25(OH)D₃ supplementation at the start of lay: a lever to reduce breastbone deviations.
The start of lay is a critical phase in a hen’s life. Calcium requirements increase sharply, while the skeleton is subjected to significant stress. Inadequate bone mineralisation, resulting from insufficient phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin D₃ intake, can increase the risk of breastbone deviations and even fractures. These lesions are painful for hens and represent a major animal welfare concern.
In the field, one poultry farmer supplemented one house with PRO-VITOS L (25(OH)D₃) from the start of lay (from 18 weeks of age), while a second house, managed under identical conditions, received no supplementation.
At 72 weeks of age, a breastbone assessment performed on 50 hens per house showed a lower proportion of severe deviations (score 2) in the group receiving PRO-VITOS L supplementation (Figure 1).
This improvement may be explained by enhanced skeletal ossification at the start of lay. Indeed, complete ossification of the rib cage is only achieved around 40 weeks of age. Early skeletal reinforcement through 25(OH)D₃ supplementation may therefore limit the long-term development of breastbone deviations and serve as an indicator of improved skeletal quality within the flock.