Table 3.
Effect of age at photostimulation on egg production of White Leghorn breeder hens throughout laying period until the end of 51 wk of age.
| Item | Age at photostimulation (wk) |
SEM | P-value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | |||
| Egg number1, n | 161.18a | 162.64a | 145.53a | 133.54b | 4.80 | 0.02 |
| Broken eggs2, % | 1.84a | 0.96b | 1.16b | 1.31b | 0.13 | 0.01 |
| Soft-shelled eggs, % | 0.37 | 0.28 | 0.12 | 0.20 | 0.06 | 0.55 |
| Other abnormal eggs, % | 2.36 | 1.16 | 1.30 | 1.38 | 0.20 | 0.08 |
Data are the mean of 2 replicates.
a,b
Values within a row with different superscripts differ significantly at P < 0.05.
1
Mean eggs per bird per day × days between age at first egg and 51 wk of age.
2
Broken eggs include broken-shelled eggs, cracked eggs, holed eggs, and entirely broken eggs.