GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS TRAITS AND SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS OF BROILER CHICKS AS AFFECTED BY HOUSING SYSTEM

This current investigation was conducted to evaluate the potential effects of housing system (battery cages versus litter floor) on growth performance, some blood parameters and carcass characteristics of broilers. A total number of 224 unsexed one day old Evian broiler chicks were randomly distributed into two treatment groups (112 per each group). Chicks of the 1st group were raised in cages, while those of the second one were raised on litter floor. The results of the present work could be summarize as follows: broilers reared on litter floor exceeded (P≤0.05 and 0.01) those kept in battery cages in each of body weight, daily body weight gain and feed consumption in most of the studied intervals. Each of feed conversion ratio, carcass characteristics, some blood parameters and some immunity agents were not significantly changed between broilers kept in batteries and those reared on litter floor. The present work revealed a better performance and an increase in carcass yield of birds reared on floor system, which could be recommended to increase broilers performance under Sharkia Governorate conditions.