Be informed extra about Hy-Line’s help with cage-free techniques
27 August 2024
4 minute learn
In lots of portions of the arena, farmers are responding to the expanding call for for eggs constituted of cage-free layers. Whilst this can be a frightening prospect for the ones manufacturers with their roots in additional in depth housing techniques, the consequences from cage-free flocks reveal that with the fitting control, manufacturing ranges can fit the consequences accomplished in cage techniques.
The control procedure begins with the rearing cycle. It’s necessary to compare the rearing device as intently as imaginable to the surroundings the birds will revel in within the laying area. Many cage-free layers will probably be housed in aviary techniques; due to this fact, it is vital that pullets have learnt from a tender age to navigate in the course of the overhead apparatus. This will probably be perfect accomplished via rearing the flock in an aviary rearing device, however the place this isn’t to be had, flooring rearing techniques will have to be fitted with aerial platforms and perching, with a share of the feed and water raised off the ground.
Feeder and drinker kind will have to additionally fit the ones within the laying area. Whilst this idea turns out easy, it’s one this is regularly overpassed, making the transition from rearing to laying farm much more difficult for the pullet. A deficient transition to the manufacturing area might result in a frame weight lack of as much as 10 %, and it’s estimated that it will take the fowl 5 weeks to totally get better the loss.
In a light-controlled atmosphere, pullets may have most often been reared on a 10-hour day. On switch, which is in most cases at 16 weeks, the addition of 1 hour to 11 hours of general gentle will stimulate feed and water consumption and can lend a hand the method of regaining that misplaced frame weight. How and when further hours of sunshine are added depends on a number of components, together with the keep an eye on over herbal sunlight, the frame weight of the pullets, and the objective egg weight. Against this to cages the place 14 hours of sunshine is regularly the norm, birds in choice techniques might want a longer day period (as much as 16 hours) because of the additional job concerned and to offer them time to devour enough feed. Some of the an important sides of a hit cage-free manufacturing is encouraging the birds to make use of the nests, and that procedure will have to get started straight away after housing. The 3-week duration after housing and earlier than first egg is a superb time for the birds to seek out and discover the nests. With that during thoughts, quickly after housing, the birds will have to be given get right of entry to to the nests which will inspire the birds to seek out and discover them. Quickly lifting some nest curtains will help this procedure.
All the way through this “pullet coaching,” nests will have to be closed two hours earlier than lights-out, timing it with the final run of the feeder. Every other necessary side is making sure that the birds discover ways to move up onto the slats or device to roost. In the event that they were reared in a suitable atmosphere, this will have to come naturally; on the other hand, any birds which are nonetheless at the flooring at lights-out will have to be lifted up onto the slats. Whilst this will look like an amazing activity, the birds will in no time be told.
Through making sure that the birds are ‘going up’ at evening, this signifies that they get up subsequent to the feed, water and, crucially, the nest packing containers. As soon as laying commences, birds will have to be “walked” steadily, whilst taking care to not disturb them within the nests. “Strolling the birds” approach having a employee input the barn and stroll in the course of the flock to stay birds from settling in spaces the place they’ll be tempted to put eggs, specifically towards the perimeters of
the construction, in corners, or in any darker spaces. Flooring eggs will have to be accrued steadily to deter different birds from imitating this habits.
Birds will want abundant alternative to feed, this means that working feeders 5 – 6 occasions an afternoon. The primary feed will have to be at lights-on, or in a while after, then an opening of 4 hours will have to be left earlier than an additional feed. That is accomplished to steer clear of the feeder aggravating birds which might differently be in (or heading to) a nest.
The remainder feeds will have to be unfold all over the day, holding in thoughts that the vast majority of a fowl’s consumption will probably be within the 2d part of the day.
With regards to keeping up well being standing in cage-free flocks, the rules carried out to extra in depth manufacturing techniques are precisely the similar:
- Powerful biosecurity;
- Complete vaccination program adapted to any particular demanding situations at the manufacturing web page; and
- Keeping up excellent air high quality inside a thermally at ease atmosphere.
There will probably be further concerns, on the other hand, such as enforcing a normal program towards inner parasites.
For additional data on cage-free control, seek the advice of the Selection Programs Control Information.
Very good Cage-Unfastened Efficiency for UK Manufacturers
Manufacturers Daniel and Trudi Bates of Wales, UK, had a high-performing flock of 32,000 Hy-Line Brown Plus birds.
The flock peaked excessive and early, with superb persistency. The flock spent 54 weeks over 90% manufacturing (29 of that have been 95% or above). Because of the Bates’ superb control, livability to 77 weeks was once 97.52% vs. the breed usual of 95.5%. General hen-housed eggs have been 378, which is 20 above the midrange usual! Egg mass was once 1 kg more than the usual. The flock was once very feed environment friendly for a loose vary flock, making an egg in step with 131 g of feed ate up.
