Influence of different housing systems on the performance of hens of four laying strains

Four laying strains were evaluated with regard to henday egg production, egg mass, feed conversion, mortality, Haugh units, shell thickness and percentage soiled, cracked and broken eggs produced under a battery, floor house and free-range system. This was done to determine whether significant differences do exist in performance between the different housing systems and to identify any stain x housing system interactions that may be present. Strain accounted for most variation in all the tested traits. Overall the battery system seemst o be more advantageousth an the other systems,y ielding a significantly higher henday egg production than the free-range system, a significantly higher egg mass than in the floor house system, a significantly better feed conversion than both the floor house and free-range systems, significantly less mortalities and less soiled, cracked and broken eggs than both the other systems. Strain x housing system interactions were observed with regard to feed conversion and mortality.Vier lOrassei s gegvalueert en opsigte van hendageierproduksiee, iermassa,v oeromset,m ortaliteit, Haugh-eenhede,d opdikte en persentasiev uil, gekraaktee n gebreektee iersv erkry vanaf 'n battery-,v loerhuis-e n veldkampstelsel.D it is gedoen om vas te stel of daar betekenisvollev erskille bestaani n prestasiet ussenv erskillendeb ehuisingstelselse n om enige ras x behuisingstelselinteraksiews at teenwoordigm ag wees,t e identifiseer.D ie meestev ariasiei n die gemetee ienskappew ord deur ras verklaar.I n die geheelb lyk die batterystelsevl oordeligert e weesa s die ander twee stelsels.' n Betekenisvolleh o0r hendageierproduksiew ord in die batterystelseal s in die veldkampbehuisingstelsevle rkry, 'n ho€r eiermassaa s in die vloerhuisstelsel,' n beter voeromseta s in albei die ander behuisingstelselsla, er mortaliteit en 'n laer persentasiev uil, gekraakte en gebreektee iers as in die vloerhuis- en veldkampbehuisingstelselsR.a s x omgewingbehuisingstelselinteraksieiss waargeneem ten opsigte van voeromset en mortaliteit.Keywords: Feed conversion, Haugh units, henday egg production, housing system, strain