Effects of broiler breeder management on pullet body weight and carcass uniformity

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of broiler breeder feeding management practices on pullet performance, BW uniformity, and carcass traits during rearing (to 22 wk of age). At 3 wk of age, 1,200 Ross 308 breeder pullets were assigned to one of 5 treatments: 1) control: standard mash diet, fed daily; 2) high fiber: mash diet containing 25% lower nutrient density, fed daily; 3) scatter: standard diet in pellet form scattered on litter, fed daily; 4) skip-a-day: standard mash diet, fed on alternate days; or 5) grading: standard mash diet, fed daily (birds sorted into low, average, and high BW groups every 4 wk). Birds on the high fiber treatment consumed more feed (P<0.0001) and had the highest feed conversion ratio (FCR; P<0.004) but the lowest ME to gain and CP to gain ratios (P≤0.002). Skip-a-day treatment pullets consumed more ME and CP than birds in any other treatment (P<0.001). Grading yielded the highest BW uniformity at 22 wk of age (CV=6.2%), while control and high fiber treatment groups were least uniform (CV>15%; P<0.0001). Skip-a-day feed restriction produced birds with the significantly lowest breast muscle and highest liver weight compared to all other treatments (P<0.05). Variation in shank length, chest width, and breast muscle was lowest in the grading treatment, whereas the CV for fat pad and liver was lowest in the skip-a-day treatment. In this trial, broiler breeder target BW profiles were achieved using combinations of quantitative and qualitative feed restriction, or preemptive management practices. Qualitative diet dilution and skip-a-day management did little to increase flock uniformity relative to the control during the most intense period of feed restriction (7 to 19 wk). Scatter feeding increased flock uniformity to a small degree, whereas grading yielded the highest increase in BW and carcass trait uniformity.

Growth heterogeneity in broiler breeder pullets is settled before the onset of feed restriction but is not predicted by size at hatch

“…Considering that feed restriction in broiler breeders is gradually introduced around 1 wk of age, the importance of early development cannot be underestimated and is likely to account for a significant part of the growth heterogeneity seen later in life. This is further supported by the restricted impact of competition-reducing strategies in improving growth uniformity (Zuidhof et al, 2015). We provide evidence that BW within a day of first feeding shows a significant correlation with 4-wk BW even when BW at hatch does not.…”

“…Because these animals need to be feed restricted, reduced growth uniformity has mainly been linked to feed competition (Aviagen, 2013;Zuidhof et al, 2015), but management procedures aimed at reducing competition (e.g., feed scattering, size sorting, intermittent fasting) can, at best, decrease the ABSTRACT: Uniform growth is a desirable trait in all large-scale animal production systems because it simplifies animal management and increases profitability. In parental broiler flocks, so-called broiler breeders, low growth uniformity is largely attributed to the feed competition that arises from quantitatively restricted feeding.…”

Potentials of Bio Fermented Rice Husk Meal as a Replacement to Brewer’s Dried Grain in Finisher Broiler’s Diet

“…The breast muscle of the broilers on the control group had a significant higher value which was 18.28% while the values for T 2 , T 3 and T 4 were similar. The breast muscle is the most valuable portion of the chicken carcass with high significant economic impact in the market (Scheuermann et al, 2003;Zuidhof et al, 2014). The significant reduction in breast muscle obtained in the present research is an indication of inadequacy of bio fermented rice husk to replace BDG since this most valuable carcass of significant economic importance was negatively affected.…”

Efectos de probióticos y ácidos orgánicos sobre parámetros de incubación y producción en gallinas reproductoras

“…La edad, la nutrición y el estado de salud de las reproductoras tienen una correlación directa con la calidad de los huevos, afectando su incubabilidad y la aptitud del pollito recién nacido 28 . La uniformidad en el lote de reproductores desde el fotoestímulo hasta el pico de producción es de vital importancia, guardando una estrecha relación con la nutrición y otros aspectos de manejo 47 .…”