Effect of Cage Environmental Enrichment on Egg Quality in Two Laying Hen Strains

Uğur Özentürk; Ayşe Uysal

doi:10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1610209

EN TR

Effect of Cage Environmental Enrichment on Egg Quality in Two Laying Hen Strains

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of environmental enrichment in cage systems on egg quality, focusing on two laying hen strains, Hyline Brown (HB) and Isa Tinted (IT). Conventional cage systems (CC) were compared with environmentally enriched cages (EEC) that included nest boxes, perches, and pecking stones. Egg quality was evaluated every eight weeks from 24 to 72 weeks of age using one randomly selected egg per cage (4 groups × 14 eggs = 56 eggs). Measured parameters included egg weight, shape index, breaking strength, shell thickness, yolk color, Haugh unit, albumen index, yolk index, and the presence of blood and meat spots. Results revealed no statistically significant differences in egg quality parameters between CC and EEC systems, suggesting that environmental enrichments alone do not influence egg quality. However, strain-specific differences were identified: HB hens produced heavier eggs with thicker and stronger shells, whereas IT hens laid eggs with darker yolks. Age-related changes in egg quality were observed in both strains, with declines in shell thickness, breaking strength, and Haugh unit over time. These findings emphasize the limited impact of cage enrichments on egg quality and highlight the significant roles of genotype and age. Further research is warranted to explore the broader implications of environmental enrichments on poultry production.

Keywords

Kafeste Çevresel Zenginleştirmenin İki Farklı Yumurtacı Hibritte Yumurta Kalitesi Üzerine Etkisi

Öz

Bu çalışmada, kafes sistemlerindeki çevresel zenginleştirmenin yumurta kalitesi üzerindeki etkileri araştırılmış ve iki yumurtacı hibrit olan Hyline Brown (HB) ve Isa Tinted (IT) ait yumurtalar incelenmiştir. Geleneksel kafes sistemleri (CC), folluk, tünek ve gagalama taşları içeren çevresel olarak zenginleştirilmiş kafeslerle (EEC) karşılaştırılmıştır. Yumurta kalitesi, 24 ila 72 haftalık yaşlar arasında her sekiz haftada bir, her kafesten rastgele seçilen bir yumurta kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir (4 grup × 14 yumurta = 56 yumurta). Yumurta kalitesi parametreleri olarak yumurta ağırlığı, şekil indeksi, kırılma mukavemeti, kabuk kalınlığı, sarısı rengi, Haugh birimi, albümin indeksi, sarısı indeksi ve kan ve et lekelerinin varlığı belirlenmiştir. Araştırma bulgularında, CC ve EEC sistemleri arasında yumurta kalitesi parametrelerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark olmadığı ve çevresel zenginleştirmelerin tek başına yumurta kalitesini etkilemediği tespit edilmiştir. Ancak, hibrite özgü farklılıklar belirlenmiştir: HB tavukları kırılma mukavemeti yüksek, daha kalın kabuklu daha ağır yumurtalar üretirken, IT tavukları daha koyu sarılı yumurtalar vermiştir. Her iki hibritte de yumurta kalitesinde yaşa bağlı değişiklikler gözlemlendi ve zamanla kabuk kalınlığında, kırılma mukavemetinde ve Haugh biriminde düşüşler belirlendi. Bu bulgular, kafes içi zenginleştirmelerin yumurta kalitesi üzerindeki sınırlı etkisini ve genotip ile yaşın önemli etkisini vurgulamaktadır. Kanatlı üretiminde çevresel zenginleştirmenin etkilerini daha iyi anlamak için ek araştırmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Supporting Institution

Atatürk University Scientific Research Projects Unit

Project Number

This work supported by Atatürk University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit. (Grant numbers [TSA-2022-10594])

Ethical Statement

The research was ethically approved by the Atatürk University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Unit Ethics Committee (Protocol no: 2024/22, dated 27.09.2024).

Thanks

Thank you to Atatürk University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit for providing a project grant to fund this study (TSA-2022-10594). Thank you to Atatürk University Food and Livestock Application and Research Center for providing experimental area.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Animal Science, Genetics and Biostatistics

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Uğur Özentürk ^*
0000-0002-2037-9340
Türkiye

Ayşe Uysal
0000-0003-2803-2410
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

March 20, 2025

Publication Date

March 27, 2025

Submission Date

December 31, 2024

Acceptance Date

February 11, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 28 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1610209

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA62ZP92BE

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Özentürk, U., & Uysal, A. (2025). Effect of Cage Environmental Enrichment on Egg Quality in Two Laying Hen Strains. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım Ve Doğa Dergisi, 28(2), 593-601. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1610209