ISA BROWN

PRODUCT GUIDE
CAGE PRODUCTION SYSTEM
 THE STORY OF ISA
In 1975, the Ministry of Agriculture in
France were determined to develop
a poultry sector which would be able
to compete internationally.
Led by Alain Audubert, an independent appraisal of the
poultry breeding sector in France concluded that future
international success should be based on excellence,
innovation and research.

This philosophy became the guiding scientific principle

behind the “Institut de Sélection Animale” (ISA) which
was formed by the merger of the poultry stock of two
organizations, Studler S.A. and I.N.R.A. Magneraud (INRA-M).

A commitment to excellence in breeding, innovative

research techniques and constant improvements in
pursuit of the perfect expression of the breeds genetic
potential lies behind the success of the ISA Brown.

As a result, by the mid 1980s, the ISA Brown had become

a global brand and worldwide leader in the world brown
egg market. This position has remained ever since.

2 PRODUCT GUIDE
 THE ISA BROWN TODAY
The ISA Brown is recognized globally for its exceptional
feed conversion, which makes it one of the most efficient,
proven and profitable brown egg layers in the world.

Producing high numbers of first quality eggs, per hen

housed, the ISA Brown is a reliable and versatile
layer with excellent feed conversion which adapts
well to differing climates and housing systems.

Optimal egg size, strong shells and great

laying persistency also make the ISA Brown
perfectly suitable for longer laying cycles.

A reliable and economic winner

Proven worldwide

High production and excellent persistency

The efficient brown egg layer

Market leader in egg numbers

isa-poultry.com 3
 ISA BROWN
INTRODUCTION
Many years of investment in genetic research and development
have resulted in layers with excellent performance traits such as
livability, production and egg quality.

These highly favourable genetic characteristics can only be fully

realized when layers are supported with good management
practices, which include, but are not limited to, good quality feed,
housing and constant attention to the birds behaviour and welfare.

The purpose of this product guide is to help producers to gain the

best possible results from their investment. This will be achieved
by providing conditions in which the layers can thrive. The
information supplied in this publication is based on the analysis of
extensive research and field results, produced over time and with
many years of experience.

We do recognize that many egg producers have developed their

own management programs, as a result of their experience with
specific housing types, climate, feed, market conditions. Therefore
do not hesitate to use your own experience in conjunction with the
guidelines in this guide. And of course, do not hesitate to consult
our distributors who will be happy to help in any way they can.

We are constantly seeking to develop our breeding program and

welcome feedback from the field. Please send your technical
results to layinghens@hendrix-genetics.com. Excel files are
available on request to help you to follow the flock’s performance
and record information.

4 PRODUCT GUIDE
ISA BROWN
PRODUCTION
SUMMARY
18-100
Laying Period
weeks
Livability 93 %

Age at 50% production 144 days

Peak of production 96 %

Average egg weight 63.1 g

Eggs hen housed 466

Egg mass hen housed 29.4 kg

Average feed intake 111 g/day

Cum. feed conversion rate 2.14 kg/kg

Body weight 2005 g

Shell strength 4100 g/cm2

Shell colour 17.0 Lab

Haugh units 82

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 ISA BROWN
REARING TABLE
Age in Age in Feed intake per Feed intake per Body weight
weeks days bird per day (g) bird cum. (g) (g)

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

1 0-7 10 12 70 84 64 67

2 8-14 16 18 182 210 132 139

3 15-21 24 26 350 392 211 221

4 22-28 31 33 567 623 296 312

5 29-35 36 38 819 889 388 408

6 36-42 41 43 1,106 1,190 485 510

7 43-49 45 47 1,421 1,519 584 614

8 50-56 49 51 1,764 1,876 685 720

9 57-63 53 55 2,135 2,261 786 826

10 64-70 57 59 2,534 2,674 886 932

11 71-77 60 62 2,954 3,108 984 1,034

12 78-84 63 65 3,395 3,563 1,079 1,134

13 85-91 66 68 3,857 4,039 1,169 1,229

14 92-98 69 71 4,340 4,536 1,255 1,319

15 99-105 72 74 4,844 5,054 1,335 1,404

16 106-112 75 77 5,369 5,593 1,409 1,481

17 113-119 78 80 5,915 6,153 1,476 1,552

18 120-126 83 85 6,497 6,749 1,537 1,615

The information supplied in this guide is based on many actual

flock results obtained under good environment and managing
conditions. It is presented as a service to our customers and should
be used as a guide only. It does not constitute a guarantee or
warranty of performance in any way.

