As the length of the production period of laying hens continues to extend beyond traditional ages, producers are challenged to maintain egg output, eggshell quality, skeletal integrity, and feed efficiency for longer than ever before. Modern hens must show high laying persistency while coping with increasing physiological demands on calcium metabolism, liver health, and bone strength.
For decades, vitamin D has been recognised as an essential component of layer nutrition. However, recent advances have highlighted the benefits of providing vitamin D as 1,25(OH)2D3-glycosides. Unlike conventional vitamin D, which requires two activation steps before becoming physiologically effective, 1,25(OH)2D3-glycosides are a direct source of the bioactive form of vitamin D, supporting mineral absorption and genomic regulation throughout the body.
Building a strong foundation
The base for layer longevity, even beyond 110 weeks, is not laid at peak production but during the early pullet phase. A well-developed pullet enters lay with a stronger physiological foundation, allowing her to better cope with the demands of prolonged egg production.
A long-term study conducted at the State University of Western Paraná (Brazil) evaluated the effects of Solanum glaucophyllum, a plant source of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-glycosides (Panbonis, from Herbonis/Innovad Group), on Hisex Brown pullet development and performance of laying hens throughout life. The trial started with one-day-old chicks through 100 weeks of age. By following hens throughout life, even until - for brown hens - an exceptionally long production period of 100 weeks, the study aimed to provide valuable insights into how supplementation with the plant Solanum glaucophyllum (SG, Hervit 153 variety), which contains 1,25(OH)2D3-glycosides, supports birds early at hatch or at start of the laying cycle by stimulating the development of critical organs and structures involved in health, longevity, and productivity. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of nutritional strategies that help laying hens maintain their performance and egg quality throughout extended production cycles.
The trial involved two groups: a control group receiving a standard diet and a treatment group receiving the standard diet supplemented with SG throughout life.
The study was designed to assess the impact of SG on key physiological systems involved in long-term productivity. The development of the skeletal system, the reproductive system, including the ovary and oviduct, and the intestinal tract, especially the small intestine, was evaluated. In addition, productive performance and egg quality were monitored throughout the full production cycle.
The study demonstrated that pullets receiving SG from day 1 developed significantly heavier ovaries and oviducts at 20 weeks of age, indicating enhanced reproductive tract development before the start of lay (Fig. 1). This is particularly relevant because reproductive tract development directly influences the ability of hens to reach and sustain high production performance.
Results show that pullets receiving SG started to produce eggs earlier, indicating they entered lay with a more mature reproductive system to be able to better maintain consistent egg output throughout the full extended production cycle.
Beyond egg production, pullets fed the supplemented diet also better maintained optimal blood calcium concentrations (Ca levels were always within physiological ranges) and greater calcium deposition in the tibia, indicating improved mineral deposition before the onset of egg production. These results could point to a stronger biological framework capable of supporting both future eggshell formation and long-term skeletal integrity.
Sustaining egg production throughout extended cycles
As egg producers extend laying cycles towards and beyond 110 weeks of age, maintaining egg production has become increasingly important. One of the most notable findings from this study was that egg production remained consistently high in both groups throughout the laying cycle, with egg production being higher in hens supplemented with SG (Fig. 2).
The laying curves demonstrate that birds maintained high rates of production throughout the entire cycle, supporting the concept that optimised feed intake was achieved without compromising egg production. For producers, this represents a critical advantage. Improving biological efficiency while preserving egg production creates direct economic benefits through improved feed utilisation and reduced production costs.
Better feed efficiency
Feed typically accounts for the largest portion of production costs in commercial egg operations. Therefore, even small improvements in feed conversion can generate meaningful economic returns.
In presented study, birds supplemented with SG from the pullet phase consistently consumed less feed for higher egg production. Birds receiving SG maintained a consistent advantage in feed conversion ratio, demonstrating better utilisation of dietary nutrients (Fig. 3). The improvement in FCR was already evident at 40 weeks and the efficiency continued as birds aged, with significant improvements during all stages. For long-cycle production systems, these gains are especially valuable as they accumulate over time.
