Performance and welfare of different genetic groups of laying hen

ABSTRACT

The objective was to evaluate the performance, egg quality, thermoregulation, body morphology and behavior of different categories of laying poultry. Two treatments with two genetic groups were used, 50 birds of the Hisex Brown strain and 50 birds of the Black Avifran chicken breed with 55 weeks, distributed in a completely randomized design with 10 replicates and 5 birds in each experimental unit. The variables egg weight, weight and percentage of albumen, yolk and shell, marketable eggs, specific gravity, color b *, egg / poultry production day-1 were not different (p > 0.05) between the two groups. Feed conversion by egg mass and dozen eggs, yolk color, L color, diameter, height, shell color presented a difference (p < 0.05), being higher values for the Black Avifran breed. The Black Chicken Avifran had higher body temperature; however, its performance and the quality of its eggs did not change. Black Chicken Avifran presented higher values in relation to body morphology, and better results in relation to the animal performance, therefore, it was more efficient, since it obtained a lower consumption and production equal to the lineage Hisex Brown, when created in the Cage – Free system.