The aim of this study was to compare egg production performance and welfare traits of laying hens kept in conventional cage (CC), enriched cage (EC), and free range (FR). Lohmann Brown laying hens (n = 480 with 160 per housing type) were studied across a production cycle from placement at 17 wk until depopulation at 66 wk. The hens were randomly allocated into cages or pens of housing system groups; within each system there were four replicates with 40 hens in each pen or cage. The hen day egg production (P = 0.037), feed intake (FI) (P < 0.001), egg mass (EM) (P < 0.001), and dirty egg ratio of hens were higher in the FR system but similar in the CC and EC systems. The highest mortality ratio was found in EC system hens (P = 0.020). The best feather score was found in FR system hens (P < 0.001). The worse body wound score was found in EC system hens (P = 0.038). On the other hand, the worse bumble foot and footpad lesions were found in FR system hens (P < 0.001). The highest tibia breaking strength was found in FR system hens compared with in CC and EC system hens (P < 0.001). The highest Heterophil/Lymphocyte ( H/L: ) ratio was found in CC system hens (P = 0.006) but the blood phosphorus ( P: ) level was higher in FR system hens (P = 0.013). The tonic immobility, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and Ca values of hens were found to be similar in all systems (P > 0.05). The hens in the FR system had additional space for optimum comfort and better feather and bone traits, but the dirty egg ratio, feed consumption, and foot lesions were higher than in CC and EC systems.

This study was carried out to determine the effect of vitamin E and vitamin C on the performance of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) reared under heat stress during the growth and egg production period. A total of 810 seven-day-old Japanese quails were used in the trial. The birds received a diet with either three levels of vitamin E (DL-α Tocopheryl acetate) (60, 120 and 240 mg/kg of diet) and vitamin C (ROVIMIX STAY-C 35) (60, 120 and 240 mg/kg of diet). Live weight on day 35 and weight gain were the lowest in the group of chicks on a combination of 60 mg of vitamin E and 60 mg of vitamin C, whereas the highest live weight was demonstrated in chicks on a combination of 240 mg of vitamin E and 240 mg of vitamin C (p<0.01). The effects of treatments on cumulative feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, age at 5% lay , sexual maturity weight, rate of lay and mean egg weight values were found to be significant (p<0.01). The highest feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, age at 5% lay, sexual maturity weight, rate of lay and mean egg weight values were found in the group on a combination of 240 mg of vitamin E and 240 mg of vitamin C. The effect of treatments on the mortality ratio was found to be insignificant (p>0.01). The cost of supplementing diets with vitamin E and vitamin C is very low. Therefore such a combination of supplement can offer a potential protective management practice in preventing heat stress related losses in performance of Japanese quails.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of cold stress on broiler performance and ascites susceptibility. Male chicks were obtained from a commercial strain of broiler breeders. The trial was divided into two treatments (control and cold stress groups). Ascites was induced in broiler chickens in the trial by exposing the chickens to low temperature (Ta) and by supplying a pelleted diet. The two experimental treatments consisted of: 1) Control group, 33.3°C the 1 st wk, 30.2°C the 2 nd wk, and 27.5°C the 3 rd wk. 2) Cold stress group, 29.0°C the 1 st wk, 26.4°C the 2 nd wk, and 23.1°C the 3 rd wk. From the end of the 3 rd wk all broilers were reared to 6 wk of age at a constant temperature of 21°C. There was significant difference in live BW during wk 1 to 5. The control group was consistently the heaviest; however, at 6 wk of age, both groups weighed the same. Body weight gain up to 3 wk was significantly decreased by cold stress. During wk 3 and 6 the chicks in the cold stress group had greater BW gain compared with the chicks in the control group. There were significant differences in mortality due to ascites between the groups. During wk 3 and 6 the cold stress group exhibited the most ascites mortality (9.52%) when compared with the control group (1.90%). At 5 wk of age cold stress condition caused significant changes in packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) and red blood cell counts (RBC). Right ventricle weight was significantly heavier in the cold stress group than the control. There were also significant differences in right ventricle/total ventricle (RV/TV) ratios at 5 wk. the right ventricle/total ventricle ratios in the cold stress group was higher (0.25) than the control group (0.20). It was concluded that, fast growth and cold temperatures are the primary triggers for ascites during commercial broiler production.

The objective of the present study was to examine the changes in yolk and yolk sac fatty acid composition and also to investigate egg content, yolk absorption, embryo development during incubation, and chick quality at hatch in eggs from 36- and 52-wk-old broiler breeders. The fatty acid profiles of the yolk, the yolk sac of embryos, and the residual yolk sac of chicks were analyzed before incubation, on d 18, and at hatch, respectively. Yolk sac weight, and embryo weight and length were measured on d 18, and chick weight and length were measured at hatch. Egg weight, yolk and albumen weight, yolk percentage, and yolk:albumen ratio increased as breeder age increased, but the albumen percentage decreased. Yolk absorption in absolute value (g) was higher in embryos from the old flock on d 18 and at hatch. Relative yolk absorption was similar between age groups on d 18, whereas it was higher in the young flock at hatch. Breeder age affected the yolk sac weight and was higher in the old flock during incubation. Embryo or chick weight and length, and yolk-free BW were affected by breeder age during incubation. These parameters were higher in the old flock with a difference of 3.7 g, 0.8 cm, and 2.6 g, respectively, on d 18 and 7.4 g, 1.4 cm, and 6.3 g, respectively, at hatch compared with the young flock. The effect of breeder age on fatty acid composition differed significantly by sampling day. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids were major fatty acids in the fresh yolk, ranging from 13.02 to 29.24%. These were followed by palmitoleic and arachidonic acids ranging from 1.24 to 7.04%, with the remaining fatty acids below 1%. Higher concentrations of myristic, palmitoleic, and oleic acids and lower concentrations of heptadeconoic, stearic, linoleic, and arachidonic acids were found in the residual yolk sac of the young flock than the old flock. The results showed preferentially selective absorption of some fatty acids by the embryo during incubation.

The material for the current research was obtained from 480 layers (Lohmann Brown) housed in conventional-cage (CC), enriched-cage (EC), and free-range (FR) production systems between 22 and 60 weeks of age. A total of 720 eggs were analyzed for external and internal egg quality traits.The three housing systems were located within the same research unit of Uludağ University. Two cage systems, CC and EC, were installed in a windowed and fan-ventilated cage hen house with both cage types in the same room. The FR system was located 120 m from the cage hen house.The CC system consisted of galvanized wire cages (50 × 45 × 45 cm) with a trough-type galvanized feeder, egg belt, manure belt, and nipple drinker. Each CC cage provided a total of 562.5 cm 2 floor area per hen.The EC system cages met the requirements of EU Directive 1999/74/EC. The EC system consisted of 2 tiers, and each tier consisted of 2 cages (4 EC cages). The EC