Two growth experiments with fast growing meat type chickens (Ross 308) were conducted to assess the growth of feathers and feather-free body dependent on age and gender (male:female ratio = 1:1). Birds were reared under uniform management and feeding conditions (floor pens; 15 pens per gender; 5 birds per pen) during the starter (day 1 to 22) and grower period (day 22 to 36). Diets were based on corn, wheat, soybean meal, soybean protein concentrate and balanced with feed amino acids to ensure an equal feed protein quality close to the ideal amino acid ratio by a constant mixture of the feed proteins. At start of the experiment and further on weekly up to the end of the 5 th week, 15 birds per gender (each 3 pens of 5 birds) were selected and 24 h fasted before quantitative de-feathering. Both feather and feather free body fractions were significantly increased with increasing age of the birds (p < 0.001). Feather percentage as related to the empty body weight increased non-linearly from approximately 2% at the end of the first week to about 4% at the end of the experiment. Feather percentage and dry matter content of the feather-free body was significantly higher in female birds (p < 0.001) as compared to males. Further investigations will show how this varying proportions impact on nutrient deposition of modern meat-type chickens dependent on age and gender, respectively.

The objective of this research was to update current results about the nutrient composition of broiler chickens during the growth period up to market age. Two growth experiments were conducted for assessing the nutrient content of feathers and feather-free body of meat-type chickens (Ross 308). Both male and female birds were reared under uniform management conditions (floor pens; 15 pens per gender; 5 birds per pen). Experimental diets both for the starter (day 1 to 22) and the grower period (day 22 to 36) were based on corn, wheat, soybean meal, soybean protein concentrate and well balanced with feed amino acids. The feed protein quality was adapted to the ideal amino acid ratio and equated within both of the feeding periods by adjusting a constant mixture of the feed proteins. Each 15 birds per gender (3 pens of 5 birds) were selected and subsequently fasted for 24 h before quantitative de-feathering both at start of the experiment and further on weekly up to the end of the 5 th week. Nutrient content was determined in representative samples of the feather and feather-free body fraction. In the feather dry matter (DM) very high crude protein (CP) concentrations (>96%) with low age-dependent and insignificant gender-specific differences were observed. In spite, a relatively high variation of CP content in the DM of feather-free body was found. Depending on age, the body CP significantly decreased with increasing age, but male birds yielded higher (p < 0.001) CP content. The crude lipid content of the feather-free and whole empty body significantly increased with age and was higher in female as compared to male birds (p < 0.001). Depending on age and gender, the crude ash content both in feathers and feather-free body of modern fast-growing chickens was rather low and with very low variation.

Three different regression approaches were applied to determine the optimal digestible (d.) and analyzed Val:Lys ratios for broiler performance and carcass yield. One-day-old male Cobb 500 broilers (n = 960) were assigned to 1 of 8 diets, with 6 pens/diet and 20 birds/pen, for 42 days. The negative control consisted of the basal diet with a d.Val:d.Lys ratio of 0.63 and with 93% of the required d.Lys. The positive control consisted of the basal diet with a d.Val:d.Lys of 0.80, with no reduction in d.Lys content. The other (test) diets contained a range of d.Val:d.Lys ratios, all with 93% of the required d.Lys. Data on feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were submitted to regression analysis, applying quadratic polynomial (QP), exponential asymptotic (EA), and linear response plateau (LRP) models. Since Val did not affect carcass or breast meat yield, no regression was performed. Digestible and analyzed Val:Lys ratios were similar based on the regression models. The intercept between the QP and LRP models was used to determine the optimum Val:Lys ratio. Overall, the ideal d.Val:d.Lys ratio will vary according to the main goal of poultry production, i.e., BWG or FCR. For BWG, the ideal ratio was found to be 0.78 (0 to 12 d), 0.73 (0 to 28 d), and 0.76 (0 to 35 or 0 to 42 d). For FCR, the optimum d.Val:d.Lys was found to be 0.80 (0 to 12 d), 0.75 (0 to 28 d), and 0.78 (0 to 35 or 0 to 42 d). The optimum analyzed Val:Lys ratio was slightly higher. For instance, for BWG the optimum ratio was 0.80 (0 to 12 d), 0.76 (0 to 28 d), and 0.79 (0 to 35 or 0 to 42 d). For FCR, the optimum Val:Lys was 0.81 (0 to 12 d), 0.79 (0 to 28 d), and 0.81 (0 to 35 or 0 to 42 d). Valine did not affect carcass or breast meat yield.

Simple SummaryGrowth rates of fast-growing chickens are reduced by a higher ambient temperature (AT) because of difficulties in dissipating heat through the feather coverage. Naked neck meat type genotypes could be helpful in increasing the tolerance for high AT. However, basic model parameters of this genotype necessary to further assess amino acid requirements are as yet unavailable. The experiments were conducted to estimate both the daily nitrogen maintenance requirement (NMR) and the potential for daily nitrogen retention NRmaxT). These observed model parameters provide the basic information to characterize the growth potential of the genotype for further application in modeling of individual amino acid requirements of naked neck meat type chicken.AbstractThe introduction of the naked neck gene (Na) into modern meat type chicken is known to be helpful in increasing the tolerance for a high ambient temperature (AT) by reducing the feather coverage which allows for a higher level of heat dissipation compared to normally feathered (na/na) birds. In addition, reduced feather coverage could affect requirements for sulfur containing amino acids. As a prerequisite for further modeling of individual amino acid requirements, the daily N maintenance requirement (NMR) and the threshold value of daily N retention (NRmaxT) were determined. This was carried out using graded dietary protein supply and exponential modeling between N intake (NI) and N excretion (NEX) or N deposition (ND), respectively. Studies with homozygous (Na/Na) and heterozygous (Na/na) naked neck meat type chicken utilized 144 birds of average weight (50% of each genotype and sex) within two N balance experiments during both the starter (days 10–20) and the grower period (days 25–35). Birds were randomly allotted to five diets with graded dietary protein supply but constant protein quality. The observed estimates depending on genotype, sex and age varied for NMR and NRmaxT from 224 to 395 and 2881 to 4049 mg N/BWkg0.67/day, respectively.

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