A Comparison of the Costs and Effects of Range and Confinement Rearing of Egg Production Type Pullets Fed All-Mash and Mash and Oats

WITH greater emphasis being placed today upon the evaluation of various pullet feeding and rearing programs and their effects upon the subsequent laying performance of these pullets, it is important to understand the relative effects and costs of these rearing programs prior to the beginning of egg production as well as their effects after production begins. There are many systems of feeding growing pullets varying from free choice feeding a complete diet to severe restriction of complete and even high fiber diets. A number of nutritionists consider the feeding of oats to growing pullets a form of restriction but economically unsound; yet some poultry producers in the field consider it an advantageous practice, even though, as with the question of range versus confinement rearing, there has been no conclusive evidence to prove that the results of one practice surpasses that of the other. Malik (1929) conducted a four year study …