Control of Egg Size in Chickens through Dietary Amino-acid Balance

Abstract

THERE are conflicting reports regarding the influence of the level of protein and of specific amino-acids in the diet of the hen on egg size. Results from an experiment in this laboratory suggested that the balance, rather than absolute levels, of amino-acids determines the response to different amounts of dietary protein and to amino-acid supplementation of the laying diet. There was also evidence that egg size may be modified quickly by altering dietary amino-acid balance. The following experiment was designed to test the validity of these observations.