Tofazzal Md. Rakib - Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Lipi Akter - Department of Microbiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Shama Ranjan Barua - Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Nur E Azam - Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Rifatul Erfan - Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Md. Shafiqul Islam - Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Abdullah Al Faruq - Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Mohammad Omer Faruk - Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Omar Faruk Miazi - Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh

The study was conducted in a commercial poultry farm in Quaish under Chittagong district to observe the effects of age and rearing system on phenotypic characteristics Hisex brown layer strains. Several phenotypic characteristics along with egg quality traits Hisex brown were studied. Three hundred cage and Three hundred litter reared hens were randomly selected. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Eggs were sampled in three age periods, from ۲۰ to ۲۶ weeks, ۳۷ to ۴۳ weeks and ۵۴ to ۶۰ weeks of age. No observable difference was found in plumage color, beak color, shank color, comb color, comb type and egg color in both rearing system. Significant (P<۰.۰۵) difference was found in shank length, egg weight and body weight and in cage rearing system it was ۳.۳۲±۰.۱۶, ۵۹.۴۴±۰.۴۲ and ۱۸۵۱.۶۰±۱۱.۹۳, respectively where in case of litter system it was ۳.۱۹±۰.۰۱, ۶۱.۱۴±۰.۴۵ and ۱۸۴۹.۱۰±۳۳.۹۰, respectively. Egg quality characteristics were affected by rearing system and age. Egg weight, yolk weight and percentage increased with the hens’ age in both systems, but Egg shape Index decreased with age. The highest egg weight (۶۱.۱۴±۰.۴۵g) was found in litter rearing whereas highest yolk percentage (۲۸.۱۲±۰.۱۷%) was found in cage system at the final observation. It can be concluded that rearing system and age has effect on egg quality and any commercial layer strain improvement program should incorporate production objectives and trait performance of the society.The study was conducted in a commercial poultry farm in Quaish under Chittagong district to observe the effects of age and rearing system on phenotypic characteristics Hisex brown layer strains. Several phenotypic characteristics along with egg quality traits Hisex brown were studied. Three hundred cage and Three hundred litter reared hens were randomly selected. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Eggs were sampled in three age periods, from ۲۰ to ۲۶ weeks, ۳۷ to ۴۳ weeks and ۵۴ to ۶۰ weeks of age. No observable difference was found in plumage color, beak color, shank color, comb color, comb type and egg color in both rearing system. Significant (P<۰.۰۵) difference was found in shank length, egg weight and body weight and in cage rearing system it was ۳.۳۲±۰.۱۶, ۵۹.۴۴±۰.۴۲ and ۱۸۵۱.۶۰±۱۱.۹۳, respectively where in case of litter system it was ۳.۱۹±۰.۰۱, ۶۱.۱۴±۰.۴۵ and ۱۸۴۹.۱۰±۳۳.۹۰, respectively. Egg quality characteristics were affected by rearing system and age. Egg weight, yolk weight and percentage increased with the hens’ age in both systems, but Egg shape Index decreased with age. The highest egg weight (۶۱.۱۴±۰.۴۵g) was found in litter rearing whereas highest yolk percentage (۲۸.۱۲±۰.۱۷%) was found in cage system at the final observation. It can be concluded that rearing system and age has effect on egg quality and any commercial layer strain improvement program should incorporate production objectives and trait performance of the society.

Hisex brown, Rearing system, Egg quality, Production performance