The body weight performance of indigenous indonesian chickens in the grower phase

Body weight is a critical parameter to monitor in chickens due to its correlation with better performance during the production phase. Hence, this study aimed to present an overview of the body weight performance of indigenous Indonesian chickens in the grower phase. The study was conducted in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. Data of body weight performance data of 227 Merawang, 157 Murung Panggang, and 416 KUB chickens in the grower phase were collected. These weights were measured 4 times at 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks while rearing the chickens in battery cages in a closed house under similar management. The result showed that the Murung Panggang chickens at each age had the highest body weight and uniformity value (P<0.05), followed by Merawang and KUB. The body growth curve of the Merawang, Murung Panggang, and KUB chickens at the 6th week showed similar weights, ranging between 400-600 g. However, at the 8th, 10th, and 12th weeks, the Merawang and Murung Panggang chickens had higher body weight performance. Therefore, this study suggested that Merawang and Murung Panggang chickens may have a greater potential to attain higher final body weights.

Effect of deep-litter floor and battery cages system on the feed consumption and egg production rate of commercial Layers

This study was designed to determine the effects of deep litter floor and battery cages housing system on layer feed consumption and egg production rate. Thirty two commercial hybrid layers (hyline) of 10 months production age were randomly selected and distributed equally in four deep litter ground cages, and thirty (hyline) layers were kept in battery cages, which consisted of triple deck cages, provided with automatic nipple watering system and front trough feeders. During the experimental period there were slight changes in live body weight, it was about -0.01 kg in deep litter and about 0.04 kg in battery cages system. Layers housed in deep litter system significantly consumed more feed compared to that kept in battery cages except at first week, and best averages of feed conversion ratios were calculated for layers housed in deep litter than that kept in battery cages, differences were significant for second, third, fourth and fifth weeks of experimental period. Egg production rate were significantly different in layers housed in deep litter system through the production period except the first weeks.

Science or Ignorance of Animal Welfare? A Case Study: Scientific Reports Published in Preparation for the First European Directive on Animal Welfare (1979-1980)

In 1979, the Council of the European Communities declared its intention to ban battery cages for laying hens; one year later, everything about the ban is forgotten. During this preparatory year (1979-1980), all that happened is the publication of scientific reports, that is, attempts at producing knowledge as a basis for and justification of the ban decision. This paper aims at understanding to what extent ignorance and doubt were produced instead. By examining the reports, I demonstrate that there are three interrelated levels of ignorance production: (1) the missions given by the Commission to scientists were ambiguous, (2) questions inherent to animal welfare sciences, such as the significant variability of their measures and results, lead to a systematic standardization, and (3) the battery cage works as a techno-scientific promise and an “obligatory passage point” where scientists and industry meet. Disciplinary identity issues therefore lead scientists to adopt a double standard about the welfare of laying hens.

INFLUENCE OF OVIPOSITION TIME ON SOME FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF EGG SHELL OF THE DOMESTIC FOWL KEPT IN WARM HUMID TROPICS

Investigations on the influence of oviposition time on the functional properties of egg shell of the domestic fowl were conducted. The eggs used for the study were laid by commercial Lohmann pullets - a temperate hybrid. The laying birds were managed singly in battery cages, fed a layer's diet of about 17% crude protein and supplied water. The results showed the mean shell thickness was 0.31, 0.33,0.34 and 0.35mm for eggs laid between 0600 - 0900, 0900 - 1200, 1200 - 1500 and 1500 - 1800 hours, respectively. Shell conductance was 11.93, 11.67, 11.72 and 1133 mg day-1 torr-1, respectively. The respective moisture losses were 3.80,3.75,3.80,3.72 mgcm -2 for 0600-0900, 0900 - 1200, 1200 - 1500 and 1500 - 1180 hours, respectively. In the same order, the pore counts were 15,096, 15,280, 14,668 and 14, 927 egg-1 while the respective pore diameters were 21.76, 21.17, 22.35 and 23.49µ at the different oviposition times. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed at the different oviposition times in these shell properties except for shell conductance and moisture loss. Shell conductance and moisture loss were found to be highly correlated (P <0.01). Eggs laid between 1500 - 1800 hours appeared to exhibit better shell functional properties.