The intestines: Where it all starts
Feed ingredients only create value when nutrients can be effectively absorbed. Therefore, intestinal morphology is one of the most important basics for efficient poultry production. The study showed that supplementation with SG significantly improved intestinal morphology of the small intestine at 20 weeks (Fig. 4).
Birds showed greater villus height (VH), improved villus: crypt ratios, and increased absorptive surface area (AA) in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. These structural improvements are highly significant because they increase the efficiency of nutrient (incl. calcium) absorption. Larger absorptive surface indicates greater capacity to absorb dietary amino acids, energy, and minerals.
At 20 weeks of age, the intestinal morphology (villus height and villus: crypt ratio) of birds supplemented with SG was improved and remained evident until 100 weeks of age with continuous supplementation. Birds fed supplemented diets maintained improved intestinal morphology, particularly within the jejunum and ileum, supporting ongoing nutrient absorption in older hens. This persistent improvement in intestinal morphology likely contributes to the enhanced feed efficiency observed during the laying period, together with the effect of SG on energy efficiency via its effects on mitochondrial energy production.
Stronger bones through optimised calcium utilisation
Throughout the production cycle, dietary supplementation with SG supported calcium metabolism, bone mineralisation, and skeletal integrity in laying hens. Birds receiving SG exhibited improved circulating calcium concentrations and greater calcium deposition in bone tissue from the onset of lay through 100 weeks of age, indicating improved mineral utilisation and availability for both eggshell formation and skeletal maintenance.
By 100 weeks of age, hens fed supplemented diets showed the highest levels of bone mineralisation, helping preserve mobility and support the physiological demands of prolonged egg production. Keel bone deformities are a major welfare and production concern in modern layer housing systems, particularly in aviary and free-range systems, where birds are exposed to greater movement and collision risks.
Improvements in keel bone development, including greater keel length and fewer deformities, further highlight the potential welfare and longevity benefits associated with enhanced skeletal health (Fig. 5).
A holistic approach to long-cycle performance
Today, poultry production goes beyond maximising egg output per hen housed. Long-term success depends on achieving the right balance between performance, resource efficiency, health, welfare, and sustainability.
The results of this long-term evaluation demonstrate that SG could support multiple physiological systems that work together to drive performance. By promoting reproductive tract development during the pullet phase, supporting intestinal morphology, enhancing feed efficiency while improving egg production, optimising calcium utilisation, and increasing bone mineralisation SG could contribute to a more resilient and productive hen. Importantly, these benefits were achieved while maintaining laying performance of brown hens across a production period extending to 100 weeks of age.
The future of SG supplementation
As laying cycles continue to extend and producers are looking for new ways to improve sustainability and profitability, nutritional strategies that target fundamental physiological pathways will become increasingly important.
SG supplementation represents a next-generation approach to support multiple beneficial effects of vitamin D metabolism.
By improving mineral absorption and other mechanisms regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3, the active metabolite of vitamin D, dietary supplementation with Panbonis stimulates utilisation of calcium, builds a stronger skeletal framework, maintains intestinal functionality, and sustains productive performance over longer production cycles.
For poultry producers aiming to maximise lifetime productivity, maintaining efficient calcium absorption as birds age is essential. As renal 1α-hydroxylase activity declines with age, the activation of vitamin D decreases, compromising calcium utilisation and increasing the risk of skeletal problems.
The evidence is clear: supporting the active vitamin D pathway is not simply about vitamins; it is about understanding the biological mechanisms that drive efficient, resilient, and profitable egg production while maintaining bird quality throughout extended laying cycles.
Authors: Katia Pedrosa and Dr. Mojca Osredkar Mergole
Global Product Managers Panbonis, Innovad Group
www.innovadgroup.com
Source: International Poultry Production, Volume 34, Number 6, pp. 7-9, 2026.
AgriInsight Publications.