Bigger Eggs. Healthier Hens. Why LiquiTrace® ZM Delivers More for Layer Producers
Bigger Eggs. Healthier Hens. Why LiquiTrace® ZM Delivers More for Layer Producers
In commercial egg production, profitability is driven by small improvements repeated millions of times.
An extra gram of egg weight, a slight improvement in feed efficiency or lower mortality may seem modest on paper, but across an entire flock these gains can significantly improve returns.
Zinc methionine and manganese methionine are essential trace minerals that support egg formation, protein synthesis, enzyme activity, antioxidant defence, tissue integrity, immune function and overall resilience of laying hens throughout the production cycle. When supplied in a highly bioavailable form, they help hens utilise nutrients more efficiently and maintain performance throughout the laying cycle.
A 40-week study conducted by the University of Illinois demonstrates how replacing a portion of conventional inorganic zinc and manganese with LiquiTrace® ZM can improve both production and flock health.
The Study
Institution: University of Illinois
Birds: 448 Hyline W36
Age: 20-62 weeks of age (WOA).
Duration: 40 weeks (22-62 WOA).
Experimental design: 2 treatments – 16 pens per treatment – 14 birds per pen.
Two dietary treatments were compared:
Control: 80 ppm zinc (zinc sulfate) and 80 ppm manganese (manganese sulfate)
LiquiTrace® ZM: Replaced 40 ppm of zinc and manganese with LiquiTrace® ZM
Importantly, the diets were iso-mineral and iso-methionine, meaning the hens received the same nutrient levels. The only difference was the source of the trace minerals.
This allowed researchers to measure the value of improved mineral availability rather than simply feeding more minerals.
Heavier Eggs Without More Feed
One of the most impressive outcomes was a consistent increase in egg weight. Hens receiving LiquiTrace® ZM produced eggs that averaged 0.78 g heavier across the entire study, with the largest improvement reaching +1.29 g per egg at week 38.
Statistically significant differences were observed from week 16 through to the end of the trial, with the response becoming stronger as birds aged. This sustained improvement suggests enhanced mineral utilisation during the period when hens face increasing physiological demands.
Despite producing larger eggs, feed intake remained unchanged.
LiquiTrace® ZM improved feed conversion ratio by approximately 0.02 FCR units (around 1–2%), meaning hens converted the same amount of feed into more egg mass - highlighting improved nutrient utilisation and feed efficiency.
Improved Egg Components
The increase in egg weight was also supported by improvements in egg composition.
Albumen weight increased consistently throughout the study, with the largest gain of +0.50 g recorded at 40 weeks - this correlates to higher protein output which drives egg mass and grading value again later in the feeding phase when hens are exposed to greater metabolic stress and nutrient demands.
Yolk weight also increased by approximately 0.3 g, indicating improved nutrient partitioning and metabolic efficiency.
Importantly, shell quality was maintained and even showed a slight improvement, demonstrating that larger eggs were produced without compromising shell integrity.
Healthier, More Resilient Hens
The benefits extended beyond egg production. Life-of-flock mortality was reduced from 3.13% in the control group to 1.34% with LiquiTrace® ZM.
This represents a 57% relative reduction in mortality, highlighting improved resilience, immune function, and the birds' ability to cope with the ongoing challenges of commercial production.
Healthier hens remain productive for longer, increasing total egg output while reducing replacement costs.
The Bottom Line
This study suggests that replacing a portion of inorganic zinc and manganese with LiquiTrace® ZM can deliver measurable benefits without increasing total mineral inclusion.
By improving the bioavailability of these essential trace minerals, LiquiTrace® ZM helped hens produce consistently heavier eggs, improve feed conversion, enhance egg components, maintain shell quality, and significantly reduce mortality.
When it comes to trace mineral nutrition, it's not simply about feeding more minerals, it's about providing minerals that birds can use more effectively. The University of Illinois trial demonstrates that LiquiTrace® ZM delivers measurable improvements where they matter most: flock performance, efficiency and profitability.
