Effect of direct fed microbial supplementation in late lay hen egg production and egg quality

Abstract

Egg production and quality decrease with hen age and/or prolonged production cycles. Strategies to prevent this decline are important as it allows egg producers to continue to produce a safe and high-quality product for consumers while keeping costs minimal. One strategy to improve egg production and egg quality during late lay is through feed supplementation.  This study explored supplementation of late lay (60 + weeks of age) hens with a Bacillus subtilis strain in the feed.  Compared to hens that remained on the non-supplemented feed from the same flock, hens supplemented with Bacillus subtilis had increased egg production as measured by hen day egg production and egg weight. However, supplementation did not alter hen mortality, body weight, feed conversion ratio, and egg quality.