scholarly journals The Influence of Stocking Density on Body Weight, Egg Weight, and Feed Intake of Adult Broiler Breeder Hens

2007 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
pp. 1615-1619 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Mtileni ◽  
K.A. Nephawe ◽  
A.E. Nesamvuni ◽  
K. Benyi
1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. E. Robinson ◽  
M. W. Yu ◽  
M. E. Lupicki ◽  
R. T. Hardin

The immediate effects of a sudden increase in feed allowance on selected morphological and reproductive traits were investigated in broiler breeder hens at 44 wk of age. Fifty Indian River hens were individually caged at 40 wk of age. Prior to 40 wk of age the birds had been feed restricted in accordance with the breeder's recommended feeding program. Five treatment groups (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) of 10 birds each were formed based on level of feeding and duration of exposure to such feeding. T1, T2 and T3 birds were feed restricted (128 g of daily feed bird−1) from 40 to 44, 40 to 45 and 40 to 46 wk of age, respectively. T4 and T5 birds were also feed restricted at the same level as the other groups to 44 wk of age and then were full fed from 44 to 45 and 44 to 46 wk of age, respectively. To facilitate study of follicular recruitment and yolk deposition, hens were fed 10 g of oil-soluble red and black dyes, daily, on alternate days, beginning at 42 wk of age. Birds were killed on day 0 (44 wk; T1), day 7 (45 wk; T2, T4), or day 14 (46 wk; T3, T5). Full-fed hens consumed approximately 100 g more feed per day than did feed-restricted hens, with marked increases in feed intake on the first day of full feeding. After 7 d of ad libitum feeding, significant increases were seen in body weight, liver weight, percent liver fat, plasma lipid concentration, ovary weight, and the incidence of a double hierarchy (simultaneous development) of large follicles. After 14 d of ad libitum feeding, significant increases were also observed in absolute fat-pad weight, individual weights of the four largest preovulatory follicles and number of large preovulatory follicles. The increased number of large follicles in the ovary was not associated with any change in egg production. It is apparent that the morphological disruptions associated with overfeeding broiler breeder hens can be identified within 7 d of full feeding, while any effects on egg production are not seen within the first 14 d of ad libitum feeding. Key words: Broiler breeder, feed intake, yolk deposition, ovarian morphology, egg production


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
A. K Olutunmogun ◽  
A.U Umar, ◽  
I. A Adeyinka ◽  
E. O Adejoh-Ubani ◽  
B.I Nwag ◽  
...  

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of two lines of broiler breeders under selection. The traits of interest were fertility, body weight and survival rate. A total of 120 day-old broiler chicks were hatched from two lines of broiler breeder chickens under selection (Sire and Dam lines). The chicks were hatched from a population of breeder hens and cocks with a mating ratio of 1 broiler cock to 6 broiler hens (1:6). Eggs were collected and pedigreed according to the lines and sire information. The eggs were weighed on a Camry model digital sensitive scale in grams. Eggs were set and hatched in a Buckeye incubator. Each hatched chick was tagged and weighed at hatching and then weekly up to 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using general linear model (GLM). Correlation and regression analysis were based on pooled data from both lines. Results showed that the lines differed with respect to fertility (67.67% and 83.00%), hatchability (77.79 and 49.00) and survival rate (77.78 and 94.14).Also changes in body weight increased as their ages increased with the dam line being superior. There was a low R2 value of between 0.05 – 0.33 when egg weight and hatch weight were pooled and considered as independent variables. In conclusion the lines were superior to each other differently as the sire line had better egg weight and hatchability while the dam line was better in fertility, survival rate and body weight performance. This variation in traits can be used in selection for hybrid strain in the broiler


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 1223-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. E. Robinson ◽  
N. A. Robinson

The effects of variation in body weight at 21 weeks of age on subsequent growth rate, body composition and reproductive performance were studied in broiler breeder hens from 22 to 62 weeks of age. Pullets were sorted into three groups on the basis of body weight (low, medium and high) at 21 weeks of age. Pullets of the low-weight group contained a greater percentage of carcass water and less carcass fat at 22 weeks of age than did the medium- and high-weight pullets, and less carcass protein than the high-weight birds. The relative difference in body weight between the three groups of hens was maintained to 62 weeks of age, the high-weight hens being heavier than the low- and medium-weight hens at the end of the study. The low-weight birds began to lay later than the medium- and high-weight pullets. The low- and medium-weight birds were lighter in weight compared to the high-weight pullets at sexual maturity. Total egg output was lower in the low-weight hens than in the medium- and high-weight hens. No difference was seen in sequence and intersequence pause parameters or in fertility, embryo viability or embryo production between the three groups of hens. On a percentage basis, there were no differences in body composition between groups of birds at 62 weeks of age. It was concluded that pullets which are underweight at 21 weeks of age exhibit a poorer production record than do pen-mates which are of normal or greater than normal body weight. Key words: Broiler breeder hens, egg production, body weight, body composition, sequence length, fertility, embryo viability


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 8379
Author(s):  
Pao-Chia Chou ◽  
Yu-Hui Chen ◽  
Thau-Kiong Chung ◽  
Rosemary L. Walzem ◽  
Lih-Shiuh Lai ◽  
...  

Broiler breeder hens with efficient feed conversion rate under restricted feed intake (R-hens) or allowed unlimited access to feed (Ad-hens) progressed with cardiac functional failure and suffered early sudden death. A supplement of 69 μg 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3)/kg feed improved heart health and rescued livability in both R- and Ad-hens throughout laying stage (26–60 wks). Improvements occurred through cardiac hypertrophic remodeling, reduced arrhythmias, and pathological cues. Here, we further demonstrated consistently decreased circulating and cardiac IL-6 and IL-1β levels in conjunction with reduced cardiac chemoattraction and leukocyte infiltration by 25-OH-D3 in Ad-hens and in R-hens at later time points (35 and 47 wks) (p < 0.05). Supplemental 25-OH-D3 also ameliorated cardiac fibrosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and autophagy, mostly in Ad-hens, as both collagen content and expression of COL3A1, as well as CCAAT box binding enhancer homologous protein (CHOP) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), were consistently decreased, and suppression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light Chain 3 beta (LC3B) and Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) was rescued at 35 and 47 wks (p < 0.05). Vitamin D receptor-NF-κB signaling was shown to mediate these beneficial effects. The present results demonstrate that ER stress and autophagic processes along the sequence from inflammation to fibrotic changes contribute to pathological cardiac remodeling and functional compromise by Ad-feed intake. 25-OH-D3 is an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic supplement to ameliorate cardiac pathogenesis in broiler breeder hens.


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