Free Range: Effects on Production Performance, Egg Quality and Reproductive System Growth of Laying Hens

YANG Haiming; CAO Yujuan; ZHU Xiaochun; WANG Zhiyue; WANG Kuanhua; HOU Banghong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1006-267x.2013.08.025

Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition >

2013 , Vol. 25 >Issue 8: 1866 - 1871

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1006-267x.2013.08.025

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Free Range: Effects on Production Performance, Egg Quality and Reproductive System Growth of Laying Hens

YANG Haiming ,
CAO Yujuan ,
ZHU Xiaochun ,
WANG Zhiyue ,
WANG Kuanhua ,
HOU Banghong

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1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
2. Jiangsu Dadi Animal Health Products Co. , Ltd. , Huai’an 223005, China

Received date: 2013-02-01

Online published: 2013-07-15

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Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of free range on production performance, egg quality and reproductive system growth of laying hens. One hundred and eighty 25-week-old Hy-Line laying hens in cage rear were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates per group and 15 hens per replicate. Birds in one of the two groups were put to the ground for free range rear. Birds in the two groups were all fed ad libitum, and egg production and feed consumption were noted daily. At the forty-second days of the experiment, four hens per replicate of each experimental group were randomly taken to slaughter and measure the related indices of reproductive system. At the same time, six eggs per replicate of each experimental group were randomly got to measure egg quality. The results showed as follows: 1) the final body weight and laying rate of free-range hens were strongly lower than that of cage-reared birds (P<0.01), and the feed/egg was strongly higher than that of cage-reared birds (P<0.01), but the average egg weight was distinctly lower than that of cage-reared birds (P<0.05). 2) The albumen height and eggshell thickness of eggs of free-range hens were significantly higher than those of cage-reared birds (P<0.01), and there was a tendency that the yolk color of free-range hens was higher than that of cage-reared birds (P>0.05). The yolk immunoglobulin content of free-range hens was higher than that of cage-reared birds, but there was no significant difference between them (P>0.05). 3) The oviduct weight and follicle weight of free-range hens were significantly higher than those of cage-reared birds (P<0.01), and oviduct length of free-range hens was lower than that of cage-reared birds (P<0.05). It is concluded that comparing with cage rear, free range can make the birds weight lighten, reduce reproduction performance, and meliorate the egg quality.

Key words： free range; caged rear; production performance; egg quality; reproductive system; immunoglobulin of yolk

Cite this article

YANG Haiming , CAO Yujuan , ZHU Xiaochun , WANG Zhiyue , WANG Kuanhua , HOU Banghong . Free Range: Effects on Production Performance, Egg Quality and Reproductive System Growth of Laying Hens[J]. Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 2013 , 25(8) : 1866 -1871 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-267x.2013.08.025

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