Fat metabolism in laying hens may affect toe-pecking
Dutch compound feed companies ABZ Diervoeding, ForFarmers, Vitelia Voeders and Voergroep Zuid, in collaboration with Trouw Nutrition, have conducted a study into toe-pecking in laying hens. This problem is particularly present in white, highly-productive laying hens and leads to additional losses. Research based on a comparison between white and brown laying hens, on the one hand, and between hens that have been toe-pecked and those that have not, on the other hand, shows that the problem comprises a genetic component, where fat metabolism probably plays a major role.