LOHMANN

LSL-LITE
LAYERS

MANAGEMENT GUIDE
CAGE HOUSING

BREEDING FOR SUCCESS … TOGETHER

LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

CONTENTS

4 Introduction

5 Top Performance by Systematic Selection

6 Breeding Scheme

7 Performance Data

8 Housing Chicks
8 General Recommendations
8 Cage Systems
8 Floor Systems
9 Body Temperature of the Chicks

10 Environment

11 Vaccination
11 General Recommendations
11 Vaccination Methods
11 Special Recommendations
12 Example of a Vaccination Programme

13 Beak Treatment

14 Nutrition
14 General
14 Ad Libitum Feed Supply
14 Feed Consumption
15 Body weight Development
17 Nutrition and Egg Weight
19 Supplements
19 Crude Fibre
20 Rearing

2
2
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

21 Correct Use of Pre-Layer Feed

22 Laying Period
22 Phase Feeding
23 Recommended Nutrient Levels

26 Lighting
26 General
26 Intermittent Lighting Programme for Day Old Chicks
27 Lighting Programme for Closed Houses
29 Lighting Programme for Open Houses

31 General Recommendations
31 Hygiene
31 Daily Control
31 Water Supply
32 Grit
32 Litter (Non Cage Housing)
32 Egg Quality and Egg Collection
32 Nests (Non Cage Housing)
33 Stocking Density
33 Equipment Requirements

34 General Information
34 Body Weight Development
36 Growth and Body Weight Development Curve
38 Performance Goals
41 Egg Grading
42 Egg Production Curve

3
3
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

INTRODUCTION
Why should you study this management guide?
Most people who are involved in commer- eration of layers and current management
cial egg production, have seen management practices. Newcomers in the business may
guides for different strains of layers before and need more detailed explanations than can be
may think “if you have seen one, you’ve seen presented in this compact format.
them all”. Others take the contents more se- We hope that each reader will find some use-
riously and expect frequent updates to find ful information, to confirm proven manage-
specific data which apply to the current gen- ment practices or to stimulate improvements.

4
4
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

TOP PERFORMANCE BY SYSTEMATIC SELECTION

LOHMANN – the right partner for

progressive, successful poultry management.

In recent decades, advanced methods have Intensive research from our veterinary ex-
significantly improved breeding quality. Due perts, besides increasing resistance to diseas-
to the development of powerful electronic es by genetic means and ensuring the strict-
data processing systems, it has become pos- est conditions of hygiene, is fundamental to
sible to put the theory of selection system- the quality of LOHMANN products.
atically into practice – thus turning modern In addition, LOHMANN also provides expert
quantitative genetics into reality. advice on all questions of feed, nutrition and
From very early on, LOHMANN used these technical service.
new techniques and can therefore offer an Practice profits from this extensive expertise
extensive range of experience and know- in all aspects of poultry management. With
how. A highly qualified team of specialists LOHMANN products, eggs are produced in
guarantees prompt utilization of the latest top quality and at competitive costs.
research results. The market’s changing de- Results of performance comparisons in the
mands can therefore be met quickly and ef- field and in independent institutes are proof
fectively. of this success. LOHMANN products are of-
Moreover, nationally and internationally, ten the winners and are always among the
LOHMANN is ranked as first class for ques- few at the top, worldwide.
tions on poultry health, which is one of the
decisive factors for performance and profit-
ability.

5
5
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

BREEDING SCHEME
Pure Lines

A A B B C C D D

Grandparents

A B C D

Parents

AB CD

Commercials

ABCD ABCD

6
6
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

PERFORMANCE DATA
LOHMANN LSL-LITE Layer
Egg Production Age at 50 % production 140–145 days
Peak production 95–97 %
Eggs per Hen Housed
in 72 weeks of age 329
in 80 weeks of age 372
in 95 weeks of age 445
Eggs Mass per Hen Housed
in 72 weeks of age 20.04 kg
in 80 weeks of age 22.85 kg
in 95 weeks of age 27.57 kg
Average Egg Weight
in 72 weeks of age 61.0 g
in 80 weeks of age 61.4 g
in 95 weeks of age 61.9 g

Egg Characteristics Shell colour attractive white

Shell breaking strength > 40 Newton

Feed Conversion Ratio 1.9–2.1 kg/kg egg mass

Body Weight at 17 weeks 1.26 kg

at the end of production 1.72 kg

Liveability Rearing 97–98 %

Laying period 93–94 %

7
7
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

HOUSING CHICKS
General Recommendations
› Before bringing in the chicks, check that › Unload all chick boxes and distribute them
everything is in good working order. in the house. Remove all lids and place
› Warm up the house in good time up to them on the top of the boxes.
35–36 °C. In summer start heating at least › Quickly place the chicks near feeders
24 hours and in winter at least 48 hours and drinkers. Distribute the chicks evenly
before the chicks arrive. When the right among the cages starting at the far end of
temperature has been achieved, supply the house.
minimum ventilation. This will avoid tem- › Trigger nipples/water cups to encourage
perature differences within the house. birds to drink.
› Maintain the recommended temperatures
(35–36 °C) during the first 48–72 hours. Floor Systems
› Relative humidity should be at least 60 %.
› The right height of the drinkers must be › Before arrival of the chicks, litter should
adjusted to allow the chicks to drink water be spread only after heating the house,
without difficulty. when the floor has reached the optimum
› Reduce the water pressure of the nipples temperature. Softwood shavings or straw
in order to enable the chicks to find water make suitable litter.
easily. › After arrival, place chicks under brooders
› Keep drinking water temperature be- as soon as possible.
tween 20–25 °C by temporarily flushing › Measure the brooder temperature by plac-
the nipple drinker lines or renewing the ing the thermometer 8 cm inside the outer
water in the chick founts. edge of the brooder and 8 cm above the
› Follow the recommended lighting pro- litter.
grammes (refer to page 26). › Dip the beaks of a few chicks into water
and trigger nipple or water cups to help
Cage Systems them start drinking. When drinking water
› Adjust the cage floors and feeding grids has been found by all chicks (this will take
according to the manufacturer’s instruc- approx. 2–3 hours), they will start to eat.
tions. › Supply the chicks with additional feeding
› Place sheets of paper on the cage floor bowls to ensure a better feed intake in the
for the first days and distribute a bit of first few days.
feed on this paper. The papers must be › Chicks should be fully feathered before
removed by day 7. brooding equipment has to be removed.

8
8
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Body Temperature of the Chicks

The body temperature of housed chicks is After a few hours, check whether the chicks
a very useful indicator to adjust house tem- have settled down well. The chicks behav-
perature in an optimum way. A simple tool iour is the best indicator of their well-being:
to measure the body temperature of day old › If the chicks are evenly spread out and
chicks is usage of modern ear thermometers, moving freely, temperature and ventila-
known from human medicine. The correct tion are all right.
application to measure the body tempera- › If the chicks are crowding together or
ture is just to touch the cloaca gently with avoiding certain areas within the house,
the thermometer probe. The optimal body temperature is too low or there is a
temperature of the chicks is about 40 to draught.
41 °C. › If the chicks are lying about on the floor
Obtain samples of the chicks distributed in with outspread wings and gasping for air,
different parts of the house in order to have temperature is too high.
reliable results. Proceed in a way you nor-
mally do while weighing chicks/pullets to
check their uniformity. Collect the informa-
tion, calculate the average and adjust house
temperature accordingly to achieve optimal
chick temperatures. For example increase
the house temperature by 0.5 °C, if the av-
erage body temperature of the chicks is
39.5 °C.

