Effects of Strain, Perch and Nesting Area Inclusion or Exclusion on Performance, Egg Quality Traits, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System

Abstract

The impacts of perch and nesting area inclusion or exclusion on performance, egg quality, and welfare of two laying hen strains were examined. Additionally, the effect of hen age on egg quality traits and some welfare measures was emphasized. Lohmann brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) hens were randomly allotted to cage treatments according to a 2 perch (with; PYES vs. without; PNO perch) by 2 nesting area (with; NYES vs. without; NNO nesting area), with four replicates per treatment, each with 20 hens, commencing and ending at 20 and 52 weeks of hen age, respectively. Live body weight, age at 50% egg production, hen day and hen house egg production, livability, egg quality traits, overall egg weight, duration of tonic immobility, blood parameters, feather condition score, and body region temperature were assessed. From the results, LB hens were heavier and had a higher comb, breast region, and footpad surface temperature than LW hens (P<0.01). PNO housed hens were heavier at 50% egg production than PYES housed hens however; eggs with meat and blood spots in albumen were higher in PYES than in PNO housed hens (P<0.05). In addition, PYES housed hens had a higher footpad surface temperature than those housed in PNO cages. NNO housed hens reached 50% egg production earlier, had a higher comb and rectal temperature, and better feather scores compared to NYES housed hens (P<0.05; P<0.01). NYES housed hens produced eggs with a darker yolk color than NNO housed hens (P<0.05). Furthermore, the nesting area effect on duration of tonic immobility approached a significant level (P=0.054), with a shorter duration for NYES than NNO housed hens. Age effect was observed on average egg weight, and egg quality traits apart from shape index, meat-blood spots in the yolk, feather score and body region temperatures (P<0.01), and egg-laying time impacted average egg weight (P<0.01). The study suggests no substantial evidence that the exclusion of a perch and nesting area in the enriched cages compromises performance and welfare measures in hens in addition to relatively slight differences between the strains.