The relationship of body composition, feed intake, and metabolic hormones for broiler breeder females

Abstract

Three hundred twenty Cobb 500 broiler breeder pullets at 21 wk of age were selected from a flock fed according to Cobb Breeder Management Guide specifications. One hundred sixty pullets at 21 wk of age were switched to ad libitum feeding, and the remaining 160 pullets continued to be control-fed. The pullets were photostimulated at 22 wk and maintained until 36.5 wk. Plasma samples were obtained, BW was determined, and hens were killed for determination of body composition at the following periods: 24 h prior to photostimulation, 2.5 wk after photostimulation, 24 h after first egg, and 36.5 wk following peak egg production. Compared with ad libitum-fed breeders, the restricted breeders had a higher percentage carcass protein and lower percentage carcass fat at all sampling periods. Total egg numbers were greater, and abnormal eggs were less for the restricted pullets compared with the ad libitum-fed pullets at 36.5 wk. Carcass percentage fat of ad libitum-fed pullets was positively related to plasma glucagon, insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), and 17beta-estradiol but negatively related to plasma insulin, insulin/glucagon M ratio, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3). Carcass percentage fat of feed-restricted pullets was negatively related to IGF-I, IGF-II, and T4. The T4 was the most important hormone for predicting the percentage carcass fat in ad libitum-fed pullets, and IGF-I was the most important hormone for predicting the percentage carcass fat in feed-restricted pullets. The percentage carcass protein for ad libitum-fed breeders was positively correlated to IGF-I, T4, T3, insulin/glucagon M ratio, and insulin. Carcass percentage protein for feed-restricted breeders was positively correlated to IGF-I, IGF-II, T4, and glucagon. Stepwise regressions for predicting percentage carcass protein for breeders fed by both systems shows that T3 and IGF-I concentrations were the most important for ad libitum-fed breeders, whereas IGF-II and T4 were best for feed-restricted breeders. The hormone status of breeders may be a key indicator to help predict the body composition and thus support management decisions for maintaining optimum production.

Effects of progesterone injection on performance, plasma hormones and ovarian morphology of ad libitum and restricted fed broiler breeder hens

“…Ad libitum fed hens had higher levels of plasma glucose, TAG and CHO compared to restricted fed birds. These results are consistent with those reported by Chen et al (2006) and Sun et al (2006).…”

“…Ad libitum fed broiler breeders are known to have more hierarchical follicles than their restricted fed counterparts (Yu et al, 1992;Chen et al, 2006;Sun et al, 2006). It seems that higher ovulation rate in ad libitum fed hens with P 4 injection compared to restricted fed birds may be due to more LYF number in their ovary.…”

Changes in fat metabolism of black-bone chickens during early stages of infection with Newcastle disease virus

“…Moreover, the changes in protein levels of PPARg, FAS and ATGL were basically consistent with the changes in mRNA expression. It has been found that changes in feed intake had significant effects on genes expression in the animal for a long time (Richards et al, 2003;Sun et al, 2006). However, NDV infection has more quick and severe changes on gene expression in our study.…”

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone on growth performance, lipid metabolic hormones and parameters in broilers

“…LEP is secreted by adipose tissue and has been shown to play an important role in feed intake regulation, energy metabolism and reproduction in mammals (Sun et al, 2006). Although the chicken LEP promoter gene has not been cloned, chicken LEP is highly conserved and, therefore, is similar to the mammalian gene (Taouis et al, 2001).…”