Besides house temperature, there are other At first signs that the chicks are not feeling
factors which could affect the body temper- well determine the reason, correct the situa-
ature of the chicks negatively: tion and check more frequently.
› Insufficient air distribution in the house
› Low humidity level (heat transfer capacity
of the air)
› Missing to pre-warm the house at the right
time

9
9
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

ENVIRONMENT
Environmental conditions have an effect on el. As mentioned before, the birds behaviour
the well-being and performance of the birds. is the best indicator for correct temperature.
Important environmental factors are tem- Always reduce temperature gradually, and
perature, humidity and level of toxic gases in avoid sudden changes.
the air. The optimal temperature depends on If the ventilation system is used to regulate
the age of the birds. The following table is a temperature, take care that the necessary
guide to the correct temperature at bird lev- fresh air is supplied.

Table 1: Desired Temperatures at Bird Level Dependent on Age

Age Temperature °C
Day 1–2 * 35–36
Day 3–4 33–34
Day 5–7 31–32
Week 2 28–29
Week 3 26–27
Week 4 22–24
From Week 5 18–20

* Body temperatures of 40–41 °C are the optimum for the chicks.

The relative humidity inside the house should be about 60–70 %.

The air quality should meet the following minimum requirements:

Table 2: Minimum Air Quality Requirements

O ₂ over 20 %
CO ₂ under 0.3 %
CO under 40 ppm
NH ₃ under 20 ppm
H ₂ S under 5 ppm

10
10
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

VACCINATION
General Recommendations
Vaccination is an important way of prevent- Spray Vaccinations are not labour intensive
ing diseases. Different regional epidemic sit- and are highly effective, but may occasion
uations require suitably adapted vaccination ally have side effects. For chicks up to the age
programmes. Therefore, please be guided, of 3 weeks apply only coarse spray. Use dis-
by the advice of your local veterinarian and tilled water for vaccination.
poultry health service. Only healthy flocks
should be vaccinated. Check the expiration Special Recommendations
date of the vaccine. The vaccine must not be Marek Re-Vaccinations have proved to be
used after this date. Keep records of all vac- successful after long transportation and in
cinations and vaccine serial numbers. areas with high infection risk. Consult your
veterinarian and the LOHMANN Technical
Vaccination Methods Service Team for further information.
Individual Vaccinations such as injections Mycoplasmosis Vaccinations are only
and eye-drops are very effective and gener- advisable if the farm cannot be kept free
ally well tolerated but also very labour inten- of mycoplasmosis. Infections with virulent
sive. mycoplasma species during the produc-
Drinking Water Vaccinations are not la- tion period lead to performance depression.
bour intensive but must be carried out with The best performance is achieved by flocks
the greatest care to be effective. The water which are kept free of mycoplasmosis and
used for preparing the vaccine solution must are not vaccinated.
not contain any disinfectants. During the Vaccination against Coccidiosis is the
growing period, the birds should be with- most reliable method in the floor rearing to
out water for approximately 2 hours prior develop immunity against this disease. Never
to vaccination. During hot weather reduce use coccidiostats in the feed when pullets
this time accordingly. The amount of vaccine are vaccinated.
solution should be calculated for complete Applying Vitamins in the first two to three
consumption within 2–4 hours. When vac- days after vaccination can help to reduce
cinating with live vaccines, add 2 g of skim stress and prevent undesired reactions. To
milk powder per litre of water or canned milk what extent depends on the specific situa-
in order to protect the virus titre, if no water tion on each farm.
stabilisator is available.

11
11
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

VACCINATION
Table 3: Example of a Vaccination Programme
for LOHMANN LSL-LITE Layers
Disease Occurrence Application Remarks
Methods
World- Locally
wide

Marek SC – IM Day 1– Hatchery

Newcastle * DW – SP – SC – IM Number of vaccinations ac-
cording to disease pressure
Gumboro DW 2 live vaccinations recom-
mended
Infectious DW – SP – SC – IM Number of vaccinations ac-
Bronchitis * cording to disease pressure
AE DW – SC – WW Vaccination of PS and Com-
mercials is recommended
Mycoplasmosis SP – ED – SC – IM Vaccination before transfer
Fowl Pox WW Vaccination before transfer
Pasteurellosis SC 2 vaccinations approx. at
week 8 and 14
Infectious SC 2 vaccinations approx. at
Coryza week 8 and 14
Salmonella DW – SP – IM Vaccination before transfer
ILT DW – ED 2 vaccinations between
6–14 weeks
EDS SC – IM Vaccination before transfer

DW: Drinking Water WW: Wing Web

SP: Spray IM: Intramuscular Injection
ED: Eye Drop SC: Subcutaneous Injection

Vaccination against Coccidiosis is optional for floor rearing systems

* An implementation of early live vaccination for Newcastle Disease (ND) and Infectious Bronchitis (IB) is of high value
in order to induce local protection in the respiratory system of the chicks (priming effect). The right choice of vaccine is
crucial. Never vaccinate very young birds with high-virulence live vaccine. Depending on infectious pressure, birds are
vaccinated with inactivated vaccine during the rearing and/or prior onset of lay for booster the immunity. Revaccination
with live ND and/or IB every 6–8 weeks during production period is beneficial in order to improve the local immunity.

A severe vaccination programme especially intramuscular injections may depress the body weight development.

12
12
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

BEAK TREATMENT
Beak treatment is not necessary under opti- › Use only equipment and blades in perfect
mal conditions. In practice, it is widely used working order; adjust the blade tempera-
in environmental controlled and light-tight ture so that cauterisation is guaranteed
facilities, as an efficient precaution against and the beak is not damaged.
cannibalism and feather pecking. Such be-
haviour may develop at any age as a result › Adjust temperature and duration of the
of excessive light intensity, unbalanced feed, treatment according to the chicks beak
poor ventilation, overstocking or boredom. size, strength and quality.
Especially in floor management and/or open
houses with uncontrollable light intensity, we › Do not feed for 12 hours before treating.
recommend beak treatment subject to local
animal welfare regulations. A very gentle and › 
Offer free feeding immediately after
highly recommended method of beak treat- treating.
ment is the infrared treatment of the upper
and lower beak by means of a special tech- › Increase the level of feed in the troughs.
nique, performed shortly after chicks hatch.
This procedure can already be done in the › Increase the temperature in the house for
hatchery under very hygienic conditions by a few days after treating.
specially trained personnel. Another method
of beak treatment is to treat the beaks with › For 3–5 days after beak treating provide an
a hot blade. extra hour of light and supply feed in the
late evening or at night.
Observe the following pre­
cautions for a conventional › Giving vitamins via the drinking water can
also help to alleviate stress.
beak treatment:
› Treat only healthy, unstressed birds, at the
age of 7–10 days.

› Allow only experienced personnel to do

the work.

› Work slowly and carefully.

13
13
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
General Feed Consumption
To get the best out of the genetic per- Feed consumption is mainly affected by:
formance potential of LOHMANN LSL- › Body weight
LITE­ layers, feeding them with a good struc- › Performance
tured mash feed with full nutritive value is a › House temperature: Low temperature in-
must. Such nutrition can best be guaranteed creases the maintenance requirement for
by a complete feed adapted to the perfor- energy.
mance potential. › Condition of feathering: Poor feathering
Our feeding recommendations concentrate condition due to manage­ment mistakes
on the essential nutrients and are designed or malnutrition increases the maintenance
to cover the requirements for the best per- requirement for energy.
formance in every stage of development. › Feed texture: Coarse texture increases
while fine texture decreases feed intake.
› Energy level: The higher the energy level
of the feed, the lower the feed intake and
Ad Libitum Feed Supply
vice versa.
LOHMANN Layers and their breeders are › Nutrient imbalances: The hen will try to
specialised birds selected for a high egg pro- compensate for any nutrient deficits by
duction. Because of their high turnover rates increasing feed consumption especially in
“feed into food”, they have a big demand for the latest age of production.
nutrients.
Layers in full production convert roughly one
third of the consumed nutrients into eggs.
There is no danger in wasting feed by sup-
plying feed ad libitum, because the hens can
adjust their intake to the nutrient density of
the feed. But there is a real danger in restrict-
ing birds in feed intake. An undersupply of
nutrients will harm the birds. They lose pro-
duction and once exhausted, they easily can
run into a health problem.