SEMEN BACTERIA FLORA OF RHODE ISLAND BREEDER COCKS IN ZARIA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

The semen used in this was collected from 77 Island Breeder cocks reared in battery cages under intensive management fro a farm in Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria using back message procedure, 27 of 77 semen sample (35.1%) contained bacteria isolates.None of the sample grew fungi. Bac teria isolates obtained from the semen include:Escherichia, coli, staphylococcus, aureus, streplococcus faecalis, Proteus species and Klebsiella species. Seventy of the semen sample were negative for brucellosis but sevrn sample exhibited Brucella specie agglutinins using tube agglutination test and level of antibody titres are 61.5, 82.0 and 102.5 iu/ml respectively. The presence of agglutinin detected in this study is significant since brucellosis is of public health and significance. In addition, the presence of bateria contaminantsin semen should be viewed with seriouness. As a consequence, routine control of bateria in collected semen desirable. This study sought to identify the bateria flora and pathogens in semen collected from cocks and see how they be effectively reduced or destroyed in the interest of the efficient collection, preservation and delivery of highly fertile semen artificially. Areas for further investigation were highlighted.

Clinical-biochemical status of hens due to changes of battery cages height location

In the conditions of industrial poultry farming, the body of hens is constantly exposed to numerous technological stressors, the least studied of which are long-term ones, that can provoke chronic stress. One such technological stressor is an increase in the level of cage equipment, which is used by producers to obtain a larger amount of products from 1 m2 of poultry area. The aim of this work was to study the physiological state of the hen’s body based on the clinical biochemical analysis of their blood serum, depending on the battery cages height. In the conditions of a modern complex for the production of edible eggs in a poultry house with an area of 2 915 m2, 4 groups of hens were formed, each of them was kept on a separate floor-analogue in terms of area and cage equipment. Each floor was equipped with «Big Dutchman» 3-tier battery cages. Battery cages of each floor were separated from each other by a lattice floor so that cages of 1–3 tiers entered up to the 1st floor, 4–6 tiers – up to the 2nd, 7–9 tiers – up to the 3rd, and 10–12 tiers – up to 4th floor of cage equipment. Biochemical parameters and activity of hens blood serum enzymes were determined on a BioChem FC-360 biochemical analyzer. For this, 30 blood samples with a volume of 1.0–1.5 ml were taken from axillary veins of laying hens in each group at the age of 18 weeks (at the beginning of the study) and at 52 weeks. It was found that increasing the layering of cage equipment does not have a negative impact on the hen’s body. So, for keeping hens in cages of multi-tier battery cages located on floors 2–4 (4–12 tiers), the biochemical status and activity of their blood serum enzymes were within the physiological norm. Whereas, for hens kept in battery cages of the a multi-tiered system on the 1st floor there was an increase in glucose levels of 60.5–71.0%, creatinine – by 9.7–12.3%, phosphorus – 82.6–100.0%, was observed a decrease in calcium to phosphorus ratio 46.7–50.0%, which was confirmed by an increase in the activity of alkaline phosphatase by 22.3–27.0%, as well as an increase in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase by 3.2–13.8%, lactate dehydrogenase - by 48.5–65.1% and gamma-glutamyl transferase – by 16.4–20.6%. It has been proven that the main consequences of chronic stress caused by keeping hens in the lower floor cells of the multi-tiered battery cage are reflected in the biochemical parameters of their serum, namely increased glucose, creatinine, enzyme activity and violation of calcium to phosphorus ratio.

Impact of Farming Models on the Reproductive Performance and Egg Quality of Vietnamese Local Chicken Breeds: Ho and Dong Tao

The study was conducted from October 2016 to December 2017 at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Animal Science, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, with the aim to evaluate the interaction between farming model types and reproductive performance of Ho and Dong Tao chickens. The two farming model types used in this research were (1) the traditional type – backyard and (2) the ameliorate type – battery cage. Data were collected from 61 Ho hens and 61 Dong Tao hens continuously during 52 laying weeks. The total number of eggs laid by hens raised in battery cages averaged 88.47 eggs (for Ho hens) and 94.91 eggs (for Dong Tao hens), 35-38% higher than the number of eggs laid by hens raised in a traditional model. The FCR index per 10 eggs laid in battery cages was significantly lower than that in the back-yard model (P< 0.001). In both the Ho and Dong Tao breeds, the rate between the number of embryonated eggs by number of incubated eggs recorded in the ameliorate model was higher than that recorded in the traditional model (P< 0.01 for Ho chickens, P< 0.001 for Dong Tao). The weight of eggs produced by hens raised in battery cages was higher than eggs laid by free-range hens for both Ho and Dong Tao chickens (P< 0.01). As such, the reproductive performances and egg quality of both Ho and Dong Tao breeds were apparently improved when chickens were raised in battery cages.