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Productive Performance of Conventional Floor-Reared Broilers vs. High Density Cage-Brooded Broilers

Division of Animal & Veterinary Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6108; Phone: (304) 293-2631; FAX: (304) 293-3740

Correspondence: R. A. Peterson

Two management regimes were compared for rearing commercial broilers to market weight: 1) floor brooding and grow-out (0.067²/bird) for 42 days; 2) high density cage brooding for 21 days (0.017m²/bird) followed by a 21 day grow-out period on litter floor at a housing density of 0.067m²/bird. Cage-brooded broilers experienced compensatory gains during the grow-out phase, but still weighed significantly (P. 05) less than floor-brooded broilers at 42 days. Cage-brooded broilers had a significantly (P. 05) better feed efficiency during the grow-out phase vs. floor-reared broilers. However, when feed conversions were adjusted for 21 day weights, there was not a significant treatment effect. Overall feed conversions did not appear to differ between the two brooding treatments (0-42 days of age). Brooding heat cost was 61% less for cage-brooded broilers than the cost of rearing broilers on the floor. The adoption of a cage brooding-floor finishing regime for rearing broilers would not only provide brooding energy savings for the poultry producer but also permit the producer to nearly double the number of flocks marketed annually. While birds are brooded in a cage brooding facility (days 0-21), another flock (days 21-42) would occupy the conventional broiler house.

Key Words: Broiler breeders • broilers • brooding • cages • efficiency