Effect of Changing Dietary Energy Levels and Environmental Temperatures on Feed Consumption and Egg Production of Single Comb White Leghorns

Two experiments were conducted to determine how quickly S.C. White Leghorn hens in egg production adjusted feed consumption after being subjected to changes in environmental temperature and dietary energy levels. After seven days acclimation to the chambers at 21 ± 1° C. environmental temperature and the intermediate energy level diet, hens changed to 35 ± 1° C. environmental temperature required only one day to adjust feed consumption to the new environment. They consumed significantly (P < .05) less feed than hens housed at 21 ± 1° C. or 4.5° C. environmental temperature. Hens changed to the 4.5 ± 1° C. environmental temperature appeared to consume more feed throughout both experiments than hens maintained at 21 ± 1° C. environmental temperature, but this difference was not significant (P < .05). Therefore, no adjustment in feed consumption was apparent when the temperature was lowered to 4.5 ± 1° C. Even though hens appeared to eat more of the lower energy diet and less of the higher energy diet as compared to the intermediate energy diet, level of dietary energy had no significant (P < .05) effect on feed consumption or egg production. Egg production was significantly less (P < .05) for hens housed in the 35 ± 1° C. environment when compared to hens housed in 4.5 ± 1° C. There were no differences in egg production between hens housed in 4.5 ± 1° C. and 21 ± 1° C. environments.