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How to improve egg quality? - part 2.
A study by the Centro de Multiplicación Avícola de Corrientes (Argentina) concludes that feeding programs for breeding hens result in colored eggshells with increased resistance.
Shell quality
Mainly to have a better shell quality, appropriate measures should be taken to benefit the entire period of hen productivity, as well as all kinds of measures to avoid dirty and potentially contaminating eggs.
Without a doubt, it is important to provide the hens with sufficient nutrients in their diet so that when laying, they start laying with an adequate calcium reserve, which will help protect the shell and the hen from calcification problems.
A calcium reserve means a well-formed medullary bone, this formation process starts about 10 days before laying, as does the increase of the hen's skeleton by 20%. This process is noticeable externally due to the growth and coloration of the comb and wattles.
The calcium in the medullary bone is fully available for shell formation. This is why sufficient nutrient delivery in the hen's diet is stressed, otherwise the medullary reserve will be maintained at the expense of structural bone, resulting in leg weakness and fatigue.
Important sources: Phosphorus, vitamins and calcium.
The particle size of the calcium source is one of the most important measures to maintain good shell quality.
Calcium particles larger than 2 mm are retained in the gizzard, this retained calcium is called dietary calcium, which is available during the night when the highest rate of shell calcification occurs, helping the hen not to depend solely on calcium coming from the medullary bone.
Likewise, the dietary level of phosphorus plays an important role since a relatively high level of available phosphorus disables the mobilization of calcium from the bones because even if there is sufficient dietary calcium, the hen will resort to the medullary bone to obtain part of the calcium that goes to the cascaron.
Finally, the presence of vitamins such as D3 is indispensable for good shell and bone calcification. Currently, metabolites of vitamin D3 are available that help to increase calcium retention and in most cases to reduce mortality.
Fundamental sources such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 for a good calcification of the hen's shell and bones.
References: The Poultry Site
