Data from: The intake pattern and feed preference of layer hens selected for high or low feed conversion ratio

Feed accounts for the greatest proportion of laying hen egg production costs and there is substantial variation in feed to egg conversion (FCR) efficiency between individual hens. Despite this understanding, there is a paucity of information regarding layer hen feeding behaviour, diet selection and its impact on feed efficiency. It was hypothesised that variation in feed to egg conversion efficiency between hens may be influenced by feeding behaviour. For this experiment, two 35- bird groups of ISA Brown layers were selected from 450 individually caged hens at 25-30 weeks of age for either low feed conversion ratio FCR < 1.8 ± 0.02 (high feed efficiency (HFE))) or high FCR >2.1 ± 0.02 (low feed efficiency (LFE)). For each of these 70 hens, intake of an ad-libitum mash diet at 2-minute time intervals, 24 h a day, for 7 days was determined alongside behavioural assessment and estimation of the selection of components of thethis mash. The group selected for HFE had a lower feed intake, similar egg mass and associated lower FCR when compared with the LFE group. Whilst feed intake patterns were similar between HFE and LFE hens, there was a distinct intake pattern for all layer hens with intake rate increasing from 0300 to 1700 h with a sharp decline to 22002100 h. High feed efficiencyFE hens selected a diet with 25% more ash and 4% less gross energy than LFE hens. The LFE hens also spent more time eating with more walking events, but less time spent resting, drinking, preening and cage pecking events as compared with HFE hens. In summary, there was no contrasting diurnal pattern of feed consumption behaviour between the groups ranked on feed efficiency, howeverIn summary, high feed efficiency hens consumed less feed and selected a diet with greater ash content and lower gross energy as compared with LFE hens. Our work is now focused on individual hen diet selection from mash diets with an aim of formulating precision, targeted diets for greater feed efficiency.饲料成本在蛋鸡产蛋总成本中占比最高，且不同个体蛋鸡的饲料-蛋转化效率（feed to egg conversion, FCR）存在显著差异。尽管学界已达成上述认知，但目前关于蛋鸡采食行为、日粮选择及其对饲料效率影响的相关研究仍较为匮乏。本研究提出假设：蛋鸡间的饲料-蛋转化效率差异可能受其采食行为的影响。本实验从450只25~30周龄单笼饲养的伊莎褐壳蛋鸡（ISA Brown layers）中，筛选出两组各35只个体：一组为低饲料转化率组（FCR < 1.8 ± 0.02，即高饲料效率组，high feed efficiency, HFE），另一组为高饲料转化率组（FCR > 2.1 ± 0.02，即低饲料效率组，low feed efficiency, LFE）。针对这70只蛋鸡，本研究连续7天每日24小时以2分钟为间隔记录其自由采食（ad-libitum）粉状日粮（mash diet）的采食量，并同步开展行为学评估以及该粉状日粮各组分的选择偏好测定。与低饲料效率组相比，高饲料效率组蛋鸡的采食量更低，产蛋总重相当，且对应的饲料转化率也更低。尽管高、低饲料效率组蛋鸡的采食模式相似，但所有蛋鸡均呈现出统一的采食节律：采食速率从凌晨3时（03:00）持续升高至下午5时（17:00），随后在22:00左右急剧下降。高饲料效率组蛋鸡所选日粮的灰分（ash）含量比低饲料效率组高25%，总能（gross energy）含量则低4%。与高饲料效率组相比，低饲料效率组蛋鸡的采食时长更长，行走频次更高，但休息、饮水、理羽（preening）以及笼内啄击（cage pecking）的时长则更短。综上，按饲料效率分组的蛋鸡之间并未呈现出截然不同的昼间采食行为节律；但高饲料效率组蛋鸡的总采食量更低，且所选日粮的灰分含量更高、总能含量更低。本团队后续将聚焦于蛋鸡对粉状日粮的个体选择偏好研究，以期配制出精准化、定制化的日粮以进一步提升饲料效率。