Protein and Energy Studies with Developing White Leghorn Pullets

ABSTRACT COMPARED with the vast amount of experimental work conducted recently on the protein and energy nutrition of the young chick and with the laying hen, little has been reported relative to the 8–20 week nutrition of the developing pullet being raised as a potential egg producer. Blaylock (1956) reported that White Leghorn pullets from 12 to 20 weeks of age required no more than 12 percent protein. This is much lower than the requirement of 16 percent protein suggested by the National Research Council (1954) for birds 8–18 weeks of age. Pepper, Slinger and Summers (1957) found that range-reared birds produced at a higher rate in the laying house than confinement-reared birds in each of two experiments. The y also found that energy content of the rearing diet had no effect on effect on subsequent rate of lay or feed efficiency. The studies to be reported herein were . . .