Laying hen feeding strategies based on different feeding modes of unbalanced supplements and corn in the tropical region

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feed form and feed distribution mode on the bio-economic performance of laying hens. Materials and Methods: 144 ISA Brown laying hens aged 22 weeks were divided into six treat¬ments with four replicates. The treatments are based on a balanced feed and an unbalanced supplement fed with crushed corn. The treatments were as follows: Mashed Balanced Feed; pel¬leted balanced feed (PBF); mashed supplement in the morning and crushed corn in the afternoon (MSC); crushed corn in the morning and mashed supplement in the afternoon (CMS); pelleted supplement in the morning and crushed corn in the afternoon (PSC); and pelleted supplement mixed with corn (PSmC). The data were analyzed in R 4.1.0 software. Student’s t-test was used to compare the feed forms, while a one-factor analysis of variance was used to compare the feeding modes. Results: The results showed similarity in feed intake and egg weight for the feed supplement form and feeding mode (p > 0.05). The feed conversion ratio, feed cost, and economic feed efficiency of hens in the mashed and pelleted supplement were, respectively, 132.68 vs. 162.77 gm feed/egg, 32.01 vs. 42.38 Franc des colonies française d’Afrique (XOF) (FCFA)/egg, and 1.8 vs. 1.42 FCFA of egg/FCFA of feed. The MSC feeding mode showed better bio-economic performance. Conclusion: An unbalanced mashed supplement fed in the morning with crushed corn in the afternoon is recommendable for laying hen production in the tropical region.