Evaluation of Procedures for Scoring the Integument of Laying Hens—Independent Scoring of Plumage Condition

Abstract

Abstract A total of 4032 Single Comb White Leghorn layers were kept in six different battery cage models of different designs and feeding techniques. Indpendent scoring by two experienced observers of the same 833 birds divided into 70 groups, was used to evaluate a scoring procedure for plumage condition of hens. This consisted of a scale from 1 to 4 points for each of five parts of the body, with 4 as the maximum. These were added together to give a final total for the whole body. Comparisons between scorers were made on group means with 12 to 15 birds per group. Highly significant correlations were found between scores given by the two scorers. The average correlation coefficients for individual body parts were 0.87 (p≤0.001) and 0.94 (p≤0.001) for the whole body. Both observers ranked the average scores of the individual body parts' plumage condition in the same order. They also found the same significant differences in plumage condition between cage models. A significant tendency for one scorer to put higher points for tail- and wing plumage did not affect the total result of the scoring since the correlation was still high and significant. However, it indicates the importance of using the same scorer(s) if birds are scored at different ages within the same experiment. The scoring procedure described was considered applicable also to practical conditions if even larger number of birds should be scored.