Effect of Number and Location of Nipple Waterers and Cage Shape on the Performance of Caged Layers
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Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of number of nipple waterers (NW) per four-bird, deep cage (30.5 × 45.7 cm deep) or shallow cage of exact reverse dimensions and location of these waterers on productivity of commercial strain of White Leghorn layers reared in floor pens equipped with either dome or trigger cup waterers. The pullets were housed in laying cages at 18 wk of age. In both experiments, cage shape had no significant effects on the variables measured. Location of NW effects varied between experiments; hens incages with NW located in the front of the cage had a significantly (P<.05) lower rate of lay (1.7%) in Experiment 2 and less mortality (5.4%) in Experiment 1 than those in cages with NW located in the rear. Location of NW had a NS effect on water consumption in both experiments. Number of NW per cage significantly (P<.05) affected water consumption in both experiments. Hens in cages with two NW consumed 32.5 and 36.7 mL/hen day more water in Experiment 1 and 2, respectively, than those in cages with one NW.Keywords:
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High ambient temperature in tropical during rearing period of laying hens cause high level of stress and low productivity. Stress level of laying hens also influenced by the housing system. In Indonesia, most of rearing system of commercial laying hens were cage system (individual cage). So the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the housing system (cage and litter) toward the quality of air, production performance, and egg quality of laying hens. A number of 36 laying hens, 30 weeks old were used. They were placed at 2 small closed houses (30 o C). The first house was designed as cage system and the second as litter system. Each of it sized 2x2 m 2 , and it was filled 18 laying hens. This study used completely randomized design. Data of production performance was analyzed by t-test. Data of air quality and egg quality were descriptively analyzed. Ammonia and PM2.5 level in cage system were lower than litter system. Production performances of laying hens in cage system were higher, with the value of feed conversion ratio was 2.20, and it was better significant than litter system (2.61). Thick and percentage of eggshell in cage system were lower than litter system. There was no dirty egg in cage system but it was 16.67% in litter system. It can be concluded that the rearing of commercial laying hens at 30 o C in cage system produced higher air quality, production performance, and egg quality than litter system.
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A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of two laying systems (floor versus cage) on egg production, egg quality, and microbial safety. One hundred and eighty 42 wk old laying hens were separated into two groups of 90 hens each, and housed in laying cages and a floor laying system. Eggs from the hens were collected for 2 weeks, and hen-day egg production, egg quality (whole egg, albumen, yolk and shell weights), saleability, and marketability were measured. Total bacteria counts on the egg shell surface were also enumerated at 0, 4 and 8 h after laying. Results indicated that hen-day egg production by hens in the cage system (95%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than production by hens from the floor system (85%), but there was no significant differences in egg weight, albumen, yolk, or shell weights. Hens housed in the cage laying systems produced significantly (P<0.05) more marketable eggs (95%) than hens housed in the floor laying system (89%). Significantly (P<0.05) more unsaleable eggs were also produced by hens in the floor laying system (11%) than in the cage system (4%). Bacteria counts on egg shells from hens of the cage laying system were significantly (P<0.05) lower at 0 and 4 h after laying (4.02 and 5.90 log cfu/mL, respectively) than counts on shells of eggs from the floor laying system (6.58 and 7.25 log cfu/mL, respectively). There was no significant difference in contamination of eggs collected 8 h after laying. Findings indicate hens housed in cages produce more eggs with higher quality and less bacterial contamination than hens house in floors laying systems.
