high initial body fat content of the hens resulted in the lowest egg production intensity
at all examination days. Milisits et al.(2016)
Effect of Low, medium and high body fat composition of pullet on
egg production
22
Egg production(%)
Initial body fat content Level of
significance
(P)
IBF
S.E
Wks Low
22.9%
Medium
24.9%
High
27.2%
32 94.9 96.2 98.3 0.400 0.8
52 96.2b 90.2a 87.1a 0.010 1.3
72 80.0b 76.1ab 73.2a 0.039 1.1
Egg weight(g)
32 63.4 62.5 61.5 0.526 0.7
52 65.9 62.0 64.2 0.112 0.7
72 66.5 65.9 64.6 0.755 0.9

23. Effect of starting body fat content of laying hens on the egg
production during the first egg laying period
• The starting body fat content of laying hens has significant effects on egg production
Milisits et al. (2015)
TETRA SL Starting body fat content
Low 23.1% Average25..6% High28..4%
Hen day egg production
TETRA SL 332b±13 331b±13 318a±20
Effect of starting body fat content of laying hens on the number of total eggs laid by the two genotypes (mean±SE)
23
N=120,(60 TETRA BLANCA white egg layers and 60 TETRA SL brown egg layers),Pullets
based on their body fat content at 16 weeks of age.

24. Feed Restriction during Grower phase.
• Manipulate growth and metabolism to get desirable body weight during
laying which in return helps to delay sexual maturity and increases
production performance of the birds without affecting their welfare or
health.
• Increase the overall egg production, settable eggs, and average egg weight,
and enhance fertility, hatchability, and egg quality in broiler breeders.
24
Tesfaye et al. (2009)
Avila et al. (2023)

25. Effects of feed restriction on production performance of Rhode
Island red pullets
Tesfaye et al. (2009)
Feed restrictions by skip a-day feeding system at middle age of development (T3) resulted in
higher egg weight and this can be considered as the optimum age for pullet rearing.
N=240(48.92 ± 1.53 g),4T, 3R(20/R), 4 feeding treatments [T1 (Unrestricted, Control), T2
(Restricted at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age), T3 (Restricted at 35, 42, 49 and 56 days of age)
and T4 (Restricted at 63, 70, 77 and 84 days of age] using (CRD).Commercial starter layer diet
(0-6)weeks and commercial grower layer diet (7-22 woa).
Parameters
Treatments
T1 T2 T3 T4 SE
P-
value
Age at onset of egg
laying (days)
140.80 ±
0.80bc
140.17 ±
2.50c
147.00 ±
2.20a 143.83 ±
2.30b 0.96
*
Body weight (g) at first
egg
1305.00 ±
13.20b
1374.30 ±
23.20ab
1352.00 ±
23.50ab
1429.23 ±
44.50a
15.18 **
Egg weight (g)
42.68 ±
0.72b
42.43 ±
1.91b
47.9.00 ±
0.87 a
41.88 ±
0.77b
0.79 **
Shell thickness (mm) 0.26 ± 0.01ab 0.25 ± 0.00b
0.26 ±
0.01ab
0.29 ± 0.01a 0.01 **
25

26. Effects of energy restriction during growing phase on the productive
performance of Hyline Brown laying hens aged 6–72 wks
Lu et al.(2023)
Weeks
Contro
l
2,850
Energy-restricted
feeding (6-17 wk)
SEM
P-value
Energy restriction
level
Linear
Quadrat
ic
2,565
2,280
19−20 wk 2.41a 0.45b 0.00c 0.552 0.046 0.038 0.502
21−24 wk 37.94a 31.12a 17.51b 2.540 <0.001 <0.001 0.328
25−28 wk 93.45 94.40 90.94 0.761 0.160 0.173 0.168
29−32 wk 93.34 93.28 96.41 0.692 0.102 0.066 0.254
33−36 wk 93.77b 93.87b 98.35a 0.695 0.002 0.002 0.054
37−40 wk 93.60b 95.61ab 97.14a 0.594 0.039 0.012 0.831
41−44 wk 91.01b 95.45a 96.70a 0.851 0.007 0.003 0.266
45−48 wk 90.57b 93.29ab 94.54a 0.643 0.024 0.008 0.526
49−52 wk 90.67b 92.42ab 94.18a 0.639 0.072 0.024 0.994
53−56 wk 86.88b 90.66a 91.27a 0.727 0.017 0.008 0.224
57−60 wk 82.86b 88.86a 89.78a 1.077 0.008 0.004 0.170
61−64 wk 82.30b 90.10a 90.28a 1.208 0.002 0.002 0.053
65−68 wk 80.00b 90.31a 90.18a 1.408 <0.001 <0.001 0.010
69−72 wk 75.97b 86.72a 86.53a 1.578 0.001 0.001 0.029
26
a-c Means without common superscripts within a row differ significantly (P < 0.05).

