The Effects of Dietary Levels of Chloride and Bicarbonate on Egg Production and Shell Quality 1

Abstract

Groups of individually caged Single Comb White Leghorn layers in their seventh month of lay (Trial 1) and pullets entering their first production cycle (Trial 2) were fed a corn-soy diet with four levels of NaCl and four levels of NaHCO₃ to maintain a constant level of added sodium of 0.11% and levels of added chloride varying from 0.02 and 0.18%. Analyses for total chloride in the various diets showed a range from 0.08 to 0.23. No significant differences due to treatment were observed in egg shell deformation or shell thickness. In Trial 2, hen-day egg production of the groups fed the lowest level of chloride (0.08%) was significantly lower than production at any of the higher chloride levels. It appears that 0.08% chloride was not adequate for egg production but 0.14% was adequate.