Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Box 114
5830 AC Boxmeer +31 485 319 111
The Netherlands dekalb@hendrix-genetics.com
We do recognize that many egg producers have developed their Average feed intake 109 g/day
own management programs, as a result of their experience with Cum. feed conversion rate 2.02 kg/kg
specific housing types, climate, feed, market conditions. Therefore
do not hesitate to use your own experience in conjunction with the Body weight 1725 g
guidelines in this guide. And of course, do not hesitate to consult
Shell strength 4200 g/cm²
our distributors who will be happy to help in any way they can.
Haugh units 83
We are constantly seeking to develop our breeding program and
welcome feedback from the field. Please send your technical results
to isa.technicalfieldresults@hendrix-genetics.com. Excel files are
available on request to help you to follow the flock’s performance
and record information.
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
0
18
1 0-7 6 8 41 55 65 69
17
2 8-14 13 15 129 157 125 132
16
3 15.21 19 21 261 303 194 204
15
5 29-35 30 32 643 713 341 359
14
6 36-42 35 37 886 970 419 440
13
7 43-49 39 41 1,160 1,258 498 524
12
8 50-56 43 45 1,461 1,573 579 609
11
9 57-63 47 49 1,787 1,913 660 694
Age in weeks
10 64-70 50 52 2,137 2,277 741 779
10
11 71-77 53 55 2,508 2,662 821 863
9
12 78-84 56 58 2,900 3,068 900 946
8
13 85-91 59 61 3,311 3,493 977 1,027
7
14 92-98 62 64 3,742 3,938 1,052 1,106
6
15 99-105 64 66 4,193 4,403 1,123 1,181
5
17 113-119 71 73 5,160 5,398 1,255 1,319
4
18 120-126 76 78 5,695 5,947 1,312 1,379
3
2
1
The information supplied in this guide is based on many actual flock
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
results obtained under good environment and managing conditions.
It is presented as a service to our customers and should be used
Bodyweight in g
55 90.7 63.2 57.4 110 1.93 55 228 13.8 27.9 2.03 97.4 1,718
56 90.4 63.3 57.3 110 1.93 56 234 14.2 28.7 2.03 97.3 1,718
57 90.1 63.4 57.1 110 1.93 57 240 14.5 29.4 2.02 97.3 1,719
58 89.8 63.5 57.0 110 1.94 58 247 14.9 30.2 2.02 97.2 1,719
59 89.5 63.6 56.9 110 1.94 59 253 15.3 30.9 2.02 97.1 1,719
60 89.2 63.7 56.8 110 1.94 60 259 15.7 31.7 2.02 97.1 1,720
61 88.9 63.8 56.7 110 1.95 61 265 16.1 32.4 2.02 97.0 1,720
62 88.6 63.9 56.6 110 1.95 62 271 16.5 33.2 2.01 96.9 1,720
63 88.2 64.0 56.4 110 1.96 63 277 16.9 33.9 2.01 96.8 1,720
64 87.8 64.1 56.2 110 1.96 64 283 17.2 34.7 2.01 96.8 1,720
65 87.4 64.2 56.1 111 1.97 65 289 17.6 35.4 2.01 96.7 1,720
66 87.0 64.3 55.9 111 1.98 66 295 18.0 36.2 2.01 96.6 1,720
67 86.7 64.3 55.8 111 1.98 67 300 18.4 36.9 2.01 96.6 1,720
68 86.3 64.4 55.6 111 1.99 68 306 18.7 37.7 2.01 96.5 1,721
69 85.9 64.5 55.4 111 1.99 69 312 19.1 38.4 2.01 96.4 1,721
70 85.5 64.6 55.3 111 2.00 70 318 19.5 39.2 2.01 96.4 1,721
71 85.2 64.7 55.1 111 2.01 71 324 19.9 39.9 2.01 96.3 1,721
72 84.8 64.8 55.0 111 2.01 72 329 20.2 40.7 2.01 96.2 1,721
73 84.4 64.9 54.8 111 2.02 73 335 20.6 41.4 2.01 96.2 1,722
74 84.0 65.0 54.6 111 2.02 74 341 21.0 42.1 2.01 96.1 1,722
75 83.7 65.1 54.5 111 2.03 75 346 21.3 42.9 2.01 96.0 1,722
76 83.3 65.2 54.3 111 2.04 76 352 21.7 43.6 2.01 96.0 1,722
77 82.9 65.3 54.1 111 2.04 77 357 22.1 44.4 2.01 95.9 1,722
78 82.5 65.4 54.0 111 2.05 78 363 22.4 45.1 2.01 95.8 1,723
79 82.1 65.5 53.8 111 2.06 79 368 22.8 45.9 2.01 95.8 1,723
80 81.8 65.6 53.6 111 2.06 80 374 23.2 46.6 2.01 95.7 1,723
81 81.4 65.7 53.5 111 2.07 81 379 23.5 47.3 2.01 95.6 1,723
82 81.0 65.8 53.3 111 2.08 82 385 23.9 48.1 2.01 95.5 1,723
83 80.6 65.9 53.1 111 2.08 83 390 24.2 48.8 2.02 95.5 1,724
84 80.3 66.0 52.9 111 2.09 84 395 24.6 49.6 2.02 95.4 1,724
85 79.9 66.1 52.8 111 2.10 85 401 24.9 50.3 2.02 95.3 1,724
86 79.5 66.1 52.6 111 2.10 86 406 25.3 51.0 2.02 95.3 1,724
87 79.1 66.2 52.4 111 2.11 87 411 25.6 51.8 2.02 95.2 1,724
88 78.8 66.3 52.2 111 2.12 88 417 26.0 52.5 2.02 95.1 1,725
89 78.4 66.4 52.1 111 2.13 89 422 26.3 53.2 2.02 95.1 1,725
90 78.0 66.5 51.9 111 2.13 90 427 26.7 54.0 2.02 95.0 1,725
70 70
65
60 65
55
DEKALB WHITE
Laying
Rate
50 60
45 Bodyweight
40 55
PRODUCT GUIDE
35
30 50 2000
25
20 45 1750
15
10 1500
5
0 1250
16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90
PRODUCTION GRAPHS
Age in weeks
145 450
140
dekalb-poultry.com
57.5
55.0 115 300
52.5 110
2.05 50
2.00 0
16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90
15
Age in weeks
REARING PERIOD Equipment and environment
Age (weeks)
Floor Cages
GOOD BROODING CONDITIONS ARE VITAL 0–2 2–5 0–3 3–5
TO GIVE THE CHICKS THE BEST POSSIBLE Ventilation Minimum per hour / kg 0.7m³ 0.7m³ 0.7m³ 0.7m³
The period from one day old to the point of first egg production is cm² / Bird 125 220
a critical time in the life of the laying hen. It is during this time that Water supply Chicks / Chick drinker 75 80 (1)
the physiological capability of the hen is developed. Birds / drinker 75 75
Success in the rearing period leads to success in the laying house Birds / nipple 10 10 10 (2) 10 (2)
and this starts with chick arrival. All the standards and programs Feed supply Birds / Starting pan 50 (3)
set out in this section have been proven to give excellent performance
cm of trough feeders 4 4 2 4
in the production stages.
