Egg Industry Center

Research Library

Research files are added periodically on a range of topics found in this library. Library resources consist of old and new research related to the egg production and processing industry.

Pullet Rearing

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Housing systems are found to affect the bone quality of pullets. The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES) study randomly selected and euthanized 120 pullets at 16 weeks of age from both conventional cage (CC) and aviary (AV) housing systems. Their tibia and humerus bones were collected and analyzed by computed tomography. Brachial vein blood samples were also taken from random birds at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 to analyze serum relevant in quantifying systemic bone markers. Overall, CC pullets were found to have longer bones while AV birds had stronger bones relative to bone width and cortical thickness. The improved load-bearing capabilities and stiffness in the AV pullet tibia and humerus bones were likely due to the number of activities available to birds in that housing style.

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