A Comparative Study on Productive Performance, Egg Quality and Immunity of Different Strains of Laying Hens from Kurdistan Region-Iraq

Volume 26, Issue 2
Spring 2026
Pages 272-283

Document Type : Articles

Authors

1 Animal Production and Health Department, Collage of Agriculture Engineering Science, Salahaddin University, Erbil- Iraq

2 Department of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Poland

Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the productive performance, egg quality traits, and immune response of different strains during three months of laying hens reared in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A total of (720000) layers in three commercial strains- Lohmann White, Lohmann Brown, and Nick Chick- were compared with the correlations during their laying period. Productive performance was assessed through parameters such as egg production rate, hen day egg production, hen house egg production and feed conversion ratio. Results revealed significant differences among strains in Egg production and FCR, with Nick Chik and Lohmann white showing superior egg production compared to Lohmann brown, while the correlation between strain and month Lohmann white and Nick chick recorded higher significant (p≤0.05) in first and third months of HDEP, HHEP and FCR. Nick chick exhibited better egg weight, yolk diameter and shell thickness, however the correlation among the strains in the three months were significantly (P≤0.02) different. Immune response also varied, with strain-specific differences in antibody titers, Newcastle disease virus ND at 36 wks. recorded higher antibodies titers in Lohmann white and Nick chick, whereas Lohmann white had a higher ND titer in (44) wks. IBV titer recorded higher in Nick chick at (36) wks. While Lohman white and brown significantly (P≤0.04) recorded higher at (44) wks. These findings highlight the importance of strain selection in optimizing productivity, egg quality, and immunity of laying hens under the environmental and management conditions of the Kurdistan Region.

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