Effect of age of feed restriction and microelement supplementation to control ascites on production and carcass characteristics of broilers

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted, from January until September 2001, to estimate the optimized age to apply feed restriction to control mortality from ascites, with no negative effects on production and carcass characteristics of broilers. For each experiment, 1,200 1-d-old mixed Ross x Peterson chicks were reared in floor pens (50 chicks in each) and fed commercial feed. Feed restriction was applied for 8 h/d for 14 d at 21 or 28 d of age in experiment 1, 14 or 21 d in experiment 2, and 7 or 14 d in experiment 3. In experiments 2 and 3, a microelement supplement (without or with) was tested; the control groups received feed ad libitum and no supplement. Body weight gain, feed conversion, total mortality, and mortality from ascites, leg problems, and carcass characteristics were considered at the end of each experiment. The data were analyzed as a completely randomized design, or as a 2 x 2 factorial to estimate main and interaction effects (experiments 2 and 3). Additional analyses, including the control, were done; means comparisons were by orthogonal contrasts. The production and carcass characteristics of the restricted groups were lower than the control but were not statistically different in experiments 2 and 3, although the optimized age for feed restriction was at 7 d. Total mortality and mortality from ascites decreased by restriction, but leg problems increased without supplement. The results indicated that quantitative feed restriction and microelement supplementation at 7 d of age reduced mortality from ascites and leg problems and permitted compensatory growth sufficient to equal the production characteristics of the control group at 49 d of age. However, it is necessary to determine the specific microelements to be supplemented and to estimate the effects of season and genetic line.

Effect of Energy Restriction on Growth, Slaughter Performance,Serum Biochemical Parameters and Lpin2/WDTC1/mRNA Expressionof Broilers in the Later Phase

“…Short-time feed restriction in the early growth stage of broilers has been adopted in commercial broiler production to reduce the mortality rate, the incidence of metabolic disorders such as ascites, lameness, sudden death syndrome and fat deposition (Lippens et al, 2000;Camacho et al, 2004;Pan et al, 2005). Such system results in temporary reduce of growth rate, while the normal weight of broilers can be attained on removal of feed restriction, thus improving the feed efficiency and decreasing the feeding cost (Yang et al, 2009).…”

The effect of limiting feeding time by three and six hours per day during the starter period on broiler performance

“…This result in feed conversion ratio due to feed restriction does not agree with the findings of Lee and Leeson (2001), Dozier et al (2003), Navidshad et al (2006), and Mahmood et al (2007). They observed better conversion values in birds kept under restricted feeding compared to ad libitum fed birds and do not follow the findings of Balog et al (2000), Camacho et al (2004) and Boostani et al (2010) who reported reduced body weight and feed intake of 8 h/ day restricted birds. Aziz (2012) also found that weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ration of restricted birds were lower than those of control ones.…”

“…More studies should be conducted to affirm this suggestion. The insignificant differences in whole carcass and carcass cuts weights between the control and fasted birds follow the findings of Camacho et al (2004), and Mohebodini et al (2009) who found no significant differences in carcass weight and thigh weight between restricted and control birds and do not follow the findings of Mohebodini et al (2009) who found significantly lower carcass weight breast weight compared to that of control birds. The results also do not follow the findings of Boostani et al (2010) who found significantly lower carcass weight and breast weight as compared to those of control birds.…”

Digestive Enzymatic Responses of Chickens Feed-restricted and Refed as Affected by Age

“…It is known that feed restriction affects chicken performance, leading to a decrease in the weight of the body and some organs, such as the pancreas and those of the digestive tract (Camacho et al, 2004;Wijtten et al, 2010). It can be expected that a decrease in digestive organ mass leads to similar alterations in digestive activity.…”