14
14
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 4: Body Weight Development with Standard Lighting Programme

of LOHMANN LSL-LITE Pullets/Layers
Age Body Weight (g) Feed*
in Weeks Average Range
1 70 68–72

2 120 116–124

3 185 179–191

Grower / Starter
4 255 247–263

5 334 324–344

6 425 412–438

7 524 508–540

8 635 616–654

9 735 713–757

10 825 800–850

11 894 867–921

12 959 930–988
Developer

13 1023 992–1054

14 1084 1051–1117

15 1143 1109–1177

16 1200 1164–1236

17 1255 1217–1293

18 1306 1267–1345
Layer
Pre-

19 1356 1315–1397

Due to starvation before and during transport, weight losses of up to 15 % of body weight may occur.

* The basis of switching between diet types is the hen's body weight development. The correct time for switching the
diet is determined not by age but by body weight. Chicks and pullets should therefore be weighed at regular intervals.

Chicks / pullets at all times should be supplied ad libitum with feed. Never limit feed intake!

15
15
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
Table 5: Recommendations for Nutrient Levels for
LOHMANN LSL-LITE Pullets/Layers
Diet type* Starter ** Grower Developer Pre-Layer
Nutrient Week 1–3 Week 1–8 Week 9–17 Week 18–5 % prod.
Metabol. Energy kcal 2860 2750–2800 2700–2750 2700–2750
MJ 12.0 11.5–11.7 11.3–11.5 11.3–11.5
Crude Protein % 19.0–20.0 17.5–18.5 15.0–15.5 17.5
Methionine % 0.52 0.46 0.31 0.42
Dig. Methionine % 0.44 0.39 0.26 0.35
Meth. /Cystine % 0.88 0.81 0.56 0.76
Dig. M/C % 0.75 0.69 0.48 0.63
Lysine % 1.18 1.01 0.66 0.84
Dig. Lysine % 1.00 0.86 0.56 0.70
Valine % 0.92 0.79 0.53 0.74
Dig. Valine % 0.78 0.67 0.45 0.62
Tryptophane % 0.23 0.21 0.16 0.18
Dig. Tryptophane % 0.19 0.18 0.13 0.15
Threonine % 0.78 0.70 0.46 0.59
Dig. Threonine % 0.66 0.60 0.39 0.49
Isoleucine % 0.81 0.77 0.50 0.67
Dig. Isoleucine % 0.69 0.65 0.43 0.56
Arginine % 1.24 1.06 0.70 0.87
Dig. Arginine % 1.05 0.90 0.59 0.73
Calcium % 1.05 1.00 0.90 2.00–2.50
Phosphorus, total*** % 0.75 0.70 0.58 0.60
Phosphorus, avail. % 0.48 0.45 0.37 0.40
Sodium % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.17
Chloride % 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.18
Linoleic Acid % 2.00 1.40 1.00 1.00
* The basis for switching between diet types is the hens’ body weight development. The correct time for changing the
diet is determined not by age, but by body weight. Chicks and pullets, should therefore be weighed at regular intervals.
** Chicks should be fed starter feed, if the standard body weight is not reached by feeding grower feed or if the daily feed
intake is expected to be (too) low.
*** without adding phytase

16
16
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Nutrition and Egg Weight

Within certain limits egg weight can be By stimulating feed intake egg weight can
adapted to farm specific requirements by be increased and limited by controlled feed-
adjusting rations. The following nutritional ing. In the case of appropriate house con-
factors should be noted: struction, there’s the possibility to adjust the
› Growing house temperature in the opposite direction
 Feeding for higher body weight/frame
› of desired egg weight and feed intake.
size increases the egg weight through-
out the whole laying period. Contact your LOHMANN specialists for spe-
› Feed composition cific programmes with recommendations for
 crude protein and methionine
› nutrition and management adjusted to your
› linoleic acid conditions and requirements.
› Feeding technique
› feed texture
› feeding time
› feed level in troughs
› controlled feeding
› frequency of feeding

Table 6: Recommended Particle-Size Distribution for Chick Starter, Grower,

Developer and Layer Feed (MASH)
Sieve Size Passing Part Sieve Size Interval Part of Interval
0.5 mm 19 % 0–0.5 mm 19 %
1.0 mm 40 % 0.51–1.0 mm 21 %
1.5 mm 75 % 1.01–1.5 mm 35 %
2.0 mm 90 % 1.51–2.0 mm 15 %
2.5 mm 100 % > 2 mm 10 % *
100 %
* Individual Particles not bigger than: > 3 mm in chick superstarter-/starter diets
> 5 mm in grower, developer and layer
The above table should be understood as an example for a homogenous mash feed structure. Different technique in
feed production may lead to different particle sizes and variation. The overall target for mash feed structure needs to
be optimal homogeneity. Mash feed with “some finer” or “some coarser” structure will be optimal as well, as long the
structure ensures optimal homogeneity. Variation in feed structure from batch to batch and within different feed delive-
ries should be as low as possible. A minimum amount of added fat and/or oil supports homogeneity and palatability of
mash feed in the rearing and laying phase.

17
17
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
Table 7: Recommended Micro-Nutrient Specification

Supplements per kg Feed Starter/Grower Developer Pre-Layer/Layer

Vitamin A* I.U. 10000 10000 10000

Vitamin D3 I.U. 2000 2000 2500

Vitamin E mg 20–30*** 20–30*** 15–30***

Vitamin K3 mg 3**** 3**** 3****

Vitamin B1 mg 1 1 1

Vitamin B2 mg 6 6 4

Vitamin B6 mg 3 3 3

Vitamin B12 mcg 20 20 25

Pantothenic Acid mg 8 8 10

Nicotinic Acid mg 30 30 30

Folic Acid mg 1.0 1.0 0.5

Biotin mcg 50 50 50

Cholin mg 300 300 400

Antioxydant mg 100–150*** 100–150*** 100–150***

Coccidiostat as required as required –

Manganese** mg 100 100 100

Zinc** mg 60 60 60

Iron mg 25 25 25

Copper** mg 5 5 5

Iodine mg 0.5 0.5 0.5

Selenium** mg 0.2 0.2 0.2

* Higher level might be possible according to local state and national regulations.
** So called “organic sources” should be considered with higher bioavailability.
*** according to fat addition **** double in case of heat treated feed

18
18
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Supplements
Supplements ensure the necessary supply of Remark: Vitamin C is synthesised by poul-
essential vitamins, trace elements and sub- try normally. This vitamin is not considered
stances such as anti-oxidants or carotenoids. as essential, but in some circumstances, like
Suitable supplementation can compensate for heat stress or hot climate, it may be impor-
the varying contents of raw materials and safe- tant / beneficial to add 100–200 mg/kg com-
guard the supply of all necessary nutrients. plete feed during production period.

