Effect of poultry housing systems on egg production

N. Bozakova, V. Datkova, S. Mihaylova, V. Gerzilov

Abstract: An industrial experiment with ISA-Brown commercial layers was carried out during the laying period (from 18 to 76 weeks of age) in 2009/2010 at the poultry complex „Eggs and Chickens - Zora” JSC – Donchevo. The layers were reared under three poultry management systems: in conventional cages type BKN-3 – 66 300 layers distributed equally in five poultry houses; in enriched cages type Eurovent 1500-EU-60 – 123 430 layers distributed equally in two poultry houses; and in barn with slat flooring with manure pit and deep litter – 30 000 layers distributed equally in four poultry houses. The results showed that for the whole laying period the layers kept in conventional cages exhibited an average egg laying capacity of 336.1 eggs per hen, the egg laying capacity was over 90 % from 25 to 50 weeks of age, the mortality was the lowest - 5.35 % and feed conversion ratio per egg was the highest - 155.9 g. The layers kept in enriched cages gave the highest yield of eggs from a hen - 339.2, the egg laying capacity was over 90 % from 26 to 59 weeks of age, the mortality was 7.96 % and feed conversion ratio per egg was the lowest - 150.1 g. The layers reared in the floor/litter system l were characterized with the lowest yield of eggs per hen - 330.5 eggs, the egg laying capacity was over 90 % from 26 to 61 weeks of age, the mortality was the highest - 9.43 % and feed conversion ratio per egg was 151 g.

Keywords: egg laying capacity; layers; laying hen; poultry housing system

Date published: 2019-08-22