Time-restricted feeding in commercial layer hens improves egg quality

The study of long-term TRF (time-restricted feeding) in layer hens provides a new model system with unique follow-up tools, which are of high interest to both academic and agricultural research. In addition, the study contributes to our understanding of appetite control in chickens.

Moreover, this study provides the first evidence that TRF regimen in chickens may postpone age-related decline in egg production.

The recent finding that leptin does not have adipostat activity in birds (Friedman-Einat and Seroussi, 2019) fits well with the observation in the current study showing that 2.6-fold lower fat accumulation in the visceral adipose tissue did not impose higher food intake in the 6-h window of ad libitum feeding.

All experiments and procedures in the study were performed in accordance with the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals published by the United States National Institutes of Health and were approved by the ethics committee on animal use of the Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center (protocol no. 127/18).

Link to the article:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34234685/