Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(4):162-168 | DOI: 10.17221/375-CJAS

Effect of housing system on the calcium requirement of laying hens and on eggshell quality

M. Lichovníková, L. Zeman
Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic

The effects of housing systems on the calcium requirement for eggshell production, eggshell quality and on the breaking strength of the hen's tibia were evaluated. Unenriched cages (UN) (24 laying hens), enriched cages (EN) (16 laying hens) and floor system (FS) (24 laying hens) were used in this experiment. The eggshell production of laying hens from 19 to 66 weeks of age was higher (P < 0.01) in the cage systems (UN 39.6 g/hen/week and EN 39.2 g/hen/week) than it was in FS (35.0 g/hen/week). Consequently, the amount of calcium deposited in the eggshells (g/hen/week) was higher (P < 0.01) in the cage systems (14.2 and 14.0 g/hen/week) than in FS (12.6 g/hen/week). Despite of the same calcium intake of the hens housed in EN and FS the eggshell thickness (0.39 and 0.38 mm, respectively) and eggshell strength (38.04 and 36.43 N respect.) were higher (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001 respectively) in EN. The tibia breaking strength was higher (P < 0.05) in FS (156.6 N) in comparison with UN (92.7 N). The rate of calcium intake deposited in the eggshells was higher in the cage systems than in FS, namely by 1.7 to 8.9% depending on the age of laying hens. When determining the correct calcium requirements in the diets of laying hens, the housing system should be taken into account.

Keywords: enriched cage; unenriched cage; floor system; eggshell production; Ca requirement

Published: April 30, 2008  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Lichovníková M, Zeman L. Effect of housing system on the calcium requirement of laying hens and on eggshell quality. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2008;53(4):162-168. doi: 10.17221/375-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abrahamsson P., Tauson R. (1997): Effect of group size on performance, health and birds' use of facilities in furnished cages for laying hens. Acta Agric. Scand. A Anim. Sci., 47, 254-260. Go to original source...
    2. Abrahamsson P., Tauson R., Appleby M.C. (1995): Performance of four hybrids of laying hens in modified and conventional cages. Acta Agric. Scand. A Anim. Sci., 45, 286-296. Go to original source...
    3. Abrahamsson P., Tauson R., Appleby M.C. (1996): Behaviour, health and integument of four hybrids of laying hens in modified and conventional cages. Brit. Poult. Sci., 37, 521-540. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Barnett J.L., Glatz P.C., Newman E.A., Cronin G.M. (1997): Effects of modifying layer cages with perches on stress physiology, plumage, pecking and bone strength of hens. Aust. J. Exp. Agric., 37, 523-529. Go to original source...
    5. Bishop S.C., Fleming R.H., McCormack H.A., Flock D.K., Whitehead C.C. (2000): Inheritance of bone characteristics affecting osteoporosis in laying hens. Brit. Poult. Sci., 41, 33-40. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Chandramoni S.B.J., Sinha R.P. (1998): Effect of dietary calcium and phosphorus concentrations on retention of these nutrients by caged layers. Brit. Poult. Sci., 39, 544-548. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Fleming R.H., Whitehead C.C., Alvey D., Gregory N.G., Wilkins L.J. (1994): Bone structure and breaking strength in laying hens housed in different husbandry systems. Brit. Poult. Sci., 35, 651-662. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Guesdon V., Faure J.M. (2004): Laying performance and egg quality in hens kept in standard or furnished cages. Anim. Res., 53, 45-57. Go to original source...
    9. Guesdon V., Leterrier C., Constantin P., Guemene D., Coutry M., Faure J.M. (2004): Humeral quality and adrenal responsiveness in laying hens reared in standard and furnished cages. Anim. Res., 53, 235-243. Go to original source...
    10. Guesdon V., Ahmed A.M.H., Mallet S., Faure J.M., Nys Y. (2006): Effects of beak trimming and cage design on laying hen performance and egg quality. Brit. Poult. Sci., 47, 1-12. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Hocking P.M., Bain M., Channing C.E., Fleming R., Wilson S. (2003): Genetic variation for egg production, egg quality and bone strength in selected and traditional breeds for laying fowl. Brit. Poult. Sci., 44, 365-373. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Knowles T.G., Broom D.M. (1990): Limb bone strength and movement in laying hens form different housing systems. Vet. Rec., 126, 354-356. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Leeson S., Summers D., Caston L. (1993): Response of Brown-egg strain laywrs to dietary calcium or phosphorus. Poult. Sci., 72, 1510-1514. Go to original source...
    14. Leeson S., Summers J.D. (2005): Commercial Poultry Nutrition. 3rd ed. University books, Ontario, Canada. 398 pp.
    15. Leyendecker M., Hamann H., Harung J., Kamphues J., Neumann U., Surie C., Distl O. (2005): Keeping laying hens in furnished cages and an aviary housing system enhances their bone stability. Brit. Poult. Sci., 46, 536-544. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Newman S., Leeson S. (1998): Effect of housing birds in cages or an aviary system on bone characteristics. Poult. Sci., 77, 1492-1496. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. NRC (1994): 9th revised ed., National Academy Press, Washington, USA.
    18. Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic No 124/2001 Sb. Prague (2001).
    19. Rao S.V.R., Pnada A.K., Raju M.V.L.N., Sunder G.S., Praharaj N.K. (2003): Requirement of calcium for commercial broilers and white leghorn layers at low dietary phosphorus levels. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 106, 199-208. Go to original source...
    20. Tauson R., Wahlström A., abrahamsson P. (1999): Effect of two floor housing systems and cages on health, production, and fear response in layers. J. Appl. Poult. Res., 8, 152-159. Go to original source...
    21. Vits A., Weitzenburger D., Hamann H., Distl O. (2005a): Production, egg quality, bone strength, claw length, and keel bone deformities of laying hens housed in furnished cages with different group sizes. Poult. Sci., 84, 1511-1519. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Vits A., Weitzenburger D., Hamann H., Ditl O. (2005b): Influence of different small-group-systems on performance traits, egg quality and bone breaking strength of laying hens 2nd communication: Bone breaking strength. Zuchtungskunde, 77, 355-366.
    23. Webster A.B. (2004): Welfare implications of avian osteoporosis. Poult. Sci., 83, 184-192. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Yang N., Wu C., McMillan I. (1989): New mathematical model of poultry egg production. Poult. Sci., 68, 476-481. Go to original source...
    25. Zelenka J., Heger J., Zeman L. (1999): Nutrient requirements and nutritive values of feeds for poultry. ČAZV, 63 pp. (in Czech)

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content