Effects of physical form of feed and cage density on laying performance and pattern ‎and egg quality of laying hens

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor , Department of Animal Science, Varamin-Pishva Branch, Islamic Azad University, ‎Varamin, Iran

2 Ph. D. Candidate, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

3 Former M. Sc. Student, Department of Animal Science, Varamin-Pishva Branch, Islamic Azad University, Varamin, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran‎

5 Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran ‎

Abstract

A total of 384 Shaver laying hens were selected at 50 weeks of age, and used in a factorial arrangement with two feed forms (mash and pellet) and three cage densities (3, 4 and 5 hens per cage) for 10 weeks. During 10 weeks of experiment, laying performance and at week 10 egg quality parameters, were measured. The results showed that hens fed pellet feed had higher egg weight at first 5 weeks and higher egg weight and lower feed intake and lower feed conversion ratio for ovearll 10 weeks of experiment, compared to those fed mash diet. During first 5 weeks of experiment, with increasing birds per cage 3 to 4 and 5, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (P<0.01), and for overall 10 weeks of experiment, with increasing birds from 3 to 5 per cage, egg production and feed consumption werer significantly reduced (P<0.05). The final body weight and weight changes of lying hens were affected by the cage density, feed form (P<0.01) and their interaction (P<0.05) during experimental period. The effect of cage density on shell thickness and specific gravity of eggs was significant (P<0.05). Egg production during the day was postponed in birds fed pellet feed or reared at higher density. The results showed that by increasing the cage density, laying performance was decreased, but for hens fed pellet feed, cage density had no effect on feed intake.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of animal Science
Volume 51, Issue 1
May 2020
Pages 27-36

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 September 2019
  • Revise Date: 29 November 2019
  • Accept Date: 18 December 2019

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