Table 8: Continuous Supply of Fine and Coarse Limestone

(Recommended Relation in Feed)
Feed type Fine Limestone Coarse Limestone *
0–0.5 mm 1.5–3.5 mm
Layer Phase 1 30 % 70 %
Layer Phase 2 25 % 75 %
Layer Phase 3 15 % 85 %
* can be partly replaced by oyster shells

Crude Fibre
Crude fibre, sometimes described as insoluble Cereals and their by-products (e.g. bran) or oil
NSP*, may not have nutritional values for poul- seed by-products (e.g. meal of sunflowers or
try, but it does have other benefits for a healthy rapeseed), can be used as a source of crude fi-
and stable digestive physiology. Used in the bre. DDGS** can be used as a source of crude
second half of the rearing period, it can posi- fibre as well. Other raw materials, which are
tively influence the development of the diges- rich of crude fibre, may be used if available,
tive tract, the crop size and the appetite of pul- but only as long as their inclusion does not re-
lets. This is beneficial for young layers, especially duce the energy level of the diet. With a clas-
at the start of production, when the appetite of sical corn-soy diet, the recommended crude
the birds is sometimes not sufficient enough fibre content can hardly be achieved. In such
to meet their nutrient demands. The tool has cases, other feed ingredients must be used.
been proven to be very beneficial under vary- For advice, please contact the technical service
ing feeding situations in a lot of countries. This department at LOHMANN .
is the reason for the implementation of a mini-
* Non-Starch Polysaccharides
mum recommendation of crude fibre (5–6 %) ** Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles
in the developer feed for LOHMANN layers.

19
19
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
Rearing
A balanced and nutritious diet during the velopment at each stage of growth. The use
rearing stage is essential to enable the chick of chick starter is recommended if the stand-
to develop into a mature pullet. Chicks and ard body weight is not reached by feeding
pullets should be fed a coarse diet (for parti- grower feed or if the daily feed intake is ex-
cle sizes see table on page 17) of a meal-type pected to be low. The switch to developer
consistency. A high proportion of very fine should only be made when the standard
components or a structure that is too coarse body weight has been reached. A reduced
can lead to selective feed intake and an un- nutrient density and an increased content of
balanced nutrient supply. A diet with an ex- crude fibre (5–6  %) during this phase is ben-
tremely fine consistency reduces the feed eficial for improving eating capacity. The pre-
intake of the birds and can result in a lack- layer diet has about twice the calcium con-
ing supply of certain nutrients. If pelletising tent of developer as well as higher levels of
of feed is inevitable for hygienic reasons the protein and amino acids. Feeding such a diet
pellets should be crumbled to the recom- for about 10 days prior to the planned start of
mended consistency. During the different lay is therefore beneficial. This diet improves
growth phases of chicks and pullets, qualita- flock uniformity by providing a better nutri-
tively different feed varieties should be used ent supply to late maturing birds and by ena-
in which the nutrient content meets the bling early maturing birds to obtain sufficient
birds changing needs. The diets are matched calcium for eggshell production of the first
to the nutrient requirement and weight de- eggs.

Table 9: Ideal amino acid ratios

(Digestible Lysine as 100 – others as ratios to 100)

Starter Grower Developer Pre-lay Layer Feed

Lysine 100 100 100 100 100
Methionine 44 45 47 50 50
Met + Cyst 75 80 85 90 90
Threonine 66 70 70 70 70
Tryptophane 19 21 24 21 22
Isoleucine 69 76 76 80 80
Valine 78 78 80 88 88
Arginine 105 105 106 104 104
The feed should be based / calculated on the level of digestible amino acids according to an ideal amino acid profile,
above table shows the ratios of the most important amino acids as ratios to Lysine on ­digestible level.

20
20
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Correct Use of Pre-Layer Feed

Pre-layer feed should be used for a short pe- the short transition period, it cannot supply a
riod of time before a flock starts being sup- bird in full lay sufficiently. Therefore, it cannot
plied with phase 1 layer feed. This leads to be used when feed logistics and correct tim-
a smooth transition from the developer feed ing do not work.
(low calcium and low nutrient density) to a
diet with high calcium and nutrient levels. Please consider the following recommenda-
It helps to avoid the often reduced appe- tions while using pre-layer feed:
tite/daily feed intake during early produc- › Start using pre-layer feed dependent on
tion. Typically, pre-layer feed contains about to the birds sexual maturity, age and their
2.0–2.5 % calcium. This is too much for a standard body weights.
typical feed for rearing but not enough for a › Use pre-layer feed for about 10 days with a
bird starting to produce eggs. From a nutri- maximum of 1 kg per bird.
tional point of view, it’s therefore considered › The wrong way to use pre-layer feed is ei-
a compromise and never as “optimal” feed. ther to start using it too early and/or use
Nevertheless, it’s worthwhile to use pre-layer it too long.
feed for a short period of time. Correct use For example if the onset of lay is scheduled
can enhance the uniformity of a pullet flock. for the 19th weeks of age, you may start feed-
It’s especially beneficial for flocks with very ing the birds with pre-layer feed only after
low uniformity and also aids the develop- they are 17 weeks old.
ment of Ca-metabolism in medullar bones. In case of an earlier or later production, ad-
Since pre-layer feed is a compromise feed for just this schedule accordingly.

Age at transfer Feeding programme

Developer Feed followed by Pre-Layer Feed
week days kg feed ➔ kg feed
15 105 1.0 ➔ 1.0

16 112 0.5 ➔ 1.0

17 119 – ➔ 1.0

18 126 – ➔ 0.5

after 18 after 126 immediately supply start lay feed or layer phase 1 feed

21
21
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
Laying Period Phase Feeding
Aiming at an optimal start of production What is the basic idea of a phase feeding
with feed intake around 90–100  g/day, program for layers?
it is recommendable to use a phase 1 feed It is and should be a smooth and continuous
with 11.6 ME MJ/kg for a duration of 5–6 adaptation to the – in detail daily – varying
weeks. At around 26 weeks a normal phase- nutrient demand of a high prolific layer hen.
feeding programme with 11.4 ME MJ/kg The nutritional demand for protein, amino
should be introduced. The basis for the feed acids and the main minerals are changing
formulation in terms of nutrient and mineral constantly as the performance changes
content in each phase is the daily nutrient gradually from the start of lay, reaching the
requirement and actual feed consumption. peak performance in terms of laying per-
The diet for phase 1 is designed to cover the centage and afterwards of egg mass output.
requirement for maximum egg mass. Finally in aging layer flocks the egg shell
quality is the biggest challenge and needs
The recommended nutrient allowances support from nutrition. All changes in diets
shown in the tables 10–12 (phase 1–3) as- need to follow the basic nutrient demand for
sume a dietary energy concentration of egg mass production – means mainly amino
11.4 MJ/kg (2725 kcal) metabolisable energy, acids – and the changing demand for opti-
a house temperature of 20  °C and good mal egg quality. As high prolific layers abso-
plumage. lutely do not like big changes in the nutrient
content of the feed and also in the physical
Under these conditions the daily feed con- feed structure – all changes must be carried
sumption of LOHMANN LSL-LITE is expected out in small steps and smoothly. Even the
to be 105–115 g/day. The feed formulations raw material composition of the diet should
for phases 2–3 cater for the reduced require- only be changed in small steps. If these re-
ment for organic nutrients and the increasing quirements are ignored – production and
requirement for calcium as the hens age. The egg quality can easily be affected.
time for switching diets is determined Basic changes of the content of energy, pro-
more by the level of production and the tein and amino acids should be carried out
need for calcium rather than by age. only with regard to the egg mass perfor-
mance of a layer flock. This means that as long
as the egg mass output of a flock does not
drop – one should not decrease any of these
basic nutrients in order to prevent deficiencies
which will/would finally harm the flock.

