Calcium-carbonate and phytoelements to improve egg production in backyard laying hens under heat stress

The bioavailability (F) of calcium and other nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract in the second and third laying cycle hens and in hens under heat-stress is insufficient to sustain the necessary egg production. The administration of additional amounts of any source of calcium has been shown to be insufficient to meet the demand for calcium. However, improved calcium F has already been achieved in these hens if calcium carbonate is pharmaceutically prepared as patented pellets (FOLAs). Hence, clinical challenges were set to test the FOLA pellets as a form to sustain egg production and eggshell thickness in 180-second and 180-third cycle Bovans-White laying hens, randomly divided into six groups, as follows: cycle-2 control group (GCC2); FOLA-group-capsaicin (GFcC2); FOLA-group-capsaicin-turmeric powder-cinnamon powder (GfexC2); control-group for third cycle hens (GCC3); FOLA-group-capsaicin (GFcC3); FOLA-group-capsaicin-turmeric powder-cinnamon powder (GFexC3). This trial was carried out under moderate heat-stress conditions, and a follow-up was carried out utilizing eye thermographic measurements. The results show that all FOLA-fed hens of the second or third laying cycle presented better laying average and eggshell thickness than the untreated control groups, i.e., GFcC2 128 % higher than GCC2; GfexC2 135 % higher than GCC2; GFcC3 168 % higher than GCC3; and GFexC3 was 173 % higher than GCC3 (P < 0.01 in all comparisons). FOLA pellet formulation, similar to GfexC2, is postulated as a viable natural solution to counter the decreased egg-laying and shell thickness in second and third-cycle hens under moderate heat stress.