The study was undertaken to evaluate the production performance of layers reared in different types of cages with different stocking densities. The trial was conducted on 320 White Leghorn layers of BV300 strain for period of 20 weeks. The birds were divided randomly in eight groups. Each group was further divided into four replicates of ten birds and each group received different housing treatments. Groups A, B and C were housed in California cages with floor space of 450, 465 and 750 cm2 per bird; groups D, E and F were housed in battery cages with floor space of 465, 450 and 750 cm2 per bird; groups G and H were housed in enhanced cages with floor space of 750 and 450 cm2 per bird, respectively. It was noticed that in California cages, the birds allotted with floor space of 750 cm2 per bird recorded significantly better production performance. In battery cages, the birds E provided with floor space of 450 cm2 per bird recorded better production performance where as in enhanced cages, the birds reared with floor space of 750 cm2 per bird recorded significantly better production performance. There was no effect of stocking density on mortality. The H/L ratio of birds from different groups was not affected. Regarding the economics, it is observed that except California cages, the recommended floor space beneficial for obtaining more net profit per egg. Hence, it was concluded that with low stocking density the production performance of layers was found to be better in California and enhanced cages at the floor space of 750 cm2 per bird. However, the incidence of broken eggs was more in the both type of cages. It has also been observed that for the birds reared in battery cages, when the floor space was increased than the recommended allowance, overall performance was found to have been decreased. Further it was concluded that, with respect to the performance of layers in the different cages studied in the experiment, the enhanced cage system was found to be better.
Key words: Cage system, Stocking densities, Layers
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