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Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.31727/m.24.4.2

Effect of housing on keel bone damages in laying hens

Zlatko Janječić orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-9161-024X ; Agronomski fakultet, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Zlata Kralik ; Fakultet agrobiotehničkih znanosti, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Hrvatska
Zdravko Banovec ; Perfa-bio d.o.o., Donja Stubica, Hrvatska
Dalibor Bedeković ; Agronomski fakultet, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Hrvatska


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page 357-365

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of keel bone damage in laying hens kept in enriched cages, in aviaries, and in a free-range system. The study was conducted by 4 palpators who were randomly assigned 16 laying hens from each of three housing systems, i.e., a total of 48 hens per palpator. The incidence of keel bone fractures was 81.25 % in aviaries, 57.75 % in the free-range system, and 17.19 % in enriched cages. Deviations of the sternum were most pronounced in enriched cages (78.13 %), then in aviaries (65.63 %), and in the free-range system (57.81 %). The results indicate that on average the fracture sites in the enriched cages and free system were located in the posterior third of the sternum, while in the aviaries, the fractures were located on average in the central part of the sternum. Deviations in all three laying hen housing systems were present at the transition from the anterior to the middle third of the sternum. The results obtained in the study confirm the current knowledge about the reduced welfare of laying hens in alternative housing systems regarding deviation and keel bone fractures. Further research is needed to include the impact of these damages productivity of laying hens.

Keywords

laying hens; keel bone damage; alternative rearing; enriched cages

Hrčak ID:

280859

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/280859

Publication date:

14.7.2022.

Article data in other languages: italian spanish german croatian

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