Dr. Ajit Ranade Speaker at Knowledge Day 2015

Comparative study of performance of layers housed in conventional

and enhanced cages in India

Prof. Dr. Ajit S. RanadeH. O.D. & University Head

Department of Poultry ScienceBombay Veterinary College

Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University

Experimental Design

• Place : Department of Poultry Science, Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, Mumbai – 400 012, MS, India.

• 120 layers of BV-300 strain – Age 25 weeks.

• Two groups of 60 birds each

• Group A - Housed in the conventional three tier California cages in six cage compartments of five birds each.

• Group B - Housed in the enhanced cages as entire group in the one cage.

Conventional Cages

Enhanced Cages

Details of Cages & Space Allotment

Particulars

Conventional Cages Enriched Cages60 Birds 60 Birds

One Cage Compartment

Length (Inches) 20 Inches 508 mm 148 Inches 3750 mmEffective depth (Inches) 15 Inches 381 mm 49 Inches 1250 mm

Height at back (Inches) 13 Inches 330.2 mm 18 Inches 450 mm

Height at front (Inches)

15.5 Inches 393.7 mm 20.5 Inches 520 mm

Birds per box 5 60

Space per bird 60 Sq. Inches

450 Sq. cm

121 Sq. Inches

781 Sq. cm

Egg Production (No.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 151617 1819 200

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Conventional cage Enhanced cage

Weeks Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage1 342 3322 401 4013 424 4024 411 4085 419 3986 412 4027 406 3908 416 3899 414 39110 402 39111 398 37912 404 40013 385 33714 380 26315 357 34616 370 35917 383 37418 381 37019 376 36220 372 361

Total 7853 7455Mean 392.65a 372.75b

Egg Mass (Kg)Weeks Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage

1 17.45 14.812 21.15 21.193 22.83 21.554 22.76 22.345 23.17 22.386 22.95 22.547 22.76 22.178 23.27 22.209 23.41 22.2710 22.48 22.3911 22.42 21.7412 22.64 22.8413 21.27 19.1314 17.36 14.7615 19.86 18.9416 20.58 19.9517 20.73 20.0718 20.65 19.9419 19.75 20.1720 19.98 19.73

Total 427.48 411.10Mean 21.37a 20.55b

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819200.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00


Broken Eggs ( No.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 200

5

10

15

20

25

30


Weeks Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage1 0 32 0 93 0 14 0 65 2 96 1 137 3 48 3 49 3 010 0 811 4 312 1 513 2 1614 4 2615 2 516 1 017 2 218 2 519 0 020 4 8

Total 34 127Mean 1.70a 6.35b

Total Feed Consumption (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819200.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00


Weeks Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage1 32.95 31.102 43.18 44.293 44.52 44.914 45.00 46.295 44.71 46.076 44.42 44.447 45.42 45.268 46.36 46.849 46.77 48.0510 44.79 46.7911 47.33 45.7912 46.77 46.4213 46.26 42.8114 42.00 39.8915 40.75 38.7316 44.04 43.8917 45.90 43.2318 46.00 39.0219 43.20 36.9620 41.88 34.97

Total 882.24 855.73Mean 44.11a 42.79b

Feed Consumption Per Bird Per Day (g)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819200.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

140.00



Total 2138.54 2143.12Mean 106.93 107.16

FCR on Egg Number Basis


Mean 1.36 1.38

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718 19200.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00


FCR on Egg Mass Basis


Mean 2.07 2.09

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819200.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00


Mortality (No.)Weeks Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage

1 0 12 0 03 0 04 0 05 0 16 0 07 0 08 0 09 0 0

10 0 011 0 012 0 113 0 014 2 115 0 016 0 017 0 018 0 019 0 020 0 1

Total 2 5Percentage 3.33 8.33

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 190

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Conventional cageEnhanced cage

Overall Performance of LayersParameters Conventional Cage Enhanced Cage

No. of layers at the start of the trial 60 60No. of layers at the end of 20 weeks 58 55Mortality (No.) 2 5Mortality (%) 3.33 8.33Total eggs produced (No.) 7853 7455Total egg mass produced (kg) 427.48 411.10Total broken eggs (No.) 34 127Broken eggs (%) 0.43 1.70Total feed consumption (kg) 882.24 855.73Feed consumption per bird per day (g) 106.93 107.16FCR on egg number basis 1.35 1.38FCR on egg mass basis 2.06 2.08

Overall Performance

• Layers housed in conventional cages produced significantly higher number of egg with higher egg mass than the layers housed in enhanced cages.

• Significantly more number of broken eggs were found in the enhanced cages than the conventional cages.

• Layers in conventional cages also consumed marginally lower feed as compared to the layers housed in enhanced cages.

• Layers in conventional cages recorded marginally better feed conversion ratio on egg number as well as on egg mass basis as compared to layers housed in enhanced cages.

• Mortality is higher in enhanced cages as compared to conventional cages.

Other Observations

•The number of soiled eggs were much higher in enhanced cages than conventional cages.

•The eggs get soiled or broken as eggs get collected in and near the nest boxes provided in the enhanced cages

•The layers show the tendency to spoil cage mats, which are required to be replaced every 3-4 weeks.

Economics for 20 WeeksParameter


Savings of Conventional caged

over Enhanced caged layers

Mortality (No.) 2 5 + 3Cost of mortality @ Rs. 200/- per pullet Rs. 400/- Rs. 1000/-

Rs. 600/-

Total eggs produced (No.) 7853 7455

+ 398

Cost of eggs produced @ Rs. 3.50/- per egg Rs. 27485.50/- Rs. 26092.50/-

Rs. 1393/-

Total broken eggs (No.) 34 127 + 93Cost of broken eggs @ Rs. 3.50/- per egg Rs. 119/- Rs. 444.50/-

Rs. 325.50/-

Total feed consumption (kg) 882.24 855.73

- 26.51

Feed cost @ Rs. 27/- per kg Rs. 23820.48/- Rs. 23104.71/-

- Rs. 715.77/-

Total + Rs. 1602.73/-

Conclusion

• The trial is ongoing.

Dr. Ajit Ranade Speaker at Knowledge Day 2015

Engineering

Transcript of Dr. Ajit Ranade Speaker at Knowledge Day 2015