22
22
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 10: Recommended Nutrient Levels for LOHMANN LSL-LITE

Layers in Phase 1 per kg of Feed for Different Daily Feed Consumptions
Week 19 – approx. 50*; egg mass above 59 g/hen/day
Nutrient Requirement Daily Feed Consumption
g/Hen/Day
105 g 110 g 115 g 120 g
Protein % 18.00 17.14 16.36 15.65 15.00
Calcium** % 4.10 3.90 3.73 3.57 3.42
Phosphorus*** % 0.60 0.57 0.55 0.52 0.50
Av. Phosphorus % 0.42 0.40 0.38 0.37 0.35
Sodium % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Chlorine % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Lysine % 0.94 0.90 0.86 0.82 0.78
Dig. Lysine % 0.80 0.76 0.73 0.70 0.67
Methionine % 0.47 0.45 0.43 0.41 0.39
Dig. Methionine % 0.40 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.33
Meth./Cyst. % 0.85 0.81 0.77 0.74 0.71
Dig. M/C % 0.72 0.68 0.65 0.63 0.60
Arginine % 0.98 0.95 0.89 0.85 0.83
Dig. Arginine % 0.83 0.79 0.76 0.72 0.69
Valine % 0.82 0.78 0.75 0.72 0.69
Dig. Valine % 0.70 0.67 0.64 0.61 0.58
Tryptophane % 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.18 0.17
Dig. Tryptophane % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.15
Threonine % 0.66 0.63 0.60 0.57 0.55
Dig. Threonine % 0.56 0.53 0.51 0.49 0.47
Isoleucine % 0.75 0.72 0.68 0.65 0.63
Dig. Isoleucine % 0.64 0.61 0.58 0.56 0.53
Linoleic Acid % 2.00 1.90 1.82 1.74 1.67
* Until the maximum daily egg mass is reached, please refer to table 18.
** Please refer to table 8 about relation of fine and coarse limestone.
*** without phytase

23
23
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NUTRITION
Table 11: Recommended Nutrient Levels for LOHMANN LSL-LITE
Layers in Phase 2 per kg of Feed for Different Daily Feed Consumptions
Approx. week 50–70*; egg mass above 55 g/hen/day
Nutrient Requirement Daily Feed Consumption
g/Hen/Day
105 g 110 g 115 g 120 g
Protein % 17.50 16.67 15.91 15.22 14.58
Calcium** % 4.40 4.19 4.00 3.83 3.67
Phosphorus *** % 0.58 0.55 0.52 0.50 0.48
Av. Phosphorus % 0.40 0.38 0.37 0.35 0.34
Sodium % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Chlorine % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Lysine % 0.92 0.87 0.83 0.80 0.76
Dig. Lysine % 0.78 0.74 0.71 0.68 0.65
Methionine % 0.46 0.44 0.42 0.40 0.38
Dig. Methionine % 0.39 0.37 0.35 0.34 0.33
Meth./Cyst. % 0.83 0.79 0.75 0.72 0.69
Dig. M/C % 0.70 0.67 0.64 0.61 0.59
Arginine % 0.96 0.91 0.87 0.83 0.80
Dig. Arginine % 0.81 0.77 0.74 0.71 0.68
Valine % 0.80 0.76 0.73 0.70 0.67
Dig. Valine % 0.68 0.65 0.62 0.60 0.57
Tryptophane % 0.20 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.17
Dig. Tryptophane % 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15 0.14
Threonine % 0.64 0.61 0.58 0.56 0.54
Dig. Threonine % 0.55 0.52 0.50 0.47 0.45
Isoleucine % 0.73 0.70 0.67 0.64 0.61
Dig. Isoleucine % 0.62 0.59 0.57 0.54 0.52
Linoleic Acid % 1.60 1.52 1.45 1.39 1.33
* After the maximum daily egg mass is reached, please refer to table 18.
** Please refer to table 8 about relation of fine and coarse limestone.
*** without phytase

24
24
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 12: Recommended Nutrient Levels for LOHMANN LSL-LITE

Layers in Phase 3 per kg of Feed for Different Daily Feed Consumptions
Approx. after week 70
Nutrient Requirement Daily Feed Consumption
g/Hen/Day
105 g 110 g 115 g 120 g
Protein % 16.80 16.00 15.27 14.61 14.00
Calcium* % 4.50 4.29 4.09 3.91 3.75
Phosphorus ** % 0.55 0.52 0.50 0.47 0.46
Av. Phosphorus % 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.33 0.32
Sodium % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Chlorine % 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.15
Lysine % 0.87 0.83 0.79 0.76 0.73
Dig. Lysine % 0.74 0.70 0.67 0.64 0.62
Methionine % 0.44 0.42 0.40 0.38 0.36
Dig. Methionine % 0.37 0.35 0.34 0.32 0.31
Meth./Cyst. % 0.78 0.74 0.71 0.68 0.65
Dig. M/C % 0.67 0.63 0.60 0.58 0.55
Arginine % 0.90 0.86 0.82 0.79 0.75
Dig. Arginine % 0.77 0.73 0.70 0.67 0.64
Valine % 0.76 0.72 0.69 0.66 0.63
Dig. Valine % 0.65 0.62 0.59 0.56 0.54
Tryptophane % 0.19 0.18 0.17 0.17 0.16
Dig. Tryptophane % 0.16 0.15 0.15 0.14 0.14
Threonine % 0.61 0.58 0.55 0.53 0.51
Dig. Threonine % 0.52 0.49 0.47 0.45 0.43
Isoleucine % 0.70 0.66 0.63 0.60 0.58
Dig. Isoleucine % 0.59 0.56 0.54 0.51 0.49
Linoleic Acid % 1.30 1.24 1.18 1.13 1.08
* Please refer to table 8 about relation of fine and coarse limestone.
** without phytase

25
25
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

LIGHTING
General Intermittent
The lighting programme controls the onset Lighting Programme
of lay and affects the performance. Within for Day Old Chicks
certain limits, performance can be adapted
to farm specific requirements by adjusting When the day old chicks arrive on the farm,
the lighting programme. Easiest to follow are they have already been intensively han-
the lighting programmes in closed houses dled in the hatchery and often have a long
without the effect of natural daylight. transport to their final destination. Common
In these, the hours of light and light intensity practice is to give them 24 hours of light to
can be adjusted to changing needs. help them recover in the first 2 or 3 days after
Rearing birds in closed houses and produc- arrival and to provide them enough time to
ing eggs in light-tight houses enable the eat and drink. In practice, it can be observed
producer to maximize performance. Follow that after arrival and housing, some chicks
the lighting programme which is recom- continue to sleep whereas others start to
mended for this type of housing system and look for feed and water. The activity of the
commercial variety. For open or brown-out flock will always be irregular. Especially in
houses (houses with incidence of daylight), a this phase, poultry men have difficulties in-
tailor made programme has to be developed terpreting the chicks behaviour and their
which reflects the season and geographical condition.
location where the pullets are being reared There is a practically proven principal in split-
and stimulated to lay. ting the day into phases of resting and ac-
In general, the lighting programme should tivity using a special designed intermittent
follow the basic principles: lighting programme. The aim is to synchro-
nize the chicks’ activities. The farmer gets a
›N ever increase hours of light during the better impression of the flocks condition and
rearing period until planned stimula- the birds are encouraged by the groups be-
tion starts. haviour to search for water and feed.
›N  ever decrease hours of light during Therefore, LOHMANN advises to give chicks a
the production period. rest after they arrive at the rearing farm and
› Always keep in mind that natural day- then start with four hours of light followed
light can influence the lighting pro- by two hours of darkness.
gramme in open or brown-out houses.

26
26
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Lighting Programme Lighting Programme

after Arrival for Closed Houses

2h 4h
To which extent lighting hours are reduced
during the growing period and the time
when stimulation begins by increasing the
4h lighting hours are means by which perfor-
2h mance can be adjusted to specific farm re-
quirements. The following Standard Lighting

2h Programme is designed as an example for a

4h quick start into production.

