Effect of Beak-Trimming Age and High Fiber Grower Diets on Layer Performance

The performance of three commercial strains of White Leghorn layers was compared following beak trimming (BT) at 6 or 12 wk of age when fed diets containing 4.45 and 6.30% fiber between 6 and 12 or 12 and 18 wk of age, respectively. Body weights were lower at 12 wk in the 6-wk BT pullets, but were heavier at 18 wk when compared with the 12 wk BT pullets. Eighteen-week body weights were unaffected by feeding regimens. Six week BT resulted in higher hen-day and hen housed egg production, total egg mass, feed consumption, and total egg income. Profitability was superior for the 6-wk BT treatment (P = .072). Feeding the high fiber diets from 6 to 12 or 12 to 18 wk of age resulted in no differences in any of the adult performance traits measured compared with the control diet.