The effect of rearing alternative feeding strategies on the reproductive sucess of broiler breeders

1. Can rearing feeding strategies
improve the laying performance of
broiler breeders?
Arrazola A., Widowski T.M., Guerin M.T. and Torrey S.

2. Broiler breeder paradox
Control growth rate
Feed restriction (> 43% )
2175 g at week 5
2195 g at week 20Mortality
Health
Reproduction

3. Feeding strategies to increase feed intake
 Reduce feed quality
Addition of fibre
Appetite suppressants
 Intermittent feeding frequencies
Skip-a-day
4/3
5/2
Graduated 36 pullets at week 12

4. The effect of alternative feeding strategies
van Emous et al., 2015
Control
Diluted
Eggproduction(%)

5. Feeding restriction regimen
Daily Skip-a-day 4/3 5/2
a) Same feed allowance
Settable eggs/hen 92.9±2.0a 89.3±2.2b 93.0±2.4a 92.6±2.2ab
Egg weight (g) 60.4±0.1a 60.8±0.1a 60.8±0.1a 61.6±0.1b
b) Same weekly body weight
Settable eggs/hen 93.6±1.9a 89.6±2.5ab 87.1±2.6b 91.4±2.0a
Egg weight (g) 60.6±0.2a 60.9±0.1a 61.1±0.2ab 61.7±0.2b
Reproductive success affected by rearing feeding
scheme
de Beer and Coon, 2007

6. Objective
The objective of this research is to examine the effect of
a rationed alternative diet and non-daily feeding
frequencies provided during the rearing on laying
performance of broiler breeders

7. Rearing housing and management
 1,680 Ross 308 females 70 pullets/pen (7.7 birds/m2)
 4 isocaloric dietary treatments
 From 3 to 22 weeks
 Feeder space: 8 cm/pullet
 Photostimulation at week 22

8. Dietary rearing treatments
1-5% CaP + 40% Soybean hulls
1. Control diet, daily
3. Control diet, 4/3
4. Control diet, graduated
2. Alternative diet, daily

9. Laying housing and management
 960 Ross 308 hens* and 120 YPM roosters* 40 hens/pen (4.4 birds/m2)
 From 23 to 64 weeks
 Sex ratio: 1 rooster/8 hens
 1 nest/4 hens
 Independent feeders
 Feeder space: 14 cm/hen
 Spiking at week 45
YPM 25 weeks old
*Only mature birds and within 15% target body weight

10. Laying performance
Egg production
Recorded daily and its location
Settable eggs*
 Egg weight
One day every 8 weeks
Eggs laid within 24 hours
 Egg characteristics (week 56, 60 and 64)
Yolk, shell and albumen mass
*Settable eggs: > 52 g, excluding soft shells, dirty eggs, cracks, double yolks and fresh eggs (warm)

11. Incubation
 Eggs laid at weeks 32, 40, 48, 56 and 64
were incubated to hatch
 12 settable eggs/pen were weighed and
stored in a cooler for 4 days (15.5ºC)
 Fertile eggs were transferred
to a hatcher at day 18

12. Statistical analysis
Generalized linear mixed model
Pen nested in the model as
experimental unit
Hens’ age as a repeated measure
Pen location and room as
random effects
P<0.05

13. Hens body weight
Alternative (P<0.01)
**

14. Weekly egg production
Treatment (P<0.01)
From week 50 to 64
Alternative feeding
strategies (P<0.01)
P<0.05(*)
P<0.01(**)
**
**

15. Cumulative egg production
Age*treatment (P<0.01)

16. Hatching egg weight
P<0.05(*)
P<0.01(**)
Daily > non-daily*
Control > non-daily**

17. Chick body weight
Age (P<0.01)

18. Settable egg characteristics
P<0.05(*)
*

19. Conclusion
The rearing feeding treatments had an effect on the laying
performance and the growth rate of broiler breeder hens
The three alternative feeding strategies had a slower drop in laying
rate at the end of the laying compared with control
Non-daily treatments during the rearing had a lower hatching egg
weight compared with daily feeding frequencies. However, this
difference among treatments was not significant in chick weight.

20. Acknowledgements
Advisor
Stephanie Torrey
Advisory committee
Tina Widowski
Alexandra Harlander
Elijah Kiarie
Michele Guerin
Volunteers & Students
Animal Behaviour and
Welfare Group
Arkell Poultry Research
Station staff