The influence of environmental temperature on in vivo limestone solubilization, feed passage rate, and gastrointestinal pH in laying hens.

Several studies were conducted to determine whether suppression of in vivo limestone solubilization was partially responsible for the reduction of shell quality under conditions of high environmental temperatures. In Experiment 1, excreta from hyperthermic and thermoneutral hens fed three levels of Ca (3.5, 4.3, and 5.2%) at two cycling environmental temperatures (averaging 28.3 and 26.1 C) were analyzed for percentage in vivo limestone solubilization. Hens in Experiment 2 received diets containing 3.9% Ca at 32.8 and 18.3 C. Rate of feed passage and gastrointestinal pH were also measured in Experiment 2. Experiment 3 evaluated the influence of temperature (22.2 and 30.0 C) and feed consumption on percentage limestone solubilization when Ca intake was held constant. In vivo limestone solubilization was influenced by Ca level in Experiment 1, but not by temperature. Hyperthermic hens solubilized a higher percentage of limestone than thermoneutral hens in Experiment 2, but it was concluded that this was due to a difference in Ca consumption and not due to temperature directly. When Ca intake was held constant in Experiment 3, there was no difference in limestone solubilization at the temperatures tested. Rate of feed passage was 16.6% slower in the hyperthermic hens. Crop, proventriculus, and upper small intestine pH were similar at each temperature, but gizzard pH was significantly lower in the hyperthermic hens. It was concluded that the high environmental temperatures used in the present studies did not suppress in vivo limestone solubilization.