Effect of day to day variation of dietary energy on residual feed intake of laying hens

An experiment was conducted that examined the effect of day-to-day variability of dietary energy on feed intake behavior. Three levels of average daily dietary ME composition (2,580, 2,814, and 3,009 kcal/kg) and three levels of day-to-day variability of ME (low, medium, and high) were assigned to nine groups of DeKalb-XL laying hens in a 3 X 3 factorial design. Each of the nine treatments contained 35 individually caged birds. Daily measurements of feed intake, egg production, and egg mass were taken form each bird in this 56-d experiment. Pre- and postexperiment body weights were taken at 23 and 31 wk of age. Increasing levels of day-to-day variance of ME were associated with increased feed consumption for each mean level of ME (P 0.01) and increased variability of day-to-day feed intake for the 2,580 kcal/kg mean level (P 0.01). No significant differences (P 0.01) in egg production, egg mass, or body weight were observed