Battery Change Improves the Welfare of Laying Hens

• Main Authors: Silvana Popescu, Cristina Iuliana El Mahdy, Eva Andrea Diugan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Agroprint Timisoara 2012-10-01
• Series: Scientific Papers Animal Science and Biotechnologies
• Subjects: cage, housing system; laying hens; welfare indicators
• Online Access: http://spasb.ro/index.php/spasb/article/view/382

The aim of this study was to assess the welfare of the laying hens in two different housing systems (conventionalbatteries and furnished colony cages), evaluating the housing conditions and management practices and someanimal-linked parameters (feather condition, diseases, production and mortality).Between 2009 and 2011 a large laying hen farm was assessed, before and after the modification of the housingsystem from conventional batteries to furnished colony cages. The housing conditions were significantly better afterthe housing system was changed. The mean score of the feather condition was slightly higher in the furnished cages,comparing with the conventional batteries, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Thefrequency of the lice infestation and the mortality of the birds were higher in the conventional housing than in theimproved one. The egg production was not influenced by the housing system. Even if factors altering the layinghens’ welfare were identified in both housing systems, yet, based on the obtained results we can state that the welfareof the laying hens kept in furnished colony cages is better than that of the birds housed in conventional battery cages.