What is cage fatigue syndrome? How can you identify it on the farm?

Cage layer fatigue syndrome is frequently found in poultry production due to the intensive nature of it. It is a condition that generates high economic and productive losses to the sector when it appears because it causes the progressive degeneration of the hen decreasing the time of its productive cycle.

The main symptomatology observed at the field level is prostration due to a progressive weakening of the animal along with anorexia and the presence of fragile bones. In relation to egg production it produces: decreased laying, decreased egg weight, higher % of broken and shelled eggs, lower shell resistance, etc. On the other hand, when performing necropsies on animals with this condition it shows: loss of body weight, reduction of the size of the thymus and other endocrine glands, liver, etc.

Risk factors

It is a syndrome of multifactorial etiology. Some of the factors that cause this condition are chronic stress, air quality in the chicken coops, lighting level, and water quality. However, nutrition is one of the most important factors.

Nutritionally, calcium is an essential nutrient for egg production and the development and maintenance of bones, as well as for the normal function of muscles, nerves and the cardiovascular system.

In an optimal physiological state for the well-being of the hen, but in turn for egg production, there must be a balance between the intestinal absorption of calcium and the formation of bone and shell. From there comes the importance of nutrition in this process, since, if the animal is not supplemented correctly, the productive levels are very high (as in the peak laying phase) and/or the animal is not capable of assimilating these minerals in the gut, also taking into account that the kidney, being the organ in charge of filtering the blood, produces % elimination of this mineral by the kidney in order to regulate calcemia, there will be an increase in significant bone destruction in order to obtain calcium and form the shell.

Likewise, the heat stress that takes place during the warmer months and can also cause problems with calcium levels, triggering disorders such as cage fatigue syndrome. When an increase in temperature occurs, the animals begin to hyperventilate to regulate body temperature and this produces a reduction in CO2 levels, generating respiratory alkalosis. In a compensatory way, the body begins to decalcify the bone to compensate for the alkalosis generated. This fact has a direct impact on the quality of the shell and therefore on the quality of the final product to be produced.

This translates into a reduction in bone density and an increase in fractures, but also an increase in the fragility of the eggs, increasing the % of shelled eggs. In addition, calcium deficiency can also affect muscle and nerve function, which is why when cage fatigue syndrome occurs, animals manifest weakness, muscle fatigue, and difficulty moving.

At what point should we supplement the chickens?

Calcium supplementation and other nutrients are extremely important throughout the life of the hen since, on the one hand, during the first weeks of life it is necessary for it to develop correctly at a skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular level, etc. On the other hand, once the laying phase begins, the nutritional requirements in relation to calcium are extremely high due to the formation of the shell, specifically around weeks 24-26 of life, the hens reach their laying peak, the most demanding energetically speaking and therefore in which special care and attention must be paid when supplementing.

If the feed is not supplemented correctly, all the aforementioned problems will have a place and consequences will be seen in the productive parameters:

• Decreased egg production
• Decreased egg weight
• Increased % of broken eggs
• Decreased shell thickness
• Decreased shell resistance
• Increased mortality rate.

It is important to emphasize that affected birds may be more prone to diseases and health problems, which may result in increased use of antibiotics and other medical treatments, leading to a decrease in the profitability of poultry production.

Strategies to prevent cage fatigue syndrome

There are technologies specifically developed for the prevention of problems associated with cage fatigue syndrome that have proven highly efficacy.

A clear example is Alquernat Magacal, a natural product whose composition has a high concentration of pronutrients that condition mineral metabolism, natural active ingredients that increase the intestinal absorption of minerals in order to prevent bone destruction and the wear of the animal’s reserves. It is a product that has been shown to be effective in improving shell quality, reducing the % of broken eggs and significantly reducing cage fatigue syndrome in layer farms.

Specifically, a trial was carried out where Alquernat Magacal was administered at 0.5 kg/t in layers for 10 weeks and compared with a control group (not supplemented), the results showed that the diet containing Alquernat Magacal produced a notable improvement in parameters zootechnical such as:

• Shell thickness: +1% increase with Alquernat Magacal

• Shell percentage: increase of + 2.7% with Alquernat Magacal

• Serum calcium concentration: increase of +9% with Alquernat Magacal

• Improvement of bone structure:

Sections of the femoral diaphysis. alcian blue staining

CB: cortical bone, MB: medullary bone

CONTROL, B. MAGACAL

Therefore, Alquernat Magacal achieves a greater thickness (+1%) and shell percentage (+2.7%), related to a lower % of broken eggs. It also achieves higher serum calcium concentrations (+9%) and improves bone structure, generating denser and harder bones due to the reduction in bone destruction it achieves.

On the other hand, Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras is a vitamin-mineral supplement designed to prevent the loss of calcium through the kidneys, thus improving the quality of the shell. Experimentally, Alquerfeed egg layers L was administered at a dose of 1ml/L for one day and at 0.5ml/L for 7 days in layers. The results can be seen in the following graph:

• Effect of decreasing broken eggs in laying hens of 76 weeks by Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras

Alquerfeed ovoponedoras improves the consistency and calcification of the shell and decreases up to 50% of broken eggs.

Conclusions

In conclusion, it is important to take preventive measures at  nutritional level to reduce the risk of cage fatigue syndrome as it generates high production losses in poultry. Products such as Alquernat Magacal, composed of natural pronutrients that favor the intestinal absorption of minerals, and Alquerfeed ovoponedoras, a vitamin-mineral complex that prevents the loss of calcium by the kidneys by restoring basal blood CO2 levels that are altered in periods of heat stress, generate an improvement in productive parameters such as: % of broken eggs, shell thickness, shell resistance, egg weight, etc. generating optimal performance of layers making egg production much more profitable.

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