Effect of high dietary aluminum as a force resting agent on fertility and hatchability parameters of laying hens

Abstract

A total of 416 Saudi Arabian Baladi laying hens were divided into four experimental groups, four replicates each. The experimental groups were subjected to the following treatments: Commercial laying ration (17% CP, 3.6% Ca and 0.343% available P) fed ad libitum as a control (C); Conventional force molting, feed removal for 10 days followed by 18 days full feed of cracked corn (F); 15 days ad libitum intake of the control ration supplemented with 0.35% AL as the sulfate (ALS) or chloride (ALC). The birds were in production for 52 weeks and 17 months old at the start of the experimental period. Three males of the same age were added to each replicate. Production period had a significant (P < .05) effect on fertility, hatch ability and embryonic mortality during 1-7 and 19-21 days of the incubation period, whereas treatment and their interaction effects were not significant with respect to all parameters studied. Though, feed-restricted and AL treated hens tended to have lower performance, force resting by means of feed restriction or feeding excessive amount of AL seems to have no significant influence on fertility and hatchability parameters.