How can “complementary feeding stuffs” help my hen?
What does complimentary feeding stuffs mean?
This is the term used to describe all supplements you might consider giving to your hen in addition to their daily diet. The Feeding Stuffs (England) Regulations 2005 defines complimentary feeding stuff” as a “compound feeding stuff which has a high content of certain substances and which, by reason of its composition, is sufficient for a daily ration only if it is used in combination with other feeding stuffs;”
How can complementary feeding stuffs help health?
Good intestinal health is essential to support health, especially when birds are in lay. Complimentary feedingstuffs can play a pivotal role in supporting the gut health of pet hens. Amongst the variety of feed additives and supplements available for hens are enzymes, prebiotics (e.g yeast products), organic acids, and plants (terrestrial and aquatic). Probiotics and nutritional supplements can also support gut health. There is documented evidence that plant additives can enhance feed digestion and nutrient utilisation, enhance antioxidant and immune status, improve mineral utilisation, improve liveability, egg quality and production, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and balance the intestinal flora.
A balanced gut microbiota is required for sustained egg production. Poor gut health leads to increased disease susceptibility, risk of zoonotic pathogens (diseases which can spread between humans and animals) and risk to consumer safety, increased flock medication and reduced feed utilisation. With more extensive housing such as birds at range, the importance of managing the hens’ microbiota becomes even more important.
In the UK, eggs from commercially farmed hens that are produced under the Lion Code and are stamped with the red lion may be more safely eaten raw or lightly cooked due to the hygiene, vaccination and testing strategies that are required on those farms for salmonella control. Non Lion Code eggs should ideally be eaten only after thoroughly cooking the whites and the yolk as their salmonella status will be largely unknown. A balanced gut microbial flora is part of a hen's defence mechanism against salmonella colonisation. Free ranging birds or even those with access to outside runs can be more at risk of coming into contact with salmonella, hence the importance of maintaining the integrity of the bacterial population in their guts.
Optimising nutrient balance of the feed is actively undertaken in laying hens and diets are formulated to meet the needs of the hen during lay. If feed intake is reduced due to illness or bullying, weather or feed availability or the feed quality is suboptimal, then egg size and quality, egg production and hen bodyweight and health can all be detrimentally affected.
How can you use complementary feeding stuffs to help your hen?
Specific feed additives and complimentary supplements can be targeted for use at strategic times in a hen’s life where physiological stress is identified. These times can include key stages in the bird’s life such as brooding, coming into lay, peak lay, aged hens, moulting and broody hens in addition to specific challenging periods requiring intestinal stability, immune support, respiratory relief or improved egg shell quality.
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