Effects of Different-Sized Cages on the Production Performance, Serum Parameters, and Caecal Microbiota Composition of Laying Hens

Abstract

The effects of four different-sized cages—huge (HC), large (LC), medium (MC), and small (SC) cages—on the productive performance, serum biochemical indices, and caecal microbiota composition of Roman laying hens were investigated. At 44 weeks of age, a total of 450 hens were selected and allocated to the four groups, with six replicates each. Equal stocking density (0.054 m2 per bird) was maintained among the four groups throughout the experiment, and number of birds/cage changed for each treatment. After 2 weeks of preliminary trial, the formal experiment was performed from 46 to 60 weeks of age. The laying rate and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined daily, antibody titres were measured every 3 weeks, and serum biochemical parameters and caecal microbiota composition were analysed at 60 weeks of age. Compared to HC and SC, the higher laying rate and lower FCR in MC and LC indicated positive effects on egg production and feed efficiency, while SC showed the highest body weight gain (p < 0.05). With increasing cage size, the serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (T-CH) levels were reduced, and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity improved, where birds raised in HCs had the lowest serum TG and T-CH and the highest GSH-Px activity. Twenty-nine different phyla and 301 different genera were detected in the caecal microbiota of birds in the four groups. Methanobrevibacter was significantly higher in the SC than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Faecalibacterium was most abundant in the MC compared with the other groups (p < 0.05) and was significantly positively correlated with serum GSH-Px concentration (R = 0.214, p = 0.0017). Lactobacillus was significantly less abundant in the LC and MC than in the HC and SC groups (p < 0.05) and was significantly positively correlated with body weight (R = 0.350, p = 0.0009) but negatively correlated with laying rate and FCR. In conclusion, MC were superior to HC and LC in improving feed conversion efficiency and caecal microflora composition compared to the SC. An appropriate increase in cage size is beneficial to laying hen production and health.

IgYs: on her majesty’s secret service

“…Although the ECVAM recommendations for the production of IgYs have been in place for some time, there are no updates or new general guidelines issued. The information on the optimal conditions for breeding laying hens can be found in individual studies, such as those on the impact of cage size on animal welfare ( 35 , 36 ) or alternatives to the Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA) ( 37 ). Cage systems are preferred for breeding hens over cage-free systems due to lower risks of infectious disease transmission and severe feather pecking.…”

The Productivity of Egg-Cross Chickens Depends on Them Numbers in Cages of 12-Tier Batteries

“…Актуальність. Величина угрупування, або кількість курей у клітці, є соціальним подразником для їх організму, оскільки чинить тиск на основні структури мозку Rozempolska-Rucińska et al, 2023;Wan et al, 2023). Цей тиск спричинений здебільшого конкуренцією за корм, або за доступ до інших ресурсів.…”

“…Отримані дані узгоджуються з результатами, представленими в літературних джерелах Технологія Sarıca et al, 2022;Wan et al, 2023), в яких описане зниження продуктивності курей за їх утримання малими групами. Водночас, зустрічаються повідомлення про те, що ефективнішим є утримання курей в угрупуваннях невеликих розмірів.…”