27. 27
Pullet Uniformity
Standard for Pullet Management
85% ± 10% Excellent Uniformity
82-85 ± 10% Very Good Uniformity
70% ± 10% Unsatisfactory

28. The Effects of Dietary Whole Rice Hull as Insoluble Fiber on the
Flock Uniformity of Pullets Laying Hens
N=1500 N Brown Nick pullet chicks of 4 woa (uniform weight) divided into 3T,5R(100/R)
They were provided with ad libitum access to water and fed the basal grower diets (CP, 19%;
ME, 2, 950 kcal kg−1 ) containing 0 (control), 3 and 6% WRH.
Incharoen et al.(2013)
A greater enhancement of growth rate and percentage of flock uniformity were observed in
pullet chicks fed both dietary WRH levels, compared to birds in the control group
Parameters Control 3% WRH 6% WRH
Initial body weight, g (4woa) 526±1.38 521±2.51 527±1.41
Final body weight, g () 1107±4.17b 1129±2.81a 1130±2.51a
Body weight gain, g 580±4.93b 608±5.29a 602±2.65a
Feed intake, g 2063±2.46c 2132±10.50b 2205±16.53a
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) 3.56±0.03a 3.50±0.04a 3.66±0.02b
Flock uniformity
within ± 10% of
each pen mean (%)
85.0±1.70 87.4±1.84 86.8±1.93
28

29. 29
Light Influences physiological responses, behavior, growth and development,
and production performance in poultry.
Blue and green
light
Improve growth, help to calm down, promote immune performance
(Zhang et al., 2014), and improve egg quality (Er et al., 2007).
Red light
Increase the levels of reproductive hormones, promote the development of
sexual organs, influence the age of sexual maturity (SM) of pullets,
improve production performance, and reduces the incidence of feather
pecking and cannibalism.
Blue–Green
light
Stimulated growth of chickens
Orange–Red Stimulated reproduction development (Rozenboim et al., 1999).
Widely applied in poultry production likely do not meet the requirements
for the welfare and health of layer chickens, especially for the brooding
and rearing periods (0–20 wk of age),
White LED and
monochrome
LED lights
Advances in Light Management in Pullets
(Borille et al., 2015)
(Liu et al., 2017)
(Hassan et al., 2013)

30. 30
Wei et al. (2020)
Yellow –Orange
phase 2 (14–20 wk
of age)
Increased the BMD concentrations, promoted sexual organ
(oviduct and ovary) development, advanced the age of sexual
maturation, and improved the production uniformity of layer
chickens
Blue –Green
phase (0–13 wk of
age)
Increased the serum Ig concentrations and serum GLU
concentration levels of layer chickens
Wei et al. (2020)
Typically, pullets are reared under an 8–10 h photoperiod and photostimulated at 16–22
weeks of age with a 14 h light regimen to initiate egg laying.
Monochromatic
light
influence on sexual maturity, production performance and egg
shell quality of laying hens.

