PRODUCTIVITY OF LAYERS AND EGG QUALITY IN FREE RANGE AND CAGE SYSTEM OF HOUSING

Istraživanje je provedeno s dvije skupine kokoši hibrida Lohmann Brown. Proizvodnja jaja trajala je 52 tjedna. Kontrolna skupina kokoši držana je na konvencionalan način, tj. u kavezima, a pokusna skupina kokoši držana je slobodno (free range). Kokoši iz slobodnog, u odnosu na one iz kaveznog sustava držanja, nesle su manji broj jaja (266:295), više su dnevno konzumirale hrane (129 g : 115 g), trošile su više hrane za kg jajčane mase (2,83 kg : 2,35 kg), imale su veću smrtnost (6,80 % : 5,50 %) i manju tjelesnu masu na kraju proizvodnje (1,95 kg : 2,10 kg). Jaja kokoši iz slobodnog, u odnosu na ona iz kaveznog sustava držanja, bila su značajno (P 0,05) između slobodnog i kaveznog sustava držanja kokoši. S obzirom na nešto nižu proizvodnost i veću smrtnost kokoši, veći utrošak hrane za kg jajčane mase, ali i bolju kvalitetu jaja , rentabilnost proizvodnje jaja u slobodnom sustavu zavisit će, u najvećoj mjeri, o tržišnom vrednovanju proizvodnje.The research was conducted with two groups of Lohmann Brown hybrid layers. Production of eggs lasted for 52 weeks. A control group of layers was kept in the conventional housing system, that is, in cages, while experimental group was kept in the free range system. Layers from the free range system, compared to those kept in cages, laid fewer eggs, (266:295), they consumed more feed on daily basis (129 g : 115 g), more feed per kilogram of egg weight (2.83 kg : 2.35 kg), they had higher mortality rate (6.80 % : 5.50 %) and lower end of lay body weight (1.95 kg : 2.10 kg). Eggs from free range layers, compared to those from the cages system, had significantly (P0.05) were determined between the free range and the cages system of housing hens. Considering somewhat lower productivity and higher mortality rate of hens, higher feed consumption per kilogram of egg mass, but also better quality of eggs, profitability of egg production in the free range system will depend, to the maximum extent, on market evaluation of the production