The light intensity measured in watt/m²,
4h lumen, foot candle or lux depends on the
2h used light source. Giving advices concerning
this measurement would rather irritate than
help layer farmers.
darkness light Therefore the light intensity is just given in
lux unit in the following table.
This programme can be used for up to 7 or
10 days after arrival, then switch to the regu-
lar step down lighting programme. The us-
age of the following lighting program brings
about the following advantages:
› The chicks will rest and/or sleep at the
same time. This means that the behaviour
of the chicks will be synchronized.
› Weak chicks will be stimulated by stronger
ones to move as well as to eat and drink.
› The behaviour of the flock is more uniform
and the judgement of the birds is made
easier.
› Mortality will decrease.

27
27
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

LIGHTING
Table 13: Lighting Programme for Windowless Houses for
LOHMANN LSL-LITE Pullets/Layers
Age (Weeks) Hours of Light (Standard) Light Intensity (Lux)*
Day 1–2  ** 24 20 – 40
Day 3–6 ** 16 20 – 30
2 14 10 – 20
3 13 10 – 20
4 12 4 – 6
5 11 4 – 6
6 10 4 – 6
7  9 4 – 6
8  9 4 – 6
9  9 4 – 6
10  9 4 – 6
11  9 4 – 6
12  9 4 – 6
13  9 4 – 6
14  9 4 – 6
15  9 4 – 6
16  9 4 – 6
17 10 10–20
18 11 10 – 20
19 12 10 – 20
20 13 10 – 20
21 14 10 – 20
22 15 10 – 20
23 15 – 16 10 – 20
24 15 – 16 10 – 20
25 *** 15 – 16 10 – 20
* Lux = Lumen/m²
**  or run an intermittent Lighting Programme
***  until the end of production

28
28
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Lighting Programme for Open Houses

The principle for windowless houses Never switch on the artificial light before
“Do not increase the hours of light during 04.00 o’clock in the morning (CE time).
rearing period and do not reduce hours During the spring months the lighting pro-
of light during production period” also gramme is affected by the increase of natural
applies to “open” housing. day length and gradually extends to about
The effect of the natural daylight must be 17 hours. When the natural day length be-
considered when designing lighting pro- gins to decrease in Central Europe from
grammes, if natural light enters the building July, the 17-hour light period should be kept
throughout the day or if the hens have free constantly until the end of the production
access to open-air runs. period.
For example in Central Europe the natural This example can be accomplished in Central
day length increases in the course of the cal- Europe very simply as follows:
endar year to about 17 hours until late June › 04.00* o’clock in the morning: lights on –
and then shortens to about 8 hours until late dimmer switch off at ≥ 50–60 Lux.
December. › Dimmer switch on at ≤  50–60  Lux–
If flocks are moved to an open production 21.00 * o’clock in the evening lights off.
house with windows that cannot be dark- * Central European time
ened, the lighting programme must be ad-
justed to the natural day length at the time These times should be varied depending on
of rehousing. the condition of the flocks, the start of lay
We distinguish between two variants: (production, egg size) and the facilities in the
1. Production starts as the natural day building.
length decreases. If for operational reasons a different diurnal
2. Production starts as the natural day rhythm from the one described above is
length increases. applied, it should not differ too much from
In both variations the lighting programme at the dawn/dusk times stated above, having
17 weeks of age should be set to a lighting regard to the diurnal rhythm of the hens.
period of at least 10 hours, taking the natural
day length into account, and to be increased
by 1 hour every week to 14 hours until 21
weeks of age.

29
29
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

LIGHTING
As already mentioned, the lighting pro- lighting programme. It is important to follow
gramme described here is just an example the correct sequence:
adjusted to Central European time. › In the evening close the windows first,
If the birds are driven indoors before the then switch off the light;
end of the natural day and if the building › In the morning switch on the light first,
can be darkened completely, the lighting then open the windows.
programme for windowless laying houses
should be applied. Contact your LOHMANN specialists for specific
The times for darkening the room or open- lighting programmes adjusted to your loca-
ing the windows are determined by the tion, conditions and requirements.

An example of a lighting programme for LOHMANN LSL-LITE Layers adjusted to location,

condition and requirements by LOHMANN lighting programme tool

Week of Age
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70
24
23
22
21
20
19
18 Adjusted Lighting Programme for Open Houses
17
16
15 Lighting Programme for Dark Houses
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5 Adjusted Lighting Programme for LOHMANN LSL-LITE Layers
4 Hatch Date: December 16th, Location: Berlin
3
2
Closed House Rearing, Open House Production
1 Stimulation / Transfer Age: 19 Weeks
0
52 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15
Week of Year

Lighting-Prgr Lighting Std Twilight Daylight

30
30
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Hygiene Water Supply
› Set up the farm at a safe distance from Clean water is equally as important as good
other poultry houses and fence in. feed for top performance. Therefore fresh,
› Keep birds of only one age group and no clean, potable water must be available at all
other poultry on the farm. times for the layers and an adequate con-
› Allow no visitors to enter the farm. sumption must be always assured. A water
› Wear only the farm’s own protective cloth- meter is a very useful tool to inspect water
ing within the farm area and also provide consumption.
clothing for veterinarians, service and The optimum water temperature is about
maintenance workers, and consultants. 20 °C. Furthermore feed and water intake
› Disinfect boots before entering the hous- are closely correlated. If the birds don’t drink
es. enough water for any reason, the feed intake
› Use bulk feed if possible. Do not allow the reduces consequently.
truck driver to enter the houses. The water to feed ratio at comfort tempera-
› Safeguard the houses against wild birds ture is around 1.8–2 : 1, but this relation in-
and vermin. Keep rats and mice under creases up to 5 : 1 at high ambient tempera-
constant control. tures above 30 °C. During exposure to high
› Dispose of dead birds hygienically. Follow temperatures, birds consume less feed, but
local laws and regulations. more water in an effort to cool their body
down.
Daily Control
Check the water quality regularly, especially
Check at least once daily: if you use your own water supply like well
› Health status water.
› Temperature For example excessive salt levels in drinking
› Ventilation water can cause persistent damage to shell
› Feed and water consumption quality and hard water with high TDS* levels
› Lighting may cause kidney damage.
› Mortality
* TDS: Total Dissolved Solids
When assessing the state of health, do not
just go by the general impression and mor-
tality rate, but also take note of feed and
water consumption as well as the texture of
droppings.

31
31
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Grit
Feeding grit is not a must but is recommend- › Collect eggs at least once a day.
ed when rations are supplemented by grains. › Store eggs at temperatures between 5 °C
This stimulates the development of the crop and 10 °C with a relative humidity of be-
and the gizzard during the rearing period, tween 80–85 %.
which in turn has a positive effect on feed Storing at higher temperatures and lower
intake capacity. humidity leads to rapid loss of weight and
impairs the quality of the egg white due to
Table 14: Amount and Granulation of an increase in gas exchange.
Grit Dependent on Age
Week 1–2 once a week 1 g /bird
Nests (Non Cage Housing)
(size 1– 2 mm) The quality of nests is also a factor which
Week 3– 8 once a week 2 g/bird affects egg quality. Renew the litter in litter-
(size 3– 4 mm) type nests regularly and keep them clean.
From once a month 3 g/bird Provide individual nests at a rate of one nest
week 9 (size 4 – 6 mm) for 4 hens. Collect floor eggs frequently to
keep their rate as low as possible.
Litter (Non Cage Housing) In addition to sufficient nesting space in fam-
ily type nests, the following factors are im-
Only use shavings from untreated wood in portant for a low rate of floor eggs:
order to avoid poisoning and residues in the
egg. › Clean, dry litter or soft nest lining
Provide sufficient ventilation to ensure good › Easy access
litter condition and remove wet litter, if nec- › 
Even distribution of the nests within
essary. the barn
› Only one type of nest in the barn
Egg Quality and
Egg Collection For optimum egg quality, rollaway nests in
LOHMANN LSL-LITE layers produce eggs of combination with slats are better than litter-
excellent quality. To preserve the quality, the type nests or family type nests.
following points should be observed:

32
32
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Stocking Density Equipment Requirements

The optimal bird density/m2 depends on man- In general, the more closely the growing
agement conditions and to which extent cli- house and facilities resemble the future
mate can be controlled. 6–8 birds/m² can be production system, the easier it will be for
taken as a general guide for non-cage housing. the pullets to settle down in their new en-
For cage systems, an area of 475–540 cm2/ vironment after transfer to the laying house.
bird is recommended. Take note of deviating The following tables show the equipment
regulations for stocking density and declara- require­ments for rearing and production
tion of eggs. ­period.

