Energy Requirement of Rhode Island Red Hens for Maintenance by Slaughter Technique

Energy requirement of Rhode Island Red (RIR) hens was studied by comparative slaughter technique. Seventeen hens above 72 weeks of age were slaughtered in batches. Batch I consisted of 5 hens which were slaughtered initially. Batch II comprised of six hens, which were fed ad libitum broken rice (BR)-based diet for 18 days. Record of feed intake, number of eggs laid and egg weight during the period was kept. These hens were slaughtered and body energy content was determined. Egg energy was consisted as energy deposited. Batch III consisting of six hens which were fed varying quantity of diet for 15 days, were slaughtered similarly as hens of batch II. Regression equation (body weight to body energy) developed on batch I was applied to batch II and developed on batch II was applied to batch III hens, to find out initial body energy content of hens. Egg energy (EE) was calculated according to formula: EE (kcal) = -19.7 + 1.81 egg weight (g). Regressing metabolisable energy (ME) intake on energy balance (body energy change + egg energy), maintenance ME requirement of hens was found to be $119.8kcal/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$. Multiple regression of ME required for production on energy retained as protein and fat (body plus egg energy) indicated that RIR hens synthesize proteins with an efficiency of 85.5 and fat with an efficiency exceeding 100 percent on BR based diet.