6 PRODUCT GUIDE
 1800

1600

1400
ISA BROWN

1200

110
Feed

1000 100

90

800 80
Feed consumption

Bodyweight in g
Body weight in g
70
consumptioniningg

600 60
REARING GRAPH

isa-poultry.com
50

400 40

30

200 20

10

0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Age weeks
Ageininweeks

7
 ISA BROWN
PRODUCTION TABLE 1
PER HEN DAY
Age in % Lay Egg Egg mass Feed intake Feed
weeks weight per day per day conversion
(g) (g) (g) per week
18 3.8 42.3 1.6 84 52.33
19 16.9 46.1 7.8 89 11.45
20 40.1 49.3 19.8 97 4.90
21 63.8 52.0 33.2 104 3.14
22 82.1 54.2 44.5 110 2.48
23 92.4 56.0 51.7 112 2.17
24 95.4 57.4 54.8 112 2.05
25 96.1 58.6 56.3 112 1.99
26 96.1 59.5 57.2 112 1.96
27 96.0 60.2 57.8 112 1.94
28 96.0 60.8 58.4 112 1.92
29 96.0 61.2 58.8 112 1.91
30 95.9 61.6 59.1 112 1.90
31 95.9 61.9 59.3 112 1.89
32 95.8 62.1 59.5 112 1.89
33 95.7 62.3 59.6 112 1.89
34 95.6 62.5 59.7 112 1.88
35 95.4 62.7 59.8 112 1.88
36 95.3 62.9 59.9 112 1.88
37 95.2 63.1 60.0 112 1.87
38 95.0 63.2 60.0 113 1.87
39 94.8 63.3 60.0 113 1.87
40 94.6 63.4 60.0 113 1.88
41 94.4 63.4 59.9 113 1.88
42 94.2 63.5 59.8 113 1.88
43 94.0 63.5 59.7 113 1.89
44 93.7 63.5 59.5 113 1.89
45 93.5 63.5 59.4 113 1.90
46 93.2 63.6 59.2 113 1.90
47 92.9 63.6 59.1 113 1.91
48 92.6 63.6 58.9 113 1.91
49 92.3 63.6 58.7 113 1.92
50 92.0 63.7 58.5 113 1.93
51 91.6 63.7 58.4 113 1.93
52 91.3 63.7 58.2 113 1.94
53 90.9 63.7 58.0 113 1.95
54 90.5 63.8 57.7 113 1.96
55 90.2 63.8 57.5 113 1.96
56 89.8 63.8 57.3 113 1.97
57 89.4 63.8 57.1 113 1.98
58 89.0 63.9 56.8 113 1.99
59 88.5 63.9 56.6 113 2.00

8 PRODUCT GUIDE
ISA BROWN
PRODUCTION TABLE 1
PER HEN HOUSED
Age in Eggs Egg mass Feed Feed % Body
weeks per bird cum. intake conversion Livability weight
cum. (kg) cum. (kg) cum. (g)
18 0 0.0 0.6 52.33 99.9 1,576
19 1 0.1 1.2 18.44 99.8 1,630
20 4 0.2 1.9 9.27 99.8 1,676
21 9 0.4 2.6 6.01 99.7 1,713
22 14 0.7 3.4 4.54 99.6 1,750
23 21 1.1 4.2 3.77 99.5 1,767
24 27 1.5 4.9 3.33 99.4 1,782
25 34 1.9 5.7 3.05 99.3 1,796
26 41 2.3 6.5 2.86 99.3 1,809
27 48 2.7 7.3 2.72 99.2 1,821
28 54 3.1 8.1 2.62 99.1 1,831
29 61 3.5 8.8 2.53 99.0 1,841
30 67 3.9 9.6 2.47 98.9 1,850
31 74 4.3 10.4 2.41 98.9 1,858
32 81 4.7 11.2 2.37 98.8 1,866
33 87 5.1 12.0 2.33 98.7 1,873
34 94 5.5 12.7 2.30 98.6 1,879
35 101 6.0 13.5 2.27 98.5 1,885
36 107 6.4 14.3 2.24 98.4 1,891
37 114 6.8 15.1 2.22 98.4 1,896
38 120 7.2 15.8 2.20 98.3 1,901
39 127 7.6 16.6 2.18 98.2 1,906
40 133 8.0 17.4 2.17 98.1 1,911
41 140 8.4 18.1 2.15 98.0 1,915
42 146 8.8 18.9 2.14 98.0 1,919
43 153 9.3 19.7 2.13 97.9 1,923
44 159 9.7 20.5 2.12 97.8 1,927
45 165 10.1 21.2 2.11 97.7 1,931
46 172 10.5 22.0 2.10 97.6 1,935
47 178 10.9 22.8 2.09 97.5 1,939
48 184 11.3 23.5 2.09 97.5 1,942
49 191 11.7 24.3 2.08 97.4 1,946
50 197 12.1 25.1 2.08 97.3 1,949
51 203 12.5 25.8 2.07 97.2 1,953
52 209 12.9 26.6 2.07 97.1 1,956
53 216 13.3 27.4 2.06 97.0 1,959
54 222 13.7 28.1 2.06 97.0 1,962
55 228 14.0 28.9 2.06 96.9 1,965
56 234 14.4 29.7 2.06 96.8 1,967
57 240 14.8 30.4 2.05 96.7 1,969
58 246 15.2 31.2 2.05 96.6 1,971
59 252 15.6 32.0 2.05 96.6 1,973

