Effect of litter system and nest box type on egg production and performance of Ross 308 broiler breeders

Abstract

Context Type of litter housing system is one of the most important factors affecting egg production and performance of broiler breeders. Aims The study aim was to determine the effect of litter and nest box type on selected production and performance traits of Ross 308 broiler breeders. Methods The study subjects consisted of male and female Ross 308 broiler breeders raised on a commercial poultry farm. In four poultry houses, birds were raised on a slat-litter floor, with a colony nest box type. In four other poultry houses, birds were raised on a litter floor with an open nest box type. Body weight (23 weeks and 57 weeks), feed intake and percent mortality (23–57 weeks), length of laying period, number of eggs, laying percentage and egg weight were determined or calculated and compared between housing systems. Key results Birds reared on a slat-litter floor with colony nest boxes had significantly lower (roosters) or higher (hens) body weight at 23 and 57 weeks of age compared to birds kept on a litter floor with open nest boxes. Both sexes housed on a slat-litter floor were characterised by significantly higher feed intake, significantly lower mortality during the reproductive period (23–57 weeks), and significantly lower egg weight compared to birds raised in the litter floor system. Litter and nest box type had no significant effect on length of laying period, number of eggs, laying percentage, and percent hatchability from set eggs. Conclusions Ross 308 broiler breeders kept on a litter floor with open nest boxes had some better performance parameters, but poorer liveability compared to birds kept on a litter floor and slats with colony nest boxes. The higher body weight of females kept on a slat-litter floor at the end of the reproductive period (57 weeks) compared to the same-age females kept on a litter floor is likely due to higher carcass fatness, which had an adverse effect on the number and weight of hatching eggs. Implications The results of this study may be useful for broiler breeder producers in their decisions about the litter system of these birds.

Effect of Genotype and Sex on Chemical Composition, Physicochemical Properties, Texture and Microstructure of Spent Broiler Breeder Meat

“…This represents a year-onyear increase of 7%. Over 85% of broiler breeder flocks maintained in Poland consist of Ross 308 breeders [2]. The average production period was found to be 256 days, during which time the flock achieved an average laying rate of 64.9% and 152.5 eggs per hen [3].…”

Effect of housing system on carcass composition, meat quality, digestive morphometry, and leg bone dimensions of Ross 308 parent broilers

“…In contrast, in another study, the carcass weight of birds with the same genotype was 173 g lower at 64 wk of age compared to our results ( Kokoszyński et al, 2016 ). In our earlier study, the weight of Ross 308 birds at 57 wk of age was different ( Wegner et al, 2022 ). Birds kept in the slat-litter system were lighter at 57 wk of age by 238 g compared to birds kept in the litter-based system.…”

“…In Poland, 10.6 million broiler parent females were reared in 2022 ( KRD, 2023 ). Ross 308 is the main breeding stock maintained in Poland, and it accounts for more than 85% of all reproductive flocks ( Wegner et al, 2022 ). Broiler parent flocks are maintained for the production of hatching eggs from which chicks (broilers) are hatched and raised for meat ( Massey, 2002 ).…”

“…Nests have been modified and automated due to the increasing challenges related to farm labor ( Bartolo-Guerrero et al, 2015 ). Numerous studies have been conducted analyzing the impact of automatic and traditional nests on production performance and egg quality ( Bartolo-Guerrero et al, 2015 ; Wegner et al, 2022 ; Bist et al, 2023 ). Research conducted by Bartolo-Guerrero et al (2015) has indicated that hens prefer traditional nests over automatic ones.…”

“…In poultry houses equipped with traditional nests, a lower number of dirty and littered eggs was observed, as well as the number of eggs with defective shells (cracks) was significantly lower. Our previous studies showed that the housing system significantly affected the weight of birds at the beginning and end of the reproductive period, as well as bird mortality ( Wegner et al, 2022 ).…”