M. Y. M. El Beeli and E. A. El Zubeir
Institute of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, P. 0. Box 32,

Khartoum North

SUMMARY

An experiment was carried out to investigate the use of whole-grain sorghum as a forced-resting agent for egg-type breeder hens and to determine if forced resting techniques would have beneficial effects on productive performance. hens given the high zinc, high iodine and whole-grain sorghum ceased egg production within 20, 17 and 26 days respectively . Groups given the low calcium diet required 70 days to reach the minimum level of production (less than 10 eggs/100 birds d)/ Average post-rest egg output was numerically but not significantly lower for rested birds than for the control. Neither egg weight nor Haugh units were affected by methods of forced resting. Egg shell thickness was improved (P < 0.05) in rested hens. Fertility was high whereas, hatchability was low for the rested birds. It is concluded that feeding whole grain sorghum can be used successfully to induce resting. It is a simpler technique than the conventional methods.

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