isa-poultry.com 9
 ISA BROWN
PRODUCTION TABLE 2
PER HEN DAY
Age in % Lay Egg Egg mass Feed intake Feed
weeks weight per day per day conversion
(g) (g) (g) per week
60 88.1 63.9 56.3 113 2.01
61 87.7 63.9 56.1 113 2.02
62 87.2 64.0 55.8 113 2.03
63 86.8 64.0 55.5 113 2.04
64 86.3 64.0 55.3 113 2.05
65 85.9 64.0 55.0 113 2.06
66 85.4 64.1 54.7 113 2.07
67 84.9 64.1 54.4 113 2.08
68 84.4 64.1 54.1 113 2.09
69 84.0 64.1 53.9 113 2.10
70 83.5 64.2 53.6 113 2.11
71 83.0 64.2 53.3 113 2.13
72 82.5 64.2 53.0 113 2.14
73 82.0 64.2 52.7 113 2.15
74 81.5 64.3 52.4 113 2.16
75 81.0 64.3 52.1 113 2.18
76 80.6 64.3 51.8 113 2.19
77 80.1 64.3 51.5 113 2.20
78 79.6 64.4 51.2 113 2.21
79 79.1 64.4 51.0 113 2.23
80 78.7 64.4 50.7 114 2.24
81 78.2 64.4 50.4 114 2.25
82 77.8 64.5 50.1 114 2.27
83 77.3 64.5 49.8 114 2.28
84 76.8 64.5 49.6 114 2.29
85 76.3 64.5 49.3 114 2.31
86 75.8 64.6 49.0 114 2.32
87 75.4 64.6 48.7 114 2.34
88 74.9 64.6 48.4 114 2.35
89 74.4 64.6 48.1 114 2.36
90 73.9 64.7 47.8 114 2.38
91 73.4 64.7 47.5 113.8 2.40
92 72.9 64.7 47.2 113.8 2.41
93 72.5 64.7 46.9 113.8 2.43
94 72.0 64.8 46.6 113.9 2.44
95 71.5 64.8 46.3 113.9 2.46
96 71.0 64.8 46.0 113.9 2.47
97 70.6 64.8 45.8 113.9 2.49
98 70.1 64.9 45.5 114.0 2.51
99 69.6 64.9 45.2 114.0 2.52
100 69.1 64.9 44.9 114.0 2.54

10 PRODUCT GUIDE
ISA BROWN
PRODUCTION TABLE 2
PER HEN HOUSED
Age in Eggs Egg mass Feed Feed % Body
weeks per bird cum. intake conversion Livability weight
cum. (kg) cum. (kg) cum. (g)
60 258 16.0 32.7 2.05 96.5 1,975
61 264 16.3 33.5 2.05 96.4 1,976
62 270 16.7 34.3 2.05 96.3 1,978
63 276 17.1 35.0 2.05 96.2 1,980
64 281 17.5 35.8 2.05 96.1 1,981
65 287 17.8 36.5 2.05 96.1 1,982
66 293 18.2 37.3 2.05 96.0 1,984
67 299 18.6 38.1 2.05 95.9 1,985
68 304 18.9 38.8 2.05 95.8 1,986
69 310 19.3 39.6 2.05 95.7 1,987
70 315 19.6 40.3 2.05 95.7 1,988
71 321 20.0 41.1 2.05 95.6 1,989
72 327 20.4 41.9 2.06 95.5 1,990
73 332 20.7 42.6 2.06 95.4 1,991
74 337 21.1 43.4 2.06 95.3 1,991
75 343 21.4 44.1 2.06 95.2 1,992
76 348 21.8 44.9 2.06 95.2 1,993
77 354 22.1 45.6 2.07 95.1 1,993
78 359 22.4 46.4 2.07 95.0 1,994
79 364 22.8 47.1 2.07 94.9 1,995
80 369 23.1 47.9 2.07 94.8 1,995
81 374 23.4 48.6 2.07 94.8 1,996
82 380 23.8 49.4 2.08 94.7 1,996
83 385 24.1 50.2 2.08 94.6 1,997
84 390 24.4 50.9 2.08 94.5 1,997
85 395 24.8 51.7 2.09 94.4 1,998
86 400 25.1 52.4 2.09 94.3 1,998
87 405 25.4 53.2 2.09 94.3 1,999
88 410 25.7 53.9 2.10 94.2 1,999
89 415 26.0 54.7 2.10 94.1 2,000
90 420 26.4 55.4 2.10 94.0 2,000
91 424 26.7 56.2 2.11 93.9 2,000
92 429 27.0 56.9 2.11 93.9 2,001
93 434 27.3 57.6 2.11 93.8 2,001
94 439 27.6 58.4 2.12 93.7 2,002
95 443 27.9 59.1 2.12 93.6 2,002
96 448 28.2 59.9 2.12 93.5 2,003
97 453 28.5 60.6 2.13 93.4 2,003
98 457 28.8 61.4 2.13 93.4 2,004
99 462 29.1 62.1 2.14 93.3 2,004
100 466 29.4 62.9 2.14 93.2 2,005

