Cage-free housing systems offer more space to laying hens, allowing them to move around and exhibit their natural behaviors. However, there are welfare concerns associated with cage-free farming that egg producers need to address.
The transition from cages to cage-free systems is a significant global trend in the egg industry, following the removal of conventional cages.
The cage-free movement started in Europe and has gained momentum in many countries worldwide, including the United States, where it is expected that about two-thirds of the egg market will consist of cage-free eggs by 2026.
Many major egg producers, retailers, food service companies, and hotel chains have already committed to switching entirely to cage-free eggs by 2025.
Cage-free buildings have higher levels of dust and ammonia compared to houses equipped with cages. The increased activity of birds in cage-free systems leads to more dust in the air, resulting in 5-15 times higher dust levels than in caged systems.
Ammonia, generated from manure, is also more prevalent in cage-free houses due to the challenges of complete manure removal.
The higher levels of dust and ammonia can negatively impact the birds' immune systems, increase the risk of infectious diseases, and lead to higher mortality rates.
To address the issue of ammonia levels in poultry houses, a product called De-Odorase, made from Yucca schidigera plant extracts, can be added to the feed.
It helps maintain lower ammonia levels without negatively affecting flock productivity. Wet litter and high ammonia content in cage-free systems can also cause footpad dermatitis and bumblefoot, which are painful footpad infections.
On average, cage-free systems have higher hen mortality rates compared to furnished cages.
Various factors contribute to this, including cannibalism, bacterial infections, internal parasites, and the risk of predation and diseases from contact with wild birds in free-range systems.
Cage-free housing allows contact with soil, litter, and manure increasing the transmission of intestinal parasites and resulting in higher mortality rates.
In cage-free farms, injurious behaviors like feather pecking and cannibalism are major welfare concerns.
Feather pecking can lead to feather removal, skin pecking, wounds, bleeding, and even mortality. This behavior is learned and can spread more easily in cage-free flocks due to larger group sizes.
Cage-free flocks also face challenges like intense outdoor light, higher ammonia levels, and infestation by worms, which contribute to injurious pecking.
Severe feather pecking leads to feather loss, exposing the birds' skin to injury, reducing insulation, and affecting their flying ability, potentially leading to bone fractures in cage-free layers.
Despite having stronger bones, cage-free hens have a higher prevalence of keel bone fractures, which is a significant welfare concern in cage-free farms.
The exact causes of keel bone fractures are not fully understood, but housing and equipment features may play a role.
In conclusion, while cage-free systems allow hens to exhibit more natural behaviors, there are welfare challenges such as air quality, foot health, higher mortality rates, feather pecking, and keel bone fractures that egg producers need to address in cage-free egg production.