Table 15: Equipment Requirement for Rearing Period

Equipment Age in Weeks Requirement
Chick founts 1 1 fount (4–5 l) for 100 chicks
Round drinkers to 20 1 drinker (Ø 46 cm) for 125 birds
Linear drinkers to 20 1 running m for 100 birds
Nipple drinkers to 20 6–8 birds per nipple
Chick feeding trays 1–2 1 tray for 60 chicks
Cut off chick cartons 1–2 1 carton for 100 chicks
Round feeders 3–10 2 feeders (Ø 40 cm) for 100 birds
11–20 3 feeders (Ø 40 cm) for 100 birds
Chain feeders 3–10 2.5–3.5 lin. m for 100 birds
11–20 4.5 lin. m for 100 birds

Table 16: Equipment Requirement for Production Period

Equipment Requirement
Round drinkers 1 drinker (Ø 46 cm) for 125 birds
Linear drinkers 1 running m for 80–100 birds
Nipple drinkers 6–8 birds per nipple
Round feeders 4 feeders (Ø 40 cm) for 100 birds
Single nests 1 nest (26 x 30 cm) for 4 birds
Chain feeders 5 lin. m for 100 birds
Further details in the LOHMANN Management Guide for floor/free range housing.

33
33
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION
Table 17: Body Weight Development of LOHMANN LSL-LITE
Week 1–50

Age in Weight Weight Age in Weight Weight

Weeks Range (g) Average (g) Weeks Range (g) Average (g)
1 68–72 70 26 1579–1677 1628
2 116–124 120 27 1590–1688 1639
3 179–191 185 28 1596–1694 1645
4 247–263 255 29 1600–1698 1649
5 324–344 334 30 1601–1701 1651
6 412–438 425 31 1603–1703 1653
7 508–540 524 32 1605–1705 1655
8 616–654 635 33 1607–1707 1657
9 713–757 735 34 1608–1708 1658
10 800–850 825 35 1610–1710 1660
11 867–921 894 36 1612–1712 1662
12 930–988 959 37 1614–1714 1664
13 992–1054 1023 38 1616–1716 1666
14 1051–1117 1084 39 1617–1717 1667
15 1109–1177 1143 40 1619–1719 1669
16 1164–1236 1200 41 1621–1721 1671
17 1217–1293 1255 42 1623–1723 1673
18 1267–1345 1306 43 1624–1724 1674
19 1315–1397 1356 44 1626–1726 1676
20 1363–1447 1405 45 1627–1727 1677
21 1408–1496 1452 46 1629–1729 1679
22 1452–1542 1497 47 1631–1731 1681
23 1492–1584 1538 48 1632–1732 1682
24 1528–1622 1575 49 1633–1735 1684
25 1560–1656 1608 50 1634–1736 1685

34
34
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 17: Body Weight Development of LOHMANN LSL-LITE

Week 51–95

Age in Weight Weight Age in Weight Weight

Weeks Range (g) Average (g) Weeks Range (g) Average (g)
51 1635–1737 1686 76 1663–1765 1714
52 1637–1739 1688 77 1663–1765 1714
53 1638–1740 1689 78 1664–1766 1715
54 1640–1742 1691 79 1665–1767 1716
55 1641–1743 1692 80 1665–1767 1716
56 1642–1744 1693 81 1665–1769 1717
57 1643–1745 1694 82 1666–1770 1718
58 1645–1747 1696 83 1666–1770 1718
59 1646–1748 1697 84 1667–1771 1719
60 1647–1749 1698 85 1667–1771 1719
61 1648–1750 1699 86 1668–1772 1720
62 1649–1751 1700 87 1668–1772 1720
63 1651–1753 1702 88 1669–1773 1721
64 1652–1754 1703 89 1669–1773 1721
65 1653–1755 1704 90 1669–1773 1721
66 1654–1756 1705 91 1670–1774 1722
67 1655–1757 1706 92 1670–1774 1722
68 1656–1758 1707 93 1670–1774 1722

69 1657–1759 1708 94 1671–1775 1723

70 1658–1760 1709 95 1671–1775 1723

71 1658–1760 1709
72 1659–1761 1710
73 1660–1762 1711
74 1661–1763 1712
75 1662–1764 1713

35
35
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION
Bodyweigh
Growth and Body Weight (g) Development Curve of LOHMANN LSL-LITE

1800

1600

1400

1200
Body Weight (g)
Bodyweight

1000

800

600

400

200

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45

Age in
Age

36
36
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

ht LSL-LITE

5 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95

eWeeks
(Weeks)

37
37
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION
Table 18: Performance Goals of LOHMANN LSL-LITE – Week 19 – 44

Age in Egg No. Rate of Lay % Egg Weight Egg Mass

Weeks per H.H. g g/H.D. kg/H.H
Cumulative per per in Cumulative in Cumulative
H.H. H.D. Week Week
19 0.7 10.0 10.0 41.0 41.0 4.1 0.03
20 3.2 35.0 35.0 44.0 42.7 15.4 0.14
21 7.1 55.0 55.1 47.0 44.7 25.9 0.32
22 12.2 73.0 73.1 49.5 46.8 36.2 0.57
23 18.0 83.0 83.2 51.8 48.4 43.1 0.87
24 24.2 89.0 89.2 53.5 49.8 47.7 1.20
25 30.6 92.0 92.3 55.0 50.9 50.8 1.56
26 37.1 93.5 93.8 56.4 52.0 52.9 1.93
27 43.7 94.3 94.6 57.3 52.8 54.2 2.31
28 50.3 94.8 95.2 57.9 53.5 55.1 2.69
29 57.0 95.0 95.5 58.4 54.0 55.8 3.08
30 63.7 95.1 95.7 58.8 54.5 56.3 3.47
31 70.4 95.2 95.9 59.2 54.9 56.8 3.86
32 77.1 95.3 96.0 59.6 55.3 57.2 4.26
33 83.8 95.3 96.2 60.0 55.6 57.7 4.66
34 90.5 95.3 96.3 60.4 56.0 58.1 5.07
35 97.2 95.3 96.3 60.7 56.3 58.5 5.47
36 103.9 95.2 96.3 61.0 56.6 58.8 5.88
37 110.6 95.1 96.3 61.3 56.8 59.0 6.28
38 117.2 94.9 96.3 61.4 57.1 59.1 6.69
39 123.8 94.8 96.2 61.6 57.4 59.3 7.10
40 130.4 94.6 96.1 61.8 57.6 59.4 7.51
41 137.0 94.4 96.0 61.9 57.8 59.4 7.92
42 143.6 94.2 95.9 62.0 58.0 59.4 8.33
43 150.2 94.0 95.8 62.1 58.2 59.5 8.74
44 156.8 93.7 95.6 62.2 58.3 59.4 9.14

38
38
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 18: Performance Goals of LOHMANN LSL-LITE – Week 45–70