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Two experiments, one with a commercial strain and one with an experimental strain of Single Comb White Leghorns, compared the effects of cage shape, feeder space, cage barrier, bird density, level of feeding, and period observed on feeding behavior and bird movement. In Experiment 1, only period observed significantly affected time spent feeding; the commercial strain of hens generally ate more in the p.m. (1700 to 1900 hr) than in the a.m. (0700 to 0900 hr). A significant (P<.05) feeder-space × period observed interaction indicated that increased feeder space is important in reducing feeder competition during peak feeding times. Only feed consumption of the experimental strain was significantly (P<.05) affected by bird density; hens housed 2 birds per cage ate 10.5 g per hen per day more than those housed 3 per cage (Experiment 2). Birds spent 38. 4 sec more eating during 0600 to 0700 hr than 1700 to 1800 hr (P<.05). Maximum number of birds feeding simultaneously was significantly (P<.05) affected by feeder space, bird density, and level of feeding. Hens with 45.7 cm of feeder space per cage, housed 3 per cage and receiving 90% of full feed had more simultaneous feeding than hens with 25.4 cm of feeder space, housed 2 per cage and on full feed. Hens in deep cages had significantly (P<.05) more quadrant-to-quadrant moves than hens in shallow cages.
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段違いフリーケージ飼育鶏の夏期における産卵性低下を防止する目的で,単冠白色レグホーン種雌を132日齢時から9段の段違いフリーケージに移し,慣用の採卵用飼料を水ともに自由に摂取させた。7月6日(171日齢)からフリーケージの最上部より小型クーラー(HITACHI RA-2204)を用い,0.65m/sの冷風を10週間送入し,冷風送入中止後も12週間産卵性を調査した。冷風送入によるフリーケージ各段の温度は対照区より14時の9段,5段,1段ではそれぞれ0.7°C, 0.4°C, 0.3°C, 21時では0.4°C, 0.4°C, 0.1°C低下した。湿度は冷風送入によって14時の9段,5段で3.2%, 0.9%低く,1段で4.8%高く,21時では9段,1段は1.3%, 1.4%高く,5段は0.1%低くなった。産卵性では冷風送入によって産卵率が9.7%有意に高く,卵重は逆に約1g軽くなった。日産卵量は4.3g多く,飼料摂取量は0.7g減少したため,飼料効率は4.9%も有意に高くなった。鶏の段別分布は14時で8月中旬まで冷風区は8, 9段目が2倍以上多くなった以外は,いずれの時刻も両区で同様の傾向がみられ,夜間には殆ど上部3段に集中した。段別における産卵は両区共に1, 8, 9段に著しく多く,他の段は少なかった。冷風送入中止後,12週間の産卵性については,産卵率,日産卵量,飼料効率は対照区に対してそれぞれ6.8%, 3g, 2.9%高く,卵重,飼料摂取量は逆に1.3g, 0.9g減少した。以上の結果からフリーケージ飼育鶏に対する夏期高温時の冷風送入は,産卵性の改善効果が顕著であり,その効果は冷風送入中止後12週間経っても持続された。
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The study aimed to examine laying hens in the cage and cage-free breeding systems, the quality of table eggs and energy consumption in the hall after the peak of laying. In the research, the following were investigated and statistically evaluated welfare of laying hens Bovans Brown was monitored in three different rearing systems based on resources and animals. The research was designed into the post-peak laying period, at the age of laying hens from 34 to 47 weeks and a rearing system of enriched cages on deep litter and in aviaries. Statistical analyses of the measured data of the established indicators were performed with the SAS program package, version 8.2, for statistical characteristics, significance, and correlation relations. The proportion of laying hens dying was lower in aviaries compared to cages and on deep litter (p ≤0.05); in cages and on deep litter was comparable (p ˃0.05). The weight of laying hens was comparable (p ˃0.05). Feed consumption per hen, day, and egg was highest on deep litter (p ≤0.05). The proportion of eggs with a cracked shell and contaminated with dropping was highest on litter (p ≤0.05). Energy consumption in the hall expressed per layer and day was comparable in all three breeding systems (p ≤0.05). Among some selected indicators of laying hen welfare, egg quality and energy consumption in the hall during breeding and correlation relations (p ≤0.05) were statistically significant within individual breeding systems. The question of laying hen welfare and improving cage-free systems because of the adopted legislation banning breeding in a cage system requires further research to adopt best practices regarding resource-based, management- and animal-based parameters. Based on the results about welfare conditions, including energy consumption in halls and egg quality, it is an open question for comprehensive, interdisciplinary research.
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