The current analysis of production data captured from LOHMANN pure line layers highlights the enormous potential of
these hens. The observation period covers up to 102 weeks
of age. During this period with more than 500 observation days,
the hens’ production cycle was analysed in detail. Egg numbers are
recorded every day and also specifically for each individual hen.
Peak Production
Based on their average laying rate from 24 to 48 weeks of age,
the layers were classified into 6 different groups. During this
time, 84 % of the layers achieved an average laying performance
Peak Production
Based on their average laying rate from 24 to 48 weeks of age,
the layers were classified into 6 different groups. During this
time, 84 % of the layers achieved an average laying performance
Table 1: Distribution of hens in terms of laying performance at the peak of
production
The categories shown in Table 1 were used to see the production development of these groups below in later stages of the production cycle of more than 90 %. Moreover, 22 % of the hens laid at least 171
saleable eggs in 175 days, which is equivalent to an average laying
performance of at least 98 % (Table 1). This very high laying intensity is only possible by having just a few number of days without
oviposition. There was even a group of layers in the flock that produced 175 eggs in 175 days, which means a performance level
of 100 % over 25 weeks. Producing one saleable egg with a good
eggshell, every single day, and at almost the same time of the day,
is the biological limit!
Production Cycle of up to 102 weeks of age
55 % of the layers in this particular group were constantly producing above the standard throughout the entire production cycle.
Even the layers in the group with a laying performance of between 90 and 94 % that were producing slightly below the standard level during the first 25 weeks, were quite persistent in laying.
Consequently, in the second part of production, this group of layers went over the standard production curve. Therefore, the first
conclusion is that only a small percentage of the layers in a flock,
i.e. 16 % of the same, lay below the standard performance curve
of LOHMANN TIERZUCHT (Figure 1).
From the first egg at 21 weeks on right up to 102 weeks of
age, many layers were producing in big clutches. For 8 % of the
layers, at least one clutch was bigger than 180 eggs. Laying 180
eggs in sequence corresponds to a time frame of six months in
which the hen laid an egg every single day without pausing. The
average laying rate of these hens was 96 % during 574 days of
Figure 1: Laying performance curves for layers in different laying performance categories
production. A minimum clutch of 90 days, i.e. three months in a
row, was achieved by 46 % of the layers. Eggs that were produced
in such big clutches were even better in eggshell stability than
eggs that were produced in smaller clutches (Table 2). Additionally, there was a group of 3 % of layers in the flock that had a very
irregular laying rhythm with less than 30 eggs in one sequence
and a distinctly smaller egg weight than the average. It seems like
these layers could not find an optimal laying rhythm. To sum up,
the majority of the layers (i.e. 97 % of the flock), were laying eggs in
clutches of more than 30 eggs on a very high level of egg quality.
To highlight the outstanding production level of LOHMANN
layers, the average and the range of the maximum clutch size for
the different production groups are shown in further detail in Table 3. As it can be seen, there is a great variation in the largest
clutch of individual layers within the different production groups.
Layers that produced at their biological optimum during the peak
of production, reached clutches of up to 400 eggs. Laying 400
saleable eggs in 400 days is hard to beat. However, there were also
hens that had an excellent average laying performance of more
than 98 % with a variation in their biggest clutch size ranging from
Table 2: Average laying rate and egg quality traits in regard to the biggest clutch of a hen
Figure 2: Distribution of hens by their biggest clutch size
64 to 343 eggs. If the biggest clutch amounted to 64 eggs, then
the respective hens were producing in very constant clutch sizes.
However, normally most of the layers that produced above the
standard showed certain variation in their clutch sizes. Most of the
hens started to lay in short clutches at 21 weeks of age and prolonged their length rapidly from one clutch to the next.
Contrary to the large clutch size, the number of days without
oviposition between two clutches mainly takes just one day. Producing saleable eggs in such big clutches with only one day off
in between, requires a very controlled diurnal cycle and results in
enormous laying rates that apply for the majority of LOHMANN
layers.
Taking the analysed production data into consideration, it can
be concluded that LOHMANN layers are prepared to lay eggs on
a very high level during a long production cycle of more than 100
weeks. Most of the hens in a flock lay eggs in long clutches and
only take one day off in between two consecutive clutches thereby producing one egg almost every day. To achieve this level of
performance, feed and water have to be supplied in a very consistent quality and amount every day.
Dr. Wiebke Icken
Table 3: Variations in the biggest clutch of individual layers in different performance categories