Korean Journal of Poultry Science (한국가금학회지)

The Korean Society of Poultry Science (한국가금학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effect of Housing Systems - Barn vs Cage on the First Phase Egg Production and Egg Quality Traits of Laying Pullet

  • Ahammed, Musabbir (College of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Ohh, Sang Jip (College of Animal Life Science, Kangwon National University)
  • Received : 2013.03.18
  • Accepted : 2013.03.25
  • Published : 2013.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

With an increasing concern on laying hen welfare, barn system has appeared as one of the alternatives to replace the conventional cage. This study was conducted to compare the early laying performance and egg quality at the barn system with those at the conventional cage. A total of 288 shaver-579 brown layers were used for 9 weeks ($21^{st}$ to $30^{th}$ weeks of age) feeding study. Feed consumption and egg weight were significantly (P<0.01) higher at barn than at cage. However, there were no significant differences between two housing systems on hen day egg production (HDEP), egg mass, body weight, feed efficiency and livability. In case of egg quality parameters, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (P<0.05) different between two systems. Haugh unit and albumen height were significantly higher in eggs produced at cage (88.97 and 8.16 mm) compared than those produced at barn (83.11 and 6.87 mm), whereas shell thickness was thicker in eggs produced at barn than those produced at cage. Shape index, breaking strength, blood spots and yolk index data were not influenced significantly by the types of housing system. To implement welfare bestowing production, this study showed that the barn system can replace the conventional cage without serious sacrifices on starting phase egg production. In addition, this study suggested that the barn system need to be optimized in view of daily feed consumption.

Keywords

References

  1. Abrahamsson P, Tauson R, Elwinger K 1996 Effect on production, health and egg quality of varying proportions of wheat and barley in diets for two hybrids of laying hens kept in different housing systems. Acta Agric Scand 46:254-260.
  2. Al-Awadi AA, Husseini MD, Diab MF, Al-Nasser AY 1995 Productive performance of laying hens housed in minimal shade floor pens and laying cages under ambient condition in hot arid regions. Livest Prod Sci 41:263-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-6226(93)E0119-D
  3. Alvarez R, Hocking PM 2012 Changes in ovarian function and egg production in commercial broiler breeders through 40 weeks of lay. Br Poult Sci 53:386-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2012.700508
  4. Anderson KE, Adams AW 1994 Effect of cage versus floor rearing environments and cage floor mesh size on bone strength, fearfulness and production of Single Comb White Leghorn hens. Poultry Sci 73:1233-1240. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.0731233
  5. Arad Z, Marder J 1982 Differences in egg shell quality among the Sinai Bedouin fowl, the commercial White Leghorn and their crossbred. Br Poult Sci 23:107-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071688208447936
  6. Bangcong RS, Cagmat DC 1990 Production performance of Hy-Line brown layers raised in cage and floor at Central Mindanao University. Poultry Project CUM j Sci 7:17.
  7. Belyavin CG 1988 Egg quality as influenced by production systems. Worlds Poult Sci J 44:65-67. https://doi.org/10.1079/WPS19880008
  8. Cid MP, Kirkwood CA, Arce A, Salvatierra NA 2011 Neonatal stimulation improves egg production in laying hens. Rev Vet 22(1):8-12.
  9. Dukic-Stojcic M, Peric L, Bjedov S, Milosevic N 2009 The quality of Table eggs produced in different housing systems. Biotech Anim Husbandry. 25:1103-1108.
  10. Fraser AC, Bain MM 1994 A comparison of eggshell structure from birds housed in conventional battery cages and in a modified free-range system. Pages 151-152 in Proc. 9th European Poult. Conf. World's Poultry Science Association, United Kingdom Branch, Glasgow, UK.
  11. Groot Koerkamp PWG 1998 Ammonia emission from aviary housing systems laying hens. PhD Thesis. Wageningen University. Wageningen, the Netherlands.
  12. Hidalgo A, Rossi M, Clerici F, Ratti S 2008 A market study on the quality characteristics of eggs from different housing systems. Food Chem 106:1031-1038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.07.019
  13. Khalafalla MK, Bessei W 1995 Reliability of quasi-static compression as an indicator of eggshell quality. In Proceeding of the VI European Symposium of the Quality of Egg and Egg Products, (25-29 September) Zaragoza, Spain: 67-71.
  14. Lesson S, Summers JD 1991 Commercial Poultry Nutrition. University Books. Guelph. Ontario. Canada.
  15. Lewko L, Gornowicz E 2011 Effect of housing system on egg quality in laying hens. Am Anim Sci 11(4):607-616.
  16. Leyendecker M, Hamann H, Hartung J, Kamphues J, Ring C, Gluunder G 2001 Analysis of genotype-environment interactions between layer lines and hen housing systems for performance traits, egg quality and bone breaking strength. 2nd communication: Egg quality traits. Zu chtungskunde 73:308-323.
  17. Mohan B, Mani V, Nagarazan S 1991 Effect of different housing systems on the physical qualities of commercial chicken eggs. Ind J Poult Sci 26:130-131.
  18. Mostert BE, Bowes FH, Walt JC 1995 Influence of different housing systems on the performance of hens of four laying strains. South Afri J Anim Sci 25:80-86.
  19. Muthusamy P, Viswanathan K 1998 Effect of rearing systems on performance of commercial layers. Ind J Poult Sci 33 :264-267.
  20. Pavlovski Z, Hopic S, Lukic M 2001 Housing system for layers and egg quality. Biotech Anim Husbandry 17:197-201.
  21. Pavlovski Z, Hopic S, Nracar S, Masic B 1994 The effects of housing systems on internal egg quality traits in small stocks of layers. Biotech Stocarstvu 10:37-43. In Poult Abst (1997), 23:607.
  22. Preisinger R 2000 Lohmann Tradition, Praxiserfahrung und Entwicklungsperspektiven. Lohmann Inform 3:13-16.
  23. Sauveur B 1991 Effect of method of rearing of fowls on egg characters. Prod Anim 4:123-130.
  24. Shaver 579 Layer Management Guide 2009 www.isapoultry.com /en/Products/Shaver.aspx.
  25. Singh R, Cheng KM, Silversides FG 2009 Production performance and egg quality of four strains of laying hens kept in conventional cages and floor pens. Poultry Sci 88:256- 264. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2008-00237
  26. Stadelman WJ 1995 Quality identification of shell eggs. In WJ Stadelman & OJ Cotterill (Eds.), Egg Science and Technology (pp. 39-66). New York: Food Products Press, The Haworth Press, Inc.
  27. Suto Z, Horn P, Ujvari J 1997 The effect of different housing systems on production and egg quality traits of brown and Leghorn type layers. Acta Agraria Kaposvariensis 1:29- 35.
  28. Tauson R, Wahlstrom A, Abrahamsson P 1999 Effect of two floor housing systems and cages on health, production, and fear response in layers. J Appl Poult Res 8:152-159. https://doi.org/10.1093/japr/8.2.152
  29. Taylor AA, Hurnik JF 1996 The long-term productivity of hens housed in battery cages and aviary. Poultry Sci 75:47-51. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.0750047
  30. Tumova E, Ebeid T 2003 Effect of housing system on performance and egg quality characteristics in laying hens. Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica 34:73-80.
  31. Vits A, Weizenburger D, Hamann H, Distl O 2005 Influence of different small group systems on production traits, egg quality and bone breaking strength of laying hens. First communication: Production traits and egg quality. Zuchtungskunde 77:303-323.