Methionine is an essential amino acid in the feed formulation for laying hens. It plays a crucial role in promoting growth, enhancing egg production, improving feed efficiency, and ultimately increasing economic returns. However, excessive supplementation of methionine can lead to metabolic imbalances in hens, which may result in serious health issues. A case of methionine toxicity in a layer hen farm is described below.
**1. Case Description:**
A farmer was raising 1,100 dika hens that were growing normally and had started laying eggs while being fed a complete feed. To speed up egg production and recover his investment faster, he decided to add extra methionine to the feed. After two weeks, the hens began drinking more water but did not show any increase in egg production. Ten days later, some hens started eating less, drinking more, and their egg production dropped. They began producing small, thin-shelled, soft, and misshapen eggs. Other symptoms included feather loss, reduced activity, drooping posture, and oral discharge. Despite medication, the condition worsened, and some hens died.
**2. Pathological Findings:**
Upon necropsy, all affected hens showed similar pathological changes: enlarged and fragile livers with a yellowish color, swollen and brittle kidneys, thinning of the intestinal walls, fatty degeneration of the heart, pus accumulation in the cloaca, and mild inflammation of the ovary and fallopian tubes.
**3. Diagnosis and Treatment:**
Based on the clinical signs, feeding history, and post-mortem findings, the condition was diagnosed as methionine poisoning. The original feed was immediately stopped, and the hens were given clean water supplemented with 5% glucose and 0.01% vitamin C. Fresh green vegetables like cabbage and kale were chopped and provided daily. A homemade feed containing 2% complex enzyme, 2% licorice powder, and 3% mung bean flour was also introduced. After ten days, the sick hens gradually recovered, and symptoms disappeared. By day 30, egg production returned to normal, and after 37 days, the hens reached peak egg production without further losses.
**4. Lessons Learned:**
Methionine is vital for the health and productivity of laying hens. Normally, the body absorbs it and processes it through liver and kidney functions, converting it into proteins, active substances, and energy. However, excessive intake can overwhelm the liver’s capacity to metabolize it, leading to toxic buildup in the liver and kidneys. This disrupts the metabolic balance and causes poisoning. In most cases, commercial feeds already contain sufficient methionine, so adding extra is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Therefore, it's important to follow recommended levels and avoid over-supplementation when raising laying hens.
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