Reference Delivery
Layer phase-feeding programme — France
Illustrative scenario: French cage-free layer complex adopting a 4-phase nutrition programme with calcium particle-size split, amino-acid balance and rolling formulation to hit late-cycle egg-shell quality and cost targets.
- France
- Country
- Layers (cage-free, brown)
- Category
- 320,000 hens · 4-phase nutrition programme
- Scale
- 3
- Reference outcomes
Load requirements
Design loads used to size housing, utilities and equipment.
Phase 1 (18–30 wk)
17.5% CP, 4.0% Ca, high dig. Lys
Phase 2 (30–50 wk)
16.8% CP, 4.2% Ca
Phase 3 (50–70 wk)
16.0% CP, 4.5% Ca, coarse:fine 65:35
Phase 4 (70+ wk)
15.5% CP, 4.7% Ca, coarse:fine 70:30
PM calcium top-up
Coarse limestone via afternoon feeder run
Feed intake
115–122 g/hen/day
System design choices
Why each subsystem was specified the way it was.
| Area | Choice | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Formulation | Rolling weekly reforecast on ingredient prices | Corn/soy volatility means fixed formulas leave 3–5% margin on the table; weekly rolls close the gap. |
| Calcium split | Coarse limestone AM + PM top-up feeder pass | PM coarse Ca dose lands in gizzard for overnight shell formation — direct shell-quality lift late cycle. |
| Amino-acid balance | Digestible Lys/Met/Thr/Trp on ideal-protein ratios | Cuts crude protein without hurting egg mass — lower feed cost and lower N excretion. |
| Delivery | Chain feeders, 2 runs per phase | Cage-free hens travel — 2 runs ensures far-end hens see fresh feed and calcium. |
| Monitoring | Weekly body-weight sampling + egg-mass tracking | Late-cycle drops start at body-condition — sampling triggers phase move before shell quality slips. |
Results
Representative KPIs achieved on projects of this scope.
Hen-day production (avg)
89.3% to 90 wk
Feed per dozen
1.41 kg
Grade-A shell
85.6% at 90 wk
Feed cost / dozen
€0.31 (was €0.33)
N output / hen-year
−9%
Representative outcomes
- Typical scope: 4 laying phases + calcium split feeding
- Typical outcome: shell quality holds ≥85% Grade-A to wk 90
- Typical outcome: feed cost per dozen −7%
Note: This case study is an anonymized reference scenario. Specific client identities, contract values and commercial terms are withheld under NDA. Figures reflect typical outcomes for projects of this scope and are not a guarantee for your project.