This research examines the effects of alternative feeding strategies for broiler breeders, including rationed diets and non-daily feeding schedules. Over 1,680 female broiler breeders were subjected to 4 dietary treatments: a commercial daily diet, an alternative daily diet higher in certain nutrients, a commercial diet fed 4 days per week, and a graduated commercial diet with varying feed days. Data was collected on growth rate, maturity, feather coverage, lesions, and more. Preliminary results found the 4/3 schedule resulted in lighter birds, the control had worse feather coverage, and the alternative diet increased litter moisture and lesions initially. Behavioral data is still being analyzed to understand effects on stereotypies.

1. The effects of alternative feeding
strategies for broiler breeders
PhD student: Aitor Arrazola
Advisor: Stephanie Torrey

2. The effect of feed restriction on mortality of broiler breeders
Katanbaf et al., 1989

3. The effect of feed restriction on growth rate
de Jong et al., 2003

4. Commercial feed restriction program
Hunger
Frustration
Lack of satiety
Stereotypies
 F&O Pecking
 Overdrinking
Starting Control growth rate
Sexual tissue
development

5. The effect of feed restriction on oral-related behaviours
Hocking et al., 1996

6. The effect of feed quality reduction on oral-related behaviours
Sandilands et al., 2005

7. The effect of feed quality reduction on growth rate
Sandilands et al., 2006

8. The effect of non-daily feeding schedules on growth rate
de Beer and Coon, 2007

9. Objective
The objective of this research is to examine the effect of
rationed alternative diet and non-daily feeding schedules
for broiler breeders, in terms of animal welfare and
performance, under commercial simulated conditions

10. Methodology: housing and experimental design
 1,680 Ross 308 females 70 pullets/pen (7.7 birds/m2)
 4 isocaloric dietary treatments
 From 3 to 22 weeks
 Aviagen Parent Stock Management Manual
 Photostimulated at week 22
 Feeder space: 4 cm/pullet

11. Dietary treatments
1. Control
• Commercial diet, daily
3. 4/3
• Commercial diet, 4 on feed days per week
4. Graduated
• Commercial diet, varying on-feed days
2. Alternative
• Alternative diet, daily

12. Diet formulations
+40% extra S
+50% extra G1
+54% extra G2

13. Data collection
Growth rate and flock uniformity
• Random subsample of 25 pullets/pen
• Week: 6, 10, 14 and 17
At week 22
• All birds were weighed
• Maturity score
Aviagen, 2013
mature immature

14. Data collection
Feather coverage score
• Subsample of 10 pullets/pen
• Biweekly
• 0 – 5 score:
 0 – 0% feather loss
 1 – < 10%
 2 – 10% < x < 50%
 3 – > 50%
 4 – 10% < x < 50% + injury
 5 – > 50% + injury
Morrissey et al., 2014

15. Data collection
Foot lesion and hock burn prevalence
• Same subsample of birds
• Biweekly
• Yes/no score
Blood samples
• 3 birds on on-/off- feed days per pen
• Weeks: 5, 11, 18, 22
• Blood collection after feeding
Welfare Quality., 2014

16. Data collection
Feeding motivation
• Subsample of 10 pullets/pen
• 5 birds on on-/off- feed days per pen
• Weeks: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20
• ad libitum feed for 20 min
(same home diet)
• Test performed before feeding time

17. Data collection and analyses
Data collection
Litter moisture
• Weekly sampling
• 4 subsample per pen
SAS version 9.4
Mixed procedure
• Week repeated measure
• Pen random effect
• Animal id subject
• Degree of significance <0.05 (*)
Statistics analysis

18. Results and discussion: growth rate
Treatment x week*
5/2
4/3
Daily

19. Results and discussion: flock uniformity
Treatment x week*
4/3 5/2 Daily

20. Results and discussion: maturity score
Control Alternative 4/3 Graduated
a a b ab

21. Results and discussion: feather coverage
Treatment x week*
4/35/2 5/2 Daily

22. Results and discussion: plasma glucose
Off-feed days (non-daily fasting for 24 h) On-feed days
Treatment x week x day*
4/3 5/2 Daily 4/3 5/2 Daily

23. Results and discussion: feeding motivation
Off-feed days (non-daily fasting for 24 h) On-feed days (non-daily fasting for 48 h)
Treatment x week*
Treatment x day*
4/3 5/2 Daily5/2 5/2 4/3 5/2 Daily

24. Results and discussion: litter moisture
Treatment x week*

25. Results and discussion: foot lesions
Treatment x week*

26. Results and discussion: hock burns
Week*

27. Conclusion
Fixed 4/3 schedule resulted in lighter, and lower percentage of
mature birds at the end of the rearing period
Control treatment had worse feather coverage. Behavioural data is
still to be analyzed. Larger quantity of feed for non-daily and
alternative treatments may decrease feather pecking by increasing
time spent feeding
All treatments were highly motivated to feed, but were neither
hypoglycemic nor hyperglycemic
Alternative treatment increased litter moisture and foot lesions
during the first few weeks of rearing

28. Acknowledgements
Advisor
Stephanie Torrey
Advisory committee
Tina Widowski
Alexandra Harlander
Elijah Kiarie
Michele Guerin
Volunteers & Students
Elyse Mosco
Iran Oliveira Da Silva
Ara Khanamtran
Candace Martins
Geisa Mainardes
Hillary Dalton
Jacqueline Chow
Jessica Ellis
Katherine Hobson
Lilia Serpa
Marcos Donizete Silva
Marissa Belanco
Meagan Coffey
Melissa Speirs
Michael Ross
Michelle Lopes
Natalia Stefanoska
Nicole Berming
Patrick Birkl
Peter McBride
Vinicious Machado dos
Santos
aarrazol@uoguelph.ca