Age in Egg No. Rate of Lay % Egg Weight Egg Mass

Weeks per H.H. g g/H.D. kg/H.H
Cumulative per per in Cumulative in Cumulative
H.H. H.D. Week Week
45 163.3 93.4 95.4 62.3 58.5 59.4 9.55
46 169.8 93.1 95.2 62.4 58.6 59.4 9.96
47 176.3 92.7 94.9 62.5 58.8 59.3 10.36
48 182.8 92.4 94.6 62.6 58.9 59.2 10.77
49 189.2 92.0 94.4 62.7 59.0 59.2 11.17
50 195.6 91.7 94.2 62.8 59.2 59.1 11.57
51 202.0 91.3 93.9 62.9 59.3 59.1 11.98
52 208.4 91.0 93.7 63.0 59.4 59.0 12.38
53 214.7 90.5 93.4 63.1 59.5 58.9 12.78
54 221.0 90.1 93.1 63.2 59.6 58.8 13.18
55 227.3 89.6 92.8 63.3 59.7 58.7 13.57
56 233.5 89.2 92.4 63.4 59.8 58.6 13.97
57 239.7 88.7 92.1 63.5 59.9 58.5 14.36
58 245.9 88.3 91.8 63.5 60.0 58.3 14.76
59 252.0 87.8 91.5 63.6 60.1 58.2 15.15
60 258.1 87.3 91.1 63.6 60.2 57.9 15.53
61 264.2 86.8 90.7 63.6 60.3 57.7 15.92
62 270.2 86.3 90.3 63.7 60.3 57.5 16.31
63 276.2 85.8 89.9 63.7 60.4 57.3 16.69
64 282.2 85.3 89.6 63.8 60.5 57.1 17.07
65 288.1 84.8 89.2 63.8 60.6 56.9 17.45
66 294.0 84.3 88.7 63.9 60.6 56.7 17.83
67 299.9 83.7 88.3 63.9 60.7 56.4 18.20
68 305.7 83.2 87.9 64.0 60.8 56.2 18.57
69 311.5 82.6 87.4 64.0 60.8 55.9 18.94
70 317.2 82.0 86.9 64.1 60.9 55.7 19.31

39
39
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION
Table 18: Performance Goals of LOHMANN LSL-LITE – Week 71–95

Age in Egg No. Rate of Lay % Egg Weight Egg Mass

Weeks per H.H. g g/H.D. kg/H.H
Cumulative per per in Cumulative in Cumulative
H.H. H.D. Week Week
71 322.9 81.4 86.4 64.1 60.9 55.4 19.68
72 328.6 80.8 85.9 64.2 61.0 55.2 20.04
73 334.2 80.2 85.4 64.2 61.0 54.8 20.40
74 339.8 79.6 84.9 64.3 61.1 54.6 20.76
75 345.3 79.0 84.4 64.3 61.1 54.3 21.11
76 350.8 78.4 83.9 64.4 61.2 54.0 21.47
77 356.2 77.7 83.3 64.4 61.2 53.6 21.82
78 361.6 77.0 82.7 64.5 61.3 53.3 22.16
79 366.9 76.3 82.1 64.5 61.3 52.9 22.51
80 372.2 75.6 81.4 64.6 61.4 52.6 22.85
81 377.4 74.9 80.8 64.6 61.4 52.2 23.19
82 382.6 74.2 80.2 64.6 61.5 51.8 23.53
83 387.7 73.5 79.6 64.6 61.5 51.4 23.86
84 392.8 72.8 78.9 64.6 61.6 51.0 24.19
85 397.8 72.0 78.2 64.6 61.6 50.5 24.51
86 402.8 71.3 77.5 64.7 61.7 50.1 24.84
87 407.7 70.5 76.8 64.7 61.7 49.7 25.15
88 412.6 69.8 76.1 64.7 61.7 49.2 25.47
89 417.4 68.9 75.3 64.7 61.8 48.7 25.78
90 422.2 68.1 74.5 64.7 61.8 48.2 26.09
91 426.9 67.2 73.7 64.7 61.8 47.7 26.40
92 431.5 66.4 72.9 64.7 61.9 47.2 26.70
93 436.1 65.5 72.0 64.7 61.9 46.6 26.99
94 440.6 64.6 71.1 64.7 61.9 46.0 27.28
95 445.1 63.7 70.3 64.7 61.9 45.5 27.57

40
40
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

Table 19: Egg Grading for LOHMANN LSL-LITE

Expected Egg Grades (%) for Different Egg Weights*

Depending on Average Egg Weight
Egg Weight (g) S M L XL
(Flock Average) Below 53 g 53–63 g 63–73 g Above 73 g
46 98.5 1.5 0.0 0.0
48 93.2 6.8 0.0 0.0
50 80.4 19.6 0.0 0.0
51 71.2 28.8 0.0 0.0
52 60.8 39.1 0.1 0.0
53 50.0 49.6 0.4 0.0
54 39.6 59.5 0.9 0.0
55 30.2 67.9 1.9 0.0
56 22.2 74.0 3.8 0.0
57 15.8 77.5 6.7 0.0
58 10.9 78.2 10.9 0.0
59 7.4 76.0 16.6 0.0
60 4.8 71.5 23.6 0.1
62 1.9 57.2 40.3 0.6
64 0.7 40.5 56.6 2.2
66 0.2 25.6 67.7 6.5
68 0.1 14.6 70.6 14.7
70 0.0 7.6 65.3 27.0
72 0.0 3.7 54.1 42.2
Week** Expected Egg Grades (%) of Total Produced Eggs*
Depending on Flock Age***
60 10.8 56.4 32.2 0.6
65 9.8 55.0 34.5 0.7
70 9.0 53.7 36.5 0.8
75 8.3 52.5 38.2 1.0
80 7.8 51.4 39.7 1.1
85 7.3 50.4 41.0 1.2
90 6.9 49.5 42.2 1.3
95 6.6 48.8 43.2 1.4
* Excluding double-yolk eggs **Cumulative up to Week *** According to the given standard

41
41
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION
Egg Production Curve for LOHMANN LSL-LITE Layers Egg Produc

100

90

80
Egg Production (%) per Hen-Day

70
Egg Production (%) per Hen-Day

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Age in
Age

42
42
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

ction Curve LSL-LITE

5 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95

eWeeks
(Weeks)

43
43
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NOTES

44
44
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NOTES

45
45
LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

NOTES

46
46
 LOHMANN › MANAGEMENT GUIDE

INFORMATION
How LOHMANN is calculating
the energy content of feed and raw materials
(International WPSA-formula):
ME MJ/kg = g crude protein x 0.01551
+ g crude fat x 0.03431
+ g crude starch x 0.01669
+ g sugar x 0.01301 (as Saccharose)

ME = metabolizable energy in MJ/kg

1 kcal = 4.187 kJ

Disclaimer
The information, advices and suggestions given in this management guide should be used for
guidance and educational purposes only, recognizing that local environmental and disease
conditions may vary and a guide cannot cover all possible circumstances. While every attempt
has been made to ensure that the information presented is accurate and reliable at the time of
publication, LOHMANN cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies
in such information or management suggestions.
Further, LOHMANN does not warrant or make any representations or guarantees regarding the
use, validity, accuracy, or reliability of, or flock performance or productivity resulting from the
use of, or otherwise respecting, such information or management suggestions. In no event
LOHMANN be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or special damages
whatsoever arising out of or in connection with the use of the information or management
suggestions containing in this management guide.

47
LOHMANN BREEDERS GmbH
Am Seedeich 9–11 | 27472 Cuxhaven | Germany
Phone +49 (0) 4721/505-0
08/20

Email [email protected] | www.lohmann-breeders.com

BREEDING FOR SUCCESS … TOGETHER