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12
Livability 100 85 3400

90 80 3200

80 75 3000

70 70 2800
ISA BROWN

60 65 Average
2600
egg
Laying weight
rate 50 60 2400
Body
weight

40 55 2200

30 50 2000

PRODUCT GUIDE
20 45 1800
PRODUCTION GRAPH

10 40 1600

0 35 1400

16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
100

Age in weeks
 Cum. no. of Feed conversion
eggs per HH g/egg
Egg 3.20
mass 70 500 150
in g/day
140
3.05 65 450 130
120
2.90 60 400 110
100
ISA BROWN

Feed
2.75 55 350 90
conversion
kg/kg 80
2.60 50 300 70
60
2.45 45 250 50
40
2.30 40 200 30

isa-poultry.com
20
2.15 35 150 10
0
PRODUCTION GRAPH

2.00 30 100 -10

-20
1.85 25 50 -30
-40
1.70 20 0 -50

16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48
50
52
54
56
58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
100

13
Age in weeks
 NOTES

14 PRODUCT GUIDE
CONVERSION TABLE
1 mtr. =3,282 feet 1 foot =0,305 mtr.
1 sq. mtr. =10,76 sq. feet 1 sq. foot =0,093 sq. mtr.
1 cub. mtr. =35,316 cub. feet 1 cub. foot =0,028317 cub. m.
1 cm. =0,394 inches 1 inch =2,54 cm.
1 sq. cm. =0,155 sq. inch 1 sq. inch =6,45 sq.cm.
1 kg. =2,205 lbs. 1 lb. =0,454 kg.
1 g. =0,035 ozs. 1 oz. =28,35 g.
1 ltr. =0,22 gallons 1 gallon =4,54 ltr.

1 bird per square metre =10,76 square feet per bird

3 birds per square metre =3,59 square feet per bird
4 birds per square metre =2,69 square feet per bird
5 birds per square metre =2,15 square feet per bird
7 birds per square metre =1,54 square feet per bird
11 birds per square metre =0,98 square feet per bird
13 birds per square metre =0,83 square feet per bird

1 cubic meter/kilogram/hour =16,016 cubic feet/lb./hour

1 cubic foot/lb./hour =0,0624 cubic meter/kilogram/hour

F° =9/5 °C+32 °C =5/9 (°F-32)

45 °C =113 °F 22 °C =72 °F 10 °C =50 °F
40 °C =104 °F 20 °C =68 °F 8 °C =46 °F
35 °C =95 °F 18 °C =64 °F 6 °C =43 °F
30 °C =86 °F 16 °C =61 °F 4 °C =39 °F
27 °C =81 °F 14 °C =57 °F 2 °C =36 °F
24 °C =75 °F 12 °C =54 °F 0 °C =32 °F

1 Joule per second = 1 Watt = Volt x Ampere

1 KJ =1000J
1 MJ =1000KJ
1 MJ =239 Kcal
1 Kcal =4.2 KJ
1 KWh =3.6MJ - 860 Kcal
1 BTU =1055J

Warranty Disclaimer
This product guide for layers has been prepared by Institut de Sélection Animale B.V. and
its affiliates (“ISA”) with the greatest possible care and dedication to inform and assist ISA’s
customers on the various manners of production to improve their production results while
using ISA products. However, specific circumstances at the farm of the customer may
impact the usability and reliability of the statements and information mentioned in this
product guide. No implied or explicit guarantees are given by ISA as to the accuracy and
completeness of the provided information in this product guide. Applying the information
as stated in this product guide in the customers’ production environment remains a
decision of the customer, to be taken at its sole discretion. ISA will not be liable for any
losses or damages whatsoever, whether in contract, tort or otherwise arising from reliance
on information contained in this product guide.

L0210-2

isa-poultry.com 15
 isa-poultry.com

Backed by a strong portfolio of leading brands,

Hendrix Genetics provides expertise and resources
to producers globally, with operations and joint
ventures in 24 countries.

Better Breeding Today – Brighter Life Tomorrow

P.O. Box 114

5830 AC Boxmeer +31 485 319 111
The Netherlands-EU isa@hendrix-genetics.com