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A Jojoba-Rich Diet as a New Forced Molting Method in Poultry

Laboratory of Physiology and Immunology of Domestic Animals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K. Mercierlaan 92, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium; Phone: +32/16/32 17 29 (14 36); FAX: +32/16/32 19 94

G. Flo and M. Cokelaere

Interdisciplinary Research Center, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Campus Kortrijk, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium

E. Decuypere

Laboratory of Physiology and Immunology of Domestic Animals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K. Mercierlaan 92, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium

Correspondence: S. Vermaut

Various qualitative and quantitative feed restriction methods have been applied to force molt chickens in order to improve post-molt egg laying. We report here the effective use of jojoba meal for inducing molting, based on feed restriction. Broiler breeder chickens were force molted by 12% jojoba meal supplementation in the feed resulting in higher egg production than before molting. This percentage of jojoba meal restricted feed intake to a level similar to that of chickens molted by a well-established qualitative force-molting method, ADAS (Agricultural Development and Advisory Service), a quantitative feed restriction of wheat only, combined with a reduced photoperiod.

The regression of the oviduct during the molting period is probably due to the severe feed restriction itself, and is not a toxic effect of jojoba meal. The oviduct regrew completely after the withdrawal of jojoba meal. Jojoba meal thus has no irreversible inhibitory effect on the regrowth of the oviduct of adult broiler breeders after molting, whereas in growing pullets, jojoba meal is known to produce an irreversible inhibition of the oviduct development, resulting in no egg laying.

Key Words: Forced molting • jojoba • poultry