In broiler production, stocking density, i.e. floor surface per chicken, is very important welfare factor which directly and indirectly influences and determines the level of growth of chicken body weight, but it is also related to other welfare indicators. Objective of the paper was to define the broiler welfare in different stocking densities by evaluation of their walking ability (gait score), feathering, incidence and degree of hock burns, foot pad lesions, and by determination of the biochemical blood parameters (glucose concentration, total cholesterol concentration), as indicators of condition of stress. One day old chickens of Hubbard genotype were housed in boxes in floor rearing system, in 3 stocking densities and 5 repetitions of each treatment. Treatment A scored stocking density of 10 birds/m2; treatment B, 13 birds/m2 and treatment C, 16 birds/m2. Results of the trial indicate absence of significance of differences between trial groups of broilers in regard to their walking ability, condition of skin and legs, and stress indicators. In general, broiler welfare in all trial groups was satisfactory. However, determined tendencies of worsening of the condition of litter, increase of the frequency of lower scores for walking ability (gait score), hock burns and foot pad lesions which occur with increase of stocking density, indicate the importance of this rearing factor and need to define limiting stocking densities from the aspect of broiler welfare but also economical efficiency of production. .

A comparative study of production traits was performed between COBB 500 broilers from a 52-week-old breeder flock and a ROSS 308 from two breeder flocks of different ages (52 weeks and molted flock 79-week-old) in equal, relatively suboptimal ambiental (temperature oscillations) and nutritional conditions (market feed of average quality). The experiment was performed on a total of 720 day-old chicks of both sexes in 4 experimental groups (Cobb; Ross 52; Ross 79; Ross mix - a mixture of Ross broilers from two breeder ages), with 6 replications per group and 30 chickens in each replication. Mortality, body weight (days 0, 7, 21 and 42), weight gain, feed conversion and production index (EPEF) were monitored in 42 days of fattening. It was determined that heavier day-old chickens (p<0.01) with better gain in the first week of production, were obtained from the older breeder flock. Except in the first week, Cobb generally had the highest (p<0.05) body weights and gains in the experiment, aside from in mid and the end of the test, where did not differ significantly from the body weight of the Ross 79 and Ross mix group of broilers, respectively. Results also indicate that genetics (used hybrid) may have a greater influence on the final body weight and daily gain in suboptimal test conditions than the breeder age. Cobb 500 broilers also had significantly higher mortality under test conditions (p<0.05). Feed conversion and the achieved EPEF production index did not vary significantly in the test in chickens of different genotypes or parents. In general, suboptimal conditions in our research constrained realisation of the genetic production potential, with a suppressive effect on both hybrids, higher on the growth in Ross 308, and on the resistance measured by mortality in Cobb 500 hybrids.

In order to examine the consumers? attitude towards eggs, 239 respondents in the area of the City of Belgrade were surveyed, and the assessment of the quality of eggs on the Belgrade market was done by examining the quality of eggs in super/hypermarkets. In the survey, consumers expressed their views about the place of purchase of eggs, the criteria for purchasing and the significance of certain quality traits/properties. In the egg quality test eggs of class A were used, and it was done on egg samples from 5 super/hypermarkets, from a total of 10 egg manufacturers. Based on the results of the study, it was found that most egg consumers buy in super/hypermarkets (39.62%), that the brand/manufacturer was not important for 30.37% of the respondents, that they prefered to buy larger eggs (SS, S and A classes). The quality of eggs is very important for 73.28% of subjects, and the colour of the yolk prefered by the respondents was extremely yellow (62.76%). The supply of table eggs on the market was different (from 1 to 5 manufacturers) per retail store. The quality of eggs, observed for all super/hypermarkets and all manufacturers, expressed in Haugh units, decreased with the shelf life of eggs. The quality of eggs from category 1 to 10 days, in all super/hypermarkets, observed for all manufacturers, was within the studied class A, with egg weight ranging from 60.9 to 64.1g, egg shell colour from 3.6 to 4.2, egg cleaniness 4.4 to 5.0, the colour of the yolk (Roche) from 10.9 to 13.2, and the number of Haugh units from 73.2 to 91.7. The results of the research indicate that consumers in the City of Belgrade are placing importance on the quality of table eggs, that there are differences in the supply and freshness of the eggs between the markets, and that there are differences in the quality within the same market, regardless of the manufacturer.

The objective of the present trial was to evaluate the effects of nettle leaves (Urtica dioica) supplementation, broiler gender and muscle portion on meat fatty acid and mineral profiles. Prior to the trial, a total of 600 one-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chickens of both genders, equally, were randomly divided into three groups: a basal diet (control group) and a basal diet supplemented in the last two weeks of fattening with fresh nettle leaves (30 g/kg diet) or with oven dry nettle leaves (5 g/kg diet). After reaching 42 days of age, twenty birds per diet group were randomly selected (four birds per box, both genders equally) and slaughtered, and breasts and drumsticks were collected for analysis. The dry nettle supplementation increased the MUFA and lowered the PUFA, n-6 and n-6/n-3 ratio, mainly in female broilers (p < 0.05). Drumsticks had higher MUFA and PUFA and lower SFA and n-6/n-3 ratio compared to breast meat (p < 0.05). The addition of nettle to broiler diet increased Fe, Zn and Se and decreased Ca levels, mainly in drumsticks (p < 0.05). Furthermore, drumstick meat had more elements with proven health benefits, such as Fe, Zn, Ca and Mn, than breast meat. This study suggests that feeding Cobb 500 broilers with the addition of nettle leaves can significantly change meat fatty acid and mineral composition, but this effect differed between gender and portion.