Foot and Skeletal Disorders in Laying Hens: Effects of Perch Design, Hybrid, Housing System and Stocking Density

In four experiments a total of 3660 SCWL laying hens kept in conventional cages at low and high stocking densities with and without a perch, Get-away (GA) cages and aviaries with litter (AL), were used for studies on the presence of bumble foot (BF), distal toe pad hyperkeratosis (TPH), keel bone lesions (KBL) and of the breaking strength of tibia and humerus. Commercial hybrids were used: LSL (Expts. 1, 2 and 4); LSL and Shaver (Expt. 3). Only...