19 Jun Egg production drop caused by stress
Stress is a very common cause of laying problems. Hens are animals of habit and any change (related to management, feed, environment, etc) unsettles them, resulting in negative effects in their wellbeing and productivity.
Hen’s response to stress can be categorized in five groups:
- Morphological changes: Livability and body condition are influenced by environmental conditions (temperature, caging system). Such factors also affect internal organs like liver status, bone resistance to breakage and adrenal glands.
- Endocrinal and blood changes: Decreased Ca2+ ions in blood, water and sodium retention.
- Digestion: Stress may induce reduction of feed intake, worse feed use and metabolic changes in digestive system that favor the onset of infections.
- Immunity: immune system is depressed, showing fewer circulating lymphocytes and less antibody response.
- Reproduction: Reproduction in hens was negatively affected by stress, as measured by cessation or reduction of laying, atrophic follicles, and decreased oviduct weight. Egg quality is also affected, producing a higher percentage of defective eggs (cracked, weak or dirty).
Product of choice
PhytoMax© is a combination of vitamins, chelated calcium, microminerals and essential oils to be given through drinking water. It is intended for layers and breeders to:
- Maintain the levels of calcium and magnesium needed for optimal egg production.
- Reinforce skeletal health.
- Prevent cage fatigue.
- Stimulate the hepatic metabolism and the immune system.
- Improve the quality of the egg and the health of day-old chicks.
- Avoid the drop of the laying rate produced by stress (management, vaccines, hot weather, etc…)
- At the start of the laying period, to boost productivity.
- Prolong the productive life of the hen.
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