Effect of housing systems on the energy balance of laying hens.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18174/njas.v33i1.16869Abstract
In each of 2 experiments 192 medium large laying hens (Warren WSL), of 19 to 27 and 29 to 42 weeks old, respectively, were put in 2 respiration chambers in cages and on wire floor in the same environmental conditions. Production performance and utilization of energy were estimated. Feed conversion (feed intake in kg/eggs produced in kg) was slightly lower in the cage system as a result of a greater egg weight. Hens in cages had a greater growth rate. With about the same energy intake in experiment 1 and a lower in experiment 2 the better performance in cages can only be explained by a possibly slightly better utilization of the energy and in particular by a lower requirement of maintenance energy in cages. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)Downloads
Published
1985-02-01
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Papers