Non-beaked laying hens housed in aviaries 1: Production performance in cages and three types of aviaries
1996
Kathle, J. | Kolstad, N. (Norges Landbrukshoegskole, Aas (Norway). Inst. for Husdyrfag)
1. Production results, plumage condition and percentage of mislaid eggs are presented from three full laying cycles (20-75 weeks) of non-beak trimmed hens housed in three aviaries of the types Marielund (M), Laco-Voletage (V) and Tiered Wire Floor (TWF) and commercial three-tired battery cage system (C) installed in the same building. A total of 6000 hens were included per cycle with about 1500 hens per system. 2. As a mean of the three first cycles, C had the highest egg production per hen and day (50.2 g), followed by M (48.7 g), while hens in V and TWF produced 48.1 and 47.5 g, respectively. The mean feed conversion ratio (FCR) in TWF was significantly inferior than in C (2.63 vs. 2.17 kg of feed/kg of egg mass). There were no significant differences in egg quality traits (egg shell strength, albumen height and blood spots) between eggs from cages and aviaries. The average percentages of mislaid eggs ranged from 3.7 (M) to 13.8 (TWF), while the average cumulative mortality were 11.1 in C, 12.6 in M, followed by V (13.4 ) and TWF (21.7 ). About half of the mortality in TWF was due to cannibalism. 3. To conclude: The production varied greatly between aviaries within cycles and from one cycle to the next. Cages showed better and more stable results while the aviaries occasionally were at the same production level as cages. The main problems in aviaries recorded after three laying cycles were high number of mislaid egg, feather pecking and cannibalism.
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