Notre Blog Single

1. Stocking Density and Space Utilization

The most significant advantage of cage rearing is the substantial increase in stocking density per unit area. Cage-raised broilers have a much higher stocking density than floor-raised and wire mesh-raised broilers, approximately twice as high, significantly reducing farm space requirements. Nationwide, in the same area of ​​chicken house, cage rearing can hold about twice as many chickens as floor-raised or wire mesh-raised broilers. Floor-raised broilers have a stocking density of approximately 12 to 15 chickens per square meter. In the EU, welfare farming requires a reasonable reduction in density, while in my country, the suitable stocking density for environmentally controlled chicken houses is 32 to 34 kg body weight per square meter (approximately 13 to 14 broilers per square meter). The three-dimensional layout of cage rearing achieves a several-fold increase in output per unit of land, which has significant economic implications in today’s increasingly scarce land resources.

2. Growth Performance and Feed Efficiency

Cage-raised broilers minimize exercise expenditure, converting more feed intake into weight gain. Cage rearing results in significantly higher growth rates and feed conversion rates than floor-raised and wire mesh rearing, reducing feed intake by 160 grams per kilogram of live chickens produced. Experimental data shows that cage-raised broilers can improve feed conversion ratio by 5% to 10% and reduce total costs by 3% to 7%. Studies have shown that the feed conversion ratio of cage-raised broilers can reach 1.8 to 2.0, significantly better than floor-raising.

However, some foreign studies suggest that when litter conditions are well managed, floor-raising systems may outperform cage-raising systems in terms of final body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. This implies the decisive role of management level in different farming models—excellent floor-raising management can narrow or even reverse the efficiency gap with cage-raising, but this also places higher demands on the technical and management capabilities of farmers.

3. Health Management and Disease Control

Cage-raising has significant advantages in disease control. Chickens do not come into contact with feces, effectively controlling the spread of pullorum disease and coccidiosis. Cage-raising reduces the concentration of ammonia in the environment, reducing the triggers for respiratory diseases. Actual farming data shows that the average survival rate of cage-raised broilers can reach 97.33%. The survival rate of modern welfare-oriented cage-raised broilers can reach over 95%.

In contrast, floor-raised chickens come into direct contact with feces, and the damp bedding easily breeds bacteria, increasing the risk of coccidiosis, E. coli, and other diseases. Coccidiosis outbreaks are particularly common in summer or when bedding management is poor, causing significant economic losses.

However, cage rearing also has its health drawbacks. In traditional cage rearing, the broiler’s breast is in prolonged contact with the hard mesh bottom, leading to a higher incidence of breast cysts and leg diseases. However, effective solutions have been developed in recent years—using elastic plastic mesh instead of metal mesh, or adding a layer of soft rubber strips, can significantly reduce the occurrence of breast cysts and leg diseases.

Regarding meat safety, the integrated automatic manure removal system in cage rearing creates more controllable conditions for achieving drug residue and antibiotic-free farming standards in chicken meat. Meat safety is becoming a new dimension determining export pricing power, and the advantages of cage rearing in this regard deserve attention.

4. Manure Treatment and Environmental Impact

Cage rearing systems are equipped with conveyor belt manure removal equipment. Chicken manure is promptly transported outside the shed for centralized treatment via conveyor belt, preventing manure from touching the ground, and resulting in significantly lower ammonia concentrations inside the shed compared to floor rearing. This method of manure treatment improves air quality in chicken houses and facilitates the resource utilization of manure. Manure can be used to make organic fertilizer or for biogas power generation, realizing a circular economy model of “breeding-fertilizer-planting”.

Manure treatment for floor-raised chickens is much more difficult. After each batch of broilers is sold, a large amount of bedding and manure mixture needs to be removed at once, resulting in high treatment costs. Furthermore, used bedding often becomes a source of pathogens, posing a risk of cross-infection in the next breeding cycle.