Egg quality of commercial layer hybrid kept in different housing systems

Abstract

Egg quality parameters of hybrid layers were analyzed by comparative testing of conventional cage and alternative housing systems: floor pen and mobile cages on the pasture. The analysis of the quality of eggs from the conventional cage and floor pen housing system was carried out at the age of 42 to 44 weeks, and from the conventional cage and the mobile cage on pasture, in the period from 51 to 53 weeks of age. Each trial was organized in 3 repetitions in the 3 seven-day periods and 30 eggs per repetition, i.e. 90 per housing system were analyzed. The quality of 360 eggs in total was analyzed. The initial egg quality was studied based on the properties of the external and internal quality of eggs and eggshell quality. In the conditions of the same genetic of laying hens, the parameters of the egg quality that were significantly affected by the housing system are the egg weight, certain properties of eggshell quality (cleanliness, colour and weight), the ratio of the albumen and yolk, and the yolk colour. Significantly higher egg weight and a lower albumen to egg yolk ratio were recorded in eggs from alternative housing systems compared to the conventional cage system. Eggs from the floor system had a darker and dirtier egg shell compared to the conventional cage system. The eggshell weight and the yolk colour were significantly higher in eggs from mobile cages.