31. 31
Photoperiod 336d egg
production
Egg
weight(g)
Shell
deformation(μg)
Rearing Laying
8h 14h 271a 58.4b 26.5a
14h 14h 256b 60a 25.4b
Effect of rearing day length on subsequent layer performance
Summers and Leeson (1983)

32. Effect of monochromatic light on sexual maturity, production
performance and egg quality of laying hens
Kim Min et al. (2012)
Variable
Treatments
Incandescent
light (control)
White light Blue light Red light
Egg production (%)
18–30 weeks 76.18 ± 27.22ab
77.41 ± 28.10ab 64.97 ± 33.48b 79.23 ± 21.25a
31–40 weeks 88.43 ± 6.26b 93.60 ± 3.81a 89.10 ± 5.65b 93.90 ± 4.37a
41–50 weeks 83.10 ± 7.13b 86.63 ± 6.96ab 86.20 ± 6.00ab 89.70 ± 6.14a
51–60 weeks 87.80 ± 7.42b 88.73 ± 6.98ab 88.20 ± 5.71b 91.63 ± 3.97a
18–60 weeks 83.34 ± 16.71bc 85.95 ± 17.25ab 80.92 ± 21.62c 87.96 ± 13.63a
Egg weight (g)
18–30 weeks 56.12 ± 10.32 56.13 ± 4.98 51.16 ± 18.17 56.24 ± 5.21
31–40 weeks 60.89 ± 2.47 60.09 ± 1.32 60.51 ± 1.35 60.20 ± 2.23
41–50 weeks 60.94 ± 1.73ab 59.86 ± 3.64b 61.70 ± 2.83a 59.98 ± 1.93b
51–60 weeks 61.12 ± 1.40 61.96 ± 3.86 61.89 ± 2.85 61.20 ± 1.85
18–60 weeks 59.51 ± 6.26 59.27 ± 4.37 58.28 ± 11.16 59.18 ± 3.85
Age at 1st egg and 50% egg of laying hens (Days)
1st egg 125 ± 1.86b 122 ± 1.03bc 131 ± 3.14a 120 ± 1.55c
50% egg 134 ± 2.58b 133 ± 3.22bc 144 ± 2.73a 130 ± 1.37c
32

33. Effect of age at photo stimulation on sexual maturation and egg-
laying performance of layer breeders
Shi et al.(2020)
N=192 WL breeder hens of 14 wk of similar BW (average ± 10%) ,4T(PS16, PS18, PS20, and
PS22),2R(24/R). 1st week of PS: Intensity 80 lux, 2nd week of PS: change in lighting
regimen to 14L:10D by increasing day length by 4h and then by 1h each 3rd and 4th week
PS at 18 wk is appreciated for the WL breeder hens.
Item 16 18 20 22 SEM P-value
BW at sexual maturity, g 1372.39 1381.40 1438.77 1454.57 16.15 0.18
Age at 5% egg production, D 134.00 132.50 141.00 141.00 1.85 0.21
Age at 50% egg production, D 149.50 148.50 154.50 154.00 1.32 0.28
Peak of laying, % 91.96a 93.37a 88.91a 78.81b 2.26 0.02
Ovary weight, % 3.03 2.92 2.98 2.86 0.05 0.96
Egg number1, n 161.18a 162.64a 145.53a 133.54a 4.80 0.02
33

34. Housing Management
Du et al. (2022)
WELFARE
Housing
Type
Lighting
Management
Humidity
Temperature
Ventilation
Vaccination
Biosecurity
34

35. Feeding 22-20-19% CP during rearing period have highest HDEP.
5% inclusion of palm oil in grower diet have higher HHEP and EW.
Linoleic acid play an important role in maximizing the egg size.
Best prelay diet(1800kcal/kg ME, 18% CP and 2% Ca)with BIS layer diet is the best
combination for improving EN, HDEP, FCDE, EFPR and PEI.
The light weight (1.05-1.3 kg) hens had the higher HDEP.
Feed restriction delayed sexual maturity, improve EW, increase EP, improve
uniformity into flock.
PS at 18 woa and Red Monochromatic light influence early SM, increased EP and
EW in laying hen
35
Conclusions

36. 36
Future Prospectus
Genetic, Nutritional, Housing managemental
intervention of pullet for pullet development need
to emphasis for maximum exploitation of
commercial layer.

37. 37
THANK YOU…!