Based upon its economical perspective, the phenomenon of forced moulting in the poultry industry has become a common practice to increase the productivity and reproductive life span of birds. Different feed supplements, including vitamins, minerals, probiotics and prebiotics have been extensively used by poultry farmers for many years. In the last decade, researchers have reported advantageous effects of these supplements in improving different health biomarkers of post moult poultry birds. Therefore, including with these supplements in post moult feed is believed to exhibit better results than moulting alone. The current review is aimed at highlighting the empirical data available on the importance of various feed supplements that are considered favourable in ameliorating the health status of moulted poultry birds.

The United States (U.S.) poultry industry continues to implement induced moulting to extend egg production in commercial laying flocks. Achieving an optimal moult requires dietary manipulation to cause a complete regression of the reproductive organs and cessation of egg production. This is followed by rejuvenation and initiation of an additional egg laying cycle. Currently feed withdrawal is the primary means to initiate moult and is regarded as an optimal approach for achieving post-moult performance. However, removal of feed can lead to potential physiological stress in laying hens as well as an increased susceptibility to Salmonella enteritidis colonization and invasion. To retain the ecological benefits of induced moult will require development, testing and implementation of alternative dietary approaches that minimizes these problems and increase the egg production and egg quality benefits associated with the additional egg laying cycles. Strategies for accomplishing this are discussed.

Several successful methods of inducing moulting have been used to recycle laying hens, the majority of which require an optimum weight loss of 25–30% to achieve maximum egg production during the post-moulting period. The conventional feed restriction procedure is most often used in the egg industry because it is a simple, practical and economical technique that can be used in combination with light and/or water restriction. Mineral-induced moulting procedures, such as the use of high levels of either aluminium in the form of a soluble salt or dietary zinc, have also been used successfully. In addition, low levels of dietary zinc combined with a low calcium diet have also induced moulting in laying hens. The use of low sodium diets has been equally as successful as the conventional feed restriction technique as a means of inducing a moult. Although mineral-induced moulting procedures produce similar results to the conventional feed restriction techniques in post-moulting egg production, but with lower mortality rates, some of these procedures may not yet be practical for use in the egg industry. Hormone-induced moulting is another method and involves the use of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonist. It has an advantage over the conventional feed restriction procedure in that it does not require severe initial body weight loss to attain maximum egg production in the post-moulting period.