Hy-Line Brown varieties are resilient brown egg layers, recognized for his or her adaptability to difficult environments and glorious egg high quality, together with shell colour and measurement. In markets the place egg high quality and spent hen worth are important to profitability, Hy-Line Brown breeders excel. Under are the highest 10 key concerns for managing these varieties successfully:
Dietary Suggestions:
1. Brooding Interval: Throughout the brooding part, use a crumble pre-starter food regimen to make sure environment friendly nutrient distribution. The cumulative feed consumption for this era ought to vary from 200 to 400 g per chick. Correct vitamin on this stage units the inspiration for uniform progress.
2. Rising Interval: Deal with constructing robust bone reserves to make sure longevity in egg manufacturing. From 6 to 11 weeks of age, preserve shut consideration to physique weight to keep away from uneven progress. Introduce a coarse mash food regimen with particles sized between 2–3 mm, much like the food regimen used through the laying interval. The transition from crumble to mash needs to be gradual, ideally over a 2-week interval with combined feed presentation to assist the birds regulate easily. Correct progress throughout this part is essential for future productiveness.
3. Developer Interval: Keep away from high-density diets through the developer part (12–16 weeks) to forestall extreme physique weight, which may result in points equivalent to prolapse, fatty liver, and better mortality charges. Maintaining the food regimen reasonable in nutrient density ensures wholesome growth with out placing undue pressure on the birds.
4. Pre-Lay Food plan: Introduce a low-density pre-lay food regimen with 50% coarse limestone when the primary gentle stimulation begins. This part mustn’t exceed 10–12 days. Keep away from reducing power ranges from the developer to the pre-lay food regimen, as this might delay the onset of manufacturing. Keep away from high-density diets to stop physique weight acquire that would result in reproductive issues. Synchronize the transition from the developer to the pre-lay food regimen with the beginning of sunshine stimulation.
5. Food plan Transition Based mostly on Physique Weight: Transition diets based mostly on physique weight as an alternative of age. When the flock reaches the breed commonplace physique weight, instantly transfer to the subsequent stage of the feeding program. Delays can lead to extreme weight acquire, which is detrimental to efficiency and longevity. From 1 to 18 weeks of age, particularly between 12 to 18 weeks, physique weight needs to be managed rigorously, making certain it stays throughout the minimal and common vary of the breed commonplace. Keep away from letting the physique weight attain the utmost worth of the usual vary, as this could result in extreme weight acquire and related reproductive points later in manufacturing.
Administration Suggestions:
6. Gradual Discount of Mild Hours: In closed homes, scale back gentle by 2 hours per week till reaching 10 hours by week 7. In naturally lit, open-sided homes, scale back gentle to 12 hours. Comply with particular lighting packages tailor-made to your area’s pure day size for open-sided techniques (seek the advice of www.hyline.com for extra particulars).
7. Well timed Mild Stimulation: Provoke gentle stimulation as soon as the flock reaches a median physique weight of 1.35 kg with not less than 85% uniformity, often round 16 weeks of age. If uniformity is under 80%, wait till the flock reaches 1.40 kg earlier than beginning gentle stimulation. For closed homes, enhance gentle by 2 hours initially, adopted by 30-minute increments till reaching 14 hours. In open homes, begin with a 1-hour enhance, then proceed with 30-minute increments till reaching 15 hours.
Peak manufacturing (96% or increased) needs to be achieved with 14-15 hours of sunshine. If peak just isn’t reached, lengthen gentle by half-hour per week till a most of 16 hours is achieved.
8. Mild Depth Matching: Two weeks earlier than transferring to the laying facility, enhance gentle depth. Use cool lights (>4000 Ok) at 15 lux throughout rearing, and heat lights (<3000 Ok) at 20–30 lux through the laying part. Make sure that the gentle depth is constant between the rearing and laying services to keep away from untimely stimulation and guarantee optimum efficiency.
9. Physique Weight Administration in Lay: Purpose for a weight acquire of 300 g (roughly 18%) between 18 and 25 weeks of age. Constant physique weight acquire is important for sustained laying efficiency. Keep away from extreme weight acquire throughout this era to make sure optimum manufacturing and decrease dangers related to excessive physique weight.
10. Preventive Egg Dimension Administration: If giant egg measurement on the finish of the manufacturing cycle just isn’t desired, handle egg measurement preventively not less than 1.5 g earlier than reaching the specified weight, as lowering egg measurement later is tough and might hurt manufacturing. Keep away from high-density diets throughout early lay to forestall excessively giant eggs. Monitor feed consumption and calculate key nutrient consumption (protein, amino acids, linoleic acid, and fats) in relation to breed requirements. Low-energy diets can result in elevated feed consumption and better protein consumption, which may enhance egg measurement. Additionally, be cautious of extreme fats ranges in feed, as this could stimulate consumption and additional contribute to bigger egg sizes.