Influence of Strain or Breed Upon the Protein Requirement of Laying Hens

THE protein requirement of the laying hen has been reported to be as high as 17 percent or as low as 11 percent. A review of the literature concerning the protein requirement of the laying hen was made by Harms et al. (1962) in a paper in which they reported that the energy content of the diet and season of the year would influence this requirement. It was later reported, by Harms and Waldroup (1962), that some strains have a higher protein requirement than others and that strain or breed difference might account for some of the variation reported on the protein requirement of the laying hen. The fact that different strains vary in their protein requirement was confirmed in a report by Moreng et al. (1964). Results from a more recent study (Sharpe and Morris, 1965) indicated that 12.5 percent protein was adequate for Rhode Island Red X Light …