Intermittent Lighting Improves the Efficiency of Artificial Insemination in Cage Housed Laying Hens
Kavtarashvili A.Sh., Kolokolnikova T.N.
Federal Scientific Center “All-Russian Research and Technological Poultry Institute” of Russian Academy of Sciences
Omsk Agrarian Scientific Center
Summary: The effects of different lighting regimes on the oviposition schedule, productive performance, and reproductive efficiency in cage housed laying hens of layer parental flock (Hisex White-R) were studied; the reasonable regime of artificial insemination (AI) under intermittent lighting is proposed. It was found that intermittent lighting regime 1L:4D:4L:1D:4L:10D compared to the constant lighting significantly alters oviposition schedule: under this regime 82.3% of all daily eggs were laid until 9 am (vs. 66.6% in control). This regime and AI at 10 am improved the productive and reproductive performance compared to control (constant lighting 16L:8D and AI at 12 am): mortality by 1.9%, egg production per initial hen by 3.8%, egg weight by 1.1%, percentage of eggs suitable for incubation by 1.9%, egg fertility by 0.9%, hatchability by 2.3%, hatch of chicks by 2.9%, feed conversion ratio (kg of feed per 10 eggs) by 5.3%, the expenses of electric energy for lighting (per 1000 eggs suitable for incubation) by 54.5%.
Key words: INTERMITTENT LIGHTING, CAGE HOUSED LAYERS, ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI), OVIPOSITION SCHEDULE, AI TIMING, PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE
EFFECT OF DIETARY YEAST SUPPLEMENTATION ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, EGGSHELL QUALITY AND LIPID PROFILE OF LAYING HENS