What to do about fatty livers in laying hens?
Any poultry farmer with laying hens will recognize it: fatty livers in a flock of producing laying hens. It is an annoying phenomenon, because it can result in economic damage due to increased dropouts, a reduced number of sellable eggs and an increasing feed conversion. Egg producing poultry has a higher risk of fatty liver disease than poultry kept for meat production. It is therefore important to properly monitor laying hen flocks and to act in a timely manner. But what is the best way to deal with fatty liver disease?
The difference between choline and a FLS Liver Stimulant
Most FLS mixes consist of choline chloride, supplemented with specific vitamins, antioxidants and trace elements that have a function in the energy metabolism of the liver. Choline itself is also a provitamin that has a fat-regulating effect in the body. Choline is naturally already present in a number of soils, but is supplemented with choline chloride in the feed. FLS liver stimulant is a supplement that supports the liver more broadly and can get the energy metabolism in the liver back in order faster than choline alone. 
Left: healthy liver, right: fatty liver
Better safe than sorry
Monitoring and timely intervention remains of great importance to prevent the negative effects of fatty liver disease. If you want advice on preventing and combating fatty liver disease in your flock of laying hens, you can contact your own specialist at De Heus, or your veterinarian.
When do you choose which product?
Whether it is better to use only choline chloride or the more broadly acting FLS liver stimulant depends on several factors.
Preventive versus curative
There are poultry farmers who like preventive periodic cures. If there is no curative reason to cure, then only choline chloride is sufficient. If there are fatty liver symptoms, the need to use FLS liver stimulant will be greater.
Flock age
The remaining economic value of the flock may also play a role in determining the product to be used. With a young flock of birds, the economic value is still very high. With fatty liver diseases already manifested at a young age, you miss a relatively large number of eggs. The hen has often not yet repaid itself. Therefore, timely support with the help of a broader working supplement in a young couple is more profitable than an old couple with a low residual value.
