Evaluation of productive efficiency of laying hens (hisex brown) in Suluq region, Libya

Abstract

The present study was conducted at one of privet sector farm on laying hens in Suluq, Libya. The objective of the study was to evaluate the productive efficiency of layers under the local conditions. A closed poultry house equipped with automatically feeding and egg collecting system. A total of 12000 hens were raised, and the air temperature was ranged between 23 - 25ºC.The light was adjusted at 16 hours per day during the productive period. Data were obtained by the owner of the farm, so that age of birds, feed intake, egg production and mortality were recorded. Then, hen house egg production (HH), hen day egg production (HD), feed efficiency, mortality rate and liveability were calculated. The results showed that HH egg production and HD egg production rates during the productive period were 73.81% and 79.98%, respectively. The feed efficiency was 1.82 kg diet/ 12 eggs. The mortality rate was less than 1% per month, except the last two months of production. Thus, it led to increase the mortality rate up to 11.19% during the productive period. On the other hand, feed efficiency was increased up to 2.00 kg diet/ 12 eggs on the last stage of production. This may attributed to the reduction of productive ability to the laying hens after 72 weeks of production. In addition, it could be attributed to the weakness of uterus which is responsible on shell secreting. Therefore, the cost of egg production would be increased.