Birds / Round feeder 35 35
Any delay in growth at 4-5 weeks will be reflected in a reduction in
bodyweight at 16 weeks and then in performance. This is particularly
(1): Place one additional drinker per cage for the first week
true for mean egg weight in temperate climates and may cause a (2): Make sure that all the birds have access to at least 2 nipples
delay in start of lay in hot climates near the equator. (3): Spread sheets of paper over the cage bottom to last for 7 days,
remove the top sheet every day
Bodyweight development
Notes:
• The removal of the supplementary starter drinkers should be
• 12
done gradually, making sure that the chicks have acquired the
Growth (g) habit of using the regular drinkers.
• It is useful to monitor water consumption. To maintain litter
Skeletal quality, it is necessary to avoid water spillage, by carefully
BW Growth regulating the drinkers or the nipples.
•6 • The drinkers should be cleaned daily for the first 2 weeks. From
the third week they should be cleaned each week.
Growth g / day
Organs
Calcium • Check that all the birds, even the smaller ones have access to
increase
at prelay
feed and water.
Muscle Reproductive tract
• It is important to use 360° nipples, especially for infra-red beak
treated birds.
Fat
Weeks in age In order to ensure that the equipment and the litter are warm for
chick arrival, we advise starting to raise the house temperature at
least 36 hours before chick arrival so that it reaches a house
temperature of 28 to 31°C. The concrete floor must be at 28°C
and litter at 30°C.
The best way to check if the house temperature is correct during
the first days after arrival is to measure cloacal temperature of the
chicks (40°C/104°F).
Floor Cages
- the health status of the flock
Age (weeks)
5 – 10 10 – 17 5 – 10 10 – 17
Ventilation Minimum per hour / kg 4m³ 4m³ 4m³ 4m³
BEAK TREATMENT: A DELICATE
Stocking densities Birds / m² 15 10 15 10
OPERATION
Birds / m² (hot climate) 12 9 12 9
This operation is normally carried out for two main reasons:
cm² / Bird 220 350 • To prevent feather pecking and cannibalism
Water supply Birds / drinker 100 100 • To reduce feed wastage
Birds / drinker Beak treatment is a delicate operation and only specially trained
75 75
(hot climate) personnel should perform it. If improperly done, it may result in
Birds / nipple 9 8 10 (1) 10 (1) birds having difficulty eating and drinking and lead to a non-uniform
Feed supply cm of trough feeders 5 7 4 6
flock as a consequence.
Birds / Round feeder 25 23 25 23
(1): Make sure that all the birds have access to at least 2 nipples
egg weight will be reduced by about 1g. Total egg mass produced
does not seem to be affected by reasonable variations in the age
of sexual maturity (Lewis 1997)(2).
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Age in weeks
Warranty Disclaimer
References This product guide for layers has been prepared by Institut de Sélection Animale B.V.
1) Lewis, P. D. 1996. The domestic hen's response to photoperiodic influences. Pages and its affiliates (“ISA”) with the greatest possible care and dedication to inform and
737-745 in Proceedings of XXth World's Poultry Congress. Vol II. New Delhi, India. assist ISA’s customers on the various manners of production to improve their production
results while using ISA products. However, specific circumstances at the farm of the
customer may impact the usability and reliability of the statements and information
2) Lewis, P. D., G. C. Perry, and T. R. Morris. 1997. Effect of size and timing of photoperiod mentioned in this product guide. No implied or explicit guarantees are given by ISA
increase on age at first egg and subsequent performance on two breeds of laying hen. as to the accuracy and completeness of the provided information in this product
Br. Poult. Sci. 38:142-150. guide. Applying the information as stated in this product guide in the customers’
production environment remains a decision of the customer, to be taken at its sole
3) Morris, T. R., P. J. Sharp, and E. A. Butler. 1995. A test for photorefractoriness in discretion. ISA will not be liable for any losses or damages whatsoever, whether in
high-producing stocks of laying pullets. Br. Poult. Sci. 36:763-769. contract, tort or otherwise arising from reliance on information contained in this
product guide.
7150-2