Functional feed

1. A method for egg production, the method comprising egg-laying hens an effective amount of a feed comprising an effective amount of unheated cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) which comprises from 55 to 80 mass % of anacardic acid, from 5 to 20 mass % of cardanol, and from 5 to 30 mass % of cardol, or heated cashew nut shell liquid which comprises from 0 to 10 mass % of anacardic acid, from 55 to 80 mass % of cardanol, and from 5 to 30 mass % of cardol,

wherein the egg-laying hens are female birds of chickens or quails,

wherein an egg-laying rate of not lower than 90% is maintained for 90 days or longer,

wherein layer performance is enhanced by increasing or maintaining quality of eggs,

wherein the feed is fed during a peak egg-laying phase or during a molting process of the female birds, and

wherein a number of dead birds per week during the peak egg-laying phase is less than 0.1% of a number of total female birds.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising feeding the layers, wherein the laying are subjected to forced molting or induced molting.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a death rate during the forced molting or induced molting is not more than 2%.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises unheated cashew nut shell liquid, or heated cashew nut shell liquid at a final concentration of from 50 to 100 ppm.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feed is fed during a molting process of the female birds, and wherein the feed is a low energy-low protein diet.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the feed is fed during a period from 65 to 67 weeks of age of the female birds.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feed is fed around the peak egg-laying phase in a period from 17 to 29 weeks of age of the female birds.