Research Note: Production Performance of Laying Hens Fed L-Tryptophan

The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplementing L-tryptophan to a nutritionally complete diet would influence egg production rate and egg shell quality in laying hens. One hundred and twenty layers (Rhode Island Red x White Leghorn) were randomly allocated into three groups. Birds were fed a basal diet or diets supplemented with L-tryptophan at 250 or 500 mg/kg for 405 days from 25 wk of age. Hen day egg production and daily egg output were proportionately higher with higher levels of supplemental dietary L-tryptophan; the differences were significant (P less than .05) for layers fed the 500 mg tryptophan/kg diet. The improvement in egg production by dietary L-tryptophan was greatest during the latter part of the laying period. These findings suggest that supplemental L-tryptophan improves the egg production rate in laying hens.