Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System

ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of strain and enriched cage stocking density on performance, egg size distribution, egg quality, and welfare status in laying hens. Lohmann brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) strains at 20 weeks of age were allotted to different cage stocking densities, w...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: A Akyol, A Şekeroğlu, B Tainika, YE Şentürk, M Duman, SH Abacl, FM Gür
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas 2024-11-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2024000300310&lng=en&tlng=en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846169909250228224
author A Akyol
A Şekeroğlu
B Tainika
YE Şentürk
M Duman
SH Abacl
FM Gür
author_facet A Akyol
A Şekeroğlu
B Tainika
YE Şentürk
M Duman
SH Abacl
FM Gür
author_sort A Akyol
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of strain and enriched cage stocking density on performance, egg size distribution, egg quality, and welfare status in laying hens. Lohmann brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) strains at 20 weeks of age were allotted to different cage stocking densities, with 1016, 762, or 610 cm2 of cage floor area per hen. Live body weight at the age at sexual maturity and at 52 weeks of age, feather condition, and some egg quality parameters differed between hen strains and among stocking densities (p<0.01; p<0.05). However, age at sexual maturity, livability, egg production, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and duration of tonic immobility were similar between hen strains and among stocking densities (p>0.05). Furthermore, egg size distribution was similar between hen strains (p>0.05), but dissimilar among stocking densities (p<0.01). Rectal and comb temperatures differed between hen strains and among stocking densities, respectively (p<0.01; p<0.05). The age of hens influenced egg quality variables (except for egg weight and shape index), feather condition, and body region temperatures (p<0.01). These results suggest that an enriched cage floor area of up to 610 cm2 per hen does not compromise production performance and welfare status, except for the body weight of laying hens. Additionally, the two strains might be at similar levels regarding overall performance and welfare status, excluding body weight and feather condition.
format Article
id doaj-art-e78e3916e37a4a65a58ba80e1f4a51b0
institution Kabale University
issn 1806-9061
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas
record_format Article
series Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science
spelling doaj-art-e78e3916e37a4a65a58ba80e1f4a51b02024-11-12T07:44:51ZengFundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia AvícolasBrazilian Journal of Poultry Science1806-90612024-11-0126310.1590/1806-9061-2024-1929Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage SystemA Akyolhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1009-2629A Şekeroğluhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1896-2449B Tainikahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6785-4324YE Şentürkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9218-5254M Dumanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0342-8275SH Abaclhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1341-4056FM Gürhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7748-3272ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of strain and enriched cage stocking density on performance, egg size distribution, egg quality, and welfare status in laying hens. Lohmann brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) strains at 20 weeks of age were allotted to different cage stocking densities, with 1016, 762, or 610 cm2 of cage floor area per hen. Live body weight at the age at sexual maturity and at 52 weeks of age, feather condition, and some egg quality parameters differed between hen strains and among stocking densities (p<0.01; p<0.05). However, age at sexual maturity, livability, egg production, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and duration of tonic immobility were similar between hen strains and among stocking densities (p>0.05). Furthermore, egg size distribution was similar between hen strains (p>0.05), but dissimilar among stocking densities (p<0.01). Rectal and comb temperatures differed between hen strains and among stocking densities, respectively (p<0.01; p<0.05). The age of hens influenced egg quality variables (except for egg weight and shape index), feather condition, and body region temperatures (p<0.01). These results suggest that an enriched cage floor area of up to 610 cm2 per hen does not compromise production performance and welfare status, except for the body weight of laying hens. Additionally, the two strains might be at similar levels regarding overall performance and welfare status, excluding body weight and feather condition.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2024000300310&lng=en&tlng=enEgg qualityEnriched cage systemLaying henPerformanceStocking densityWelfare
spellingShingle A Akyol
A Şekeroğlu
B Tainika
YE Şentürk
M Duman
SH Abacl
FM Gür
Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science
Egg quality
Enriched cage system
Laying hen
Performance
Stocking density
Welfare
title Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
title_full Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
title_fullStr Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
title_short Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System
title_sort effects of strain and stocking density on performance egg size distribution egg quality and welfare in laying hens housed in enriched cage system
topic Egg quality
Enriched cage system
Laying hen
Performance
Stocking density
Welfare
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2024000300310&lng=en&tlng=en
work_keys_str_mv AT aakyol effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT asekeroglu effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT btainika effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT yesenturk effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT mduman effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT shabacl effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem
AT fmgur effectsofstrainandstockingdensityonperformanceeggsizedistributioneggqualityandwelfareinlayinghenshousedinenrichedcagesystem