Effects of a Pasture-based rearing system on Egg production of Hy-line Brown laying-hens under high-altitude conditions in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Substantial efforts have been made using non-conventional feed sources as least-cost options for feeding poultry. Work on alternate rearing systems to complement these efforts for additional income and diversifying production options is equally important. Egg production of 96 Hy-line Brown laying-hens reared under a pasture-based vs. conventional rearing system was investigated in this study. The former involved providing laying-hens with outdoor-access to propagated kikuyu-white clover pastures and restricting feed offer. The latter were kept indoors and fed a standard layer ration ad libitum. A complete randomized design was used with four replicates per production system; each with 12 birds randomly assigned to eight experimental pens.  Feed intake and conversion, hen-housed egg production, egg weights and production costs were measured over eight weeks. Pasture-hens consumed less feed (99.7 vs. 123.9 g^-1; P = 0.002) and attained better feed conversion rates (1.98 vs. 2.22; P=0.009) than conventional-hens. Pasture-hens laid less eggs (10 vs. 11; P =0.015), attained lower hen-housed egg production (80.8 % vs. 90.2 %; P=0.015) and produced lighter eggs (52.9 g^-1 vs. 55.9 g^-1;P = 0.005). However, eggs produced by pasture-hens were cheaper (PGK0.40, egg^-1 vs. PGK0.45, egg^-1; P=0.035) with statistically better benefit-cost ratios (1.74 vs. 1.57; P=0.032). While egg production of pasture-hens was relatively low, the rearing system offers an economically viable alternative that can be incorporated into existing farming systems. Additional studies on raising various laying genotypes under pasture-based systems, over year-long cycles are needed to ascertain its long-term potential and economic viability.