EDUCATION AND PRODUCTION Comparison of Behavior and Performance of Laying Hens Housed in Battery Cages and an Aviary T. TANAKA 1 and J. F. HURNIK Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, NIG 2WL, Canada (Received for publication January 2, 1991)
1992 Poultry Science 71235-243
INTRODUCTION Animal welfare is one of the most important contemporary issues in animal agriculture. As reviewed by Wegner (1990), poultry industry practices, particularly the use of battery cages, are frequent subjects of criticism. Folsch et al. (1988) discussed alternatives to the battery cage system, one of which is the aviary system. Generalized comparison among traditional, battery cage and aviary housing systems on environmental factors revealed specific advantages and disadvantages of each (Hurnik and Lehman, 1988). However, there is a need for comparative studies regarding the behavior and productivity of hens in battery cages and aviaries. From the observation of bird behavior during the period shortly after transfer from a brooder house to cages and an aviary, the aviary appears more comfortable than
Present address: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229, Japan.
cages (Tanaka and Hurnik, 1991a). The objective of the present study was to search for behavioral and productivity differences between caged and aviary hens to assess advantages and disadvantages of these two different housing systems.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals and Housing Arrangement Seven hundred and seventy-three commercial DeKalb White Leghorn layers were used in the current study. All birds were hatched in a commercial hatchery and transferred to the Arkell Poultry Research Station of the University of Guelph at 1 day of age and raised in floor pens equipped with roosts. At 19 wk of age, the experimental birds were randomly divided into two groups. One group of 336 birds was allocated to a room equipped with 112 battery cages (50 cm wide, 44 cm deep, 39 cm high in the front, and 34 cm high in the back) with three birds per cage. The other group (437 birds) was transferred to an
235
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Nebraka-Lincoln Libraries on April 9, 2015
ABSTRACT Experiments were carried out to study the behavior and production performance of hens housed in battery cages (3 birds x 112 cages) and an aviary (437 birds). Direct visual observations and videotapings of hen behavior were collected at 24 to 25, 36 to 37,49 to 50, and 61 to 62 wk of age. Production data were collected daily. Stereotyped behaviors were much more frequent (P
1992 Poultry Science 71235-243
INTRODUCTION Animal welfare is one of the most important contemporary issues in animal agriculture. As reviewed by Wegner (1990), poultry industry practices, particularly the use of battery cages, are frequent subjects of criticism. Folsch et al. (1988) discussed alternatives to the battery cage system, one of which is the aviary system. Generalized comparison among traditional, battery cage and aviary housing systems on environmental factors revealed specific advantages and disadvantages of each (Hurnik and Lehman, 1988). However, there is a need for comparative studies regarding the behavior and productivity of hens in battery cages and aviaries. From the observation of bird behavior during the period shortly after transfer from a brooder house to cages and an aviary, the aviary appears more comfortable than
Present address: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229, Japan.
cages (Tanaka and Hurnik, 1991a). The objective of the present study was to search for behavioral and productivity differences between caged and aviary hens to assess advantages and disadvantages of these two different housing systems.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals and Housing Arrangement Seven hundred and seventy-three commercial DeKalb White Leghorn layers were used in the current study. All birds were hatched in a commercial hatchery and transferred to the Arkell Poultry Research Station of the University of Guelph at 1 day of age and raised in floor pens equipped with roosts. At 19 wk of age, the experimental birds were randomly divided into two groups. One group of 336 birds was allocated to a room equipped with 112 battery cages (50 cm wide, 44 cm deep, 39 cm high in the front, and 34 cm high in the back) with three birds per cage. The other group (437 birds) was transferred to an
235
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Nebraka-Lincoln Libraries on April 9, 2015
ABSTRACT Experiments were carried out to study the behavior and production performance of hens housed in battery cages (3 birds x 112 cages) and an aviary (437 birds). Direct visual observations and videotapings of hen behavior were collected at 24 to 25, 36 to 37,49 to 50, and 61 to 62 wk of age. Production data were collected daily. Stereotyped behaviors were much more frequent (P
