Comparative Performance of Artificial Insemination in Broiler Breeders Housed on the Floor Versus Cages on Commercial Scale

ABSTRACT Research trials were conducted at commercial farms (n=147,500) to explore the performance of artificial insemination technique at various frequencies in meat-type floored and cage-housed breeder flocks during 1st and 2nd egg-laying cycles under the controlled environment where the average house temperature and RH were 25-28°C;75-85% and 21-24°C; 50-65% during summer and winter seasons, respectively. Birds were divided into six groups; the cage-housed flocks were either artificially inseminated on each 5th (n=20,000) or 7th day (n=20,000) whereas the floored flocks were either naturally mated (n=10,000) or inseminated artificially on 7th (n=10,000) or 5th (n=49000) day during 1st and 2nd egg lay (n=38500) cycles. The egg lay and hatch data was recorded for complete flock cycles and analyzed using SPSS software. Artificially inseminated hens produced 16% more (P0.05). The Hatchery percentile was the same before the peak and then improved (P