Table 2.
Laying hens' productive performance.
| Control | Heat stress | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BW change (g/hen) | 47.54 ± 7.39a | −150.54 ± 8.87b | <0.001 |
| Feed intake (g/hen/day) | 111.02 ± 11.58a | 58.12 ± 3.23b | 0.005 |
| Laying rate (%) | 95.83 ± 2.03a | 89.29 ± 1.19b | 0.032 |
| Average egg mass (g) | 56.06 ± 0.88a | 50.56 ± 0.31b | 0.001 |
| Egg production (g/hen/day) | 53.70 ± 0.79a | 45.24 ± 0.63b | <0.001 |
| Shell thickness (mm) | 0.38 ± 0.01a | 0.32 ± 0.01b | <0.001 |
| Feed/egg (g/g) | 2.07 ± 0.22a | 1.29 ± 0.08b | 0.016 |
a, bMeans in the same line with different superscript differ significantly, P < 0.05; Values indicate mean ± SEM. For feed intake, BW change, laying rate, egg production, and feed/egg analyses, n = 4/treatment; for shell thickness, n = 12.