Broiler breeders are fed restricted to avoid obesity-related problems. However, pullets are fed restricted up to 43% of ad libitum feed intake (for same body weight) during the rearing phase. Alternative feeding strategies targeting an increase in feed allotment, without an increment in energy input, might help birds coping with this stressor. The aim of this project is to examine the effect of different feeding strategies (diet and feeding frequency) under simulated commercial conditions in terms of animal welfare.

1. The effects of alternative feeding
strategies for broiler breeders
Arrazola A., Mosco E., Widowski T.M., Guerin M.T. and Torrey S.

2. The effect of feed restriction on mortality of broiler breeders
Katanbaf et al., 1989
Ad libitum
Feed restricted
Week 13
1758 g.

3. Commercial feed restriction program
Hunger
Frustration
Lack of satiety
Stereotypies
 F&O Pecking
 Overdrinking
Commercial
feeding
programs
Control
growth
rate
Feed restriction
> 43% of ad libitum feed intake

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

5. Objective
The objective of this research is to examine the
effect of a rationed alternative diet and non-daily
feeding schedules for broiler breeders under
commercial simulated conditions

6. 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
 Feeder space: 4 cm/pullet

7. Dietary treatments
1. Control diet, daily
3. Control diet, 4/3
4. Control diet, graduated
2. Alternative diet, daily
1-5% Appetite suppresant + 40% Fiber

8. Data collection
Growth rate and body weight uniformity
• Random subsample of 25 pullets/pen
• Week: 6, 10, 14 and 17
At week 23
• All birds were weighed
• Maturity score
Aviagen, 2013
mature immature

9. Data collection
Feather coverage score
o Subsample of 10 pullets/pen
o Biweekly
o 0 – 5 score for each area
• Feather loss
• Injury presence

10. Data collection
Foot lesion and hock burn prevalence
• Same subsample of birds
• Biweekly
• Yes/no score
Welfare Quality., 2014

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

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

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

14. Results and discussion: feather coverage
Treatment x week*
4/35/2 5/2 Daily
Light
intensity
decreased

15. Results and discussion: litter moisture
Treatment x week*
Heaters
on

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

17. 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. We hypothesizes that
the larger quantity of feed for non-daily and alternative treatments
decreases feather pecking by increasing time spent feeding
Alternative diet increased litter moisture and foot lesions during the
first few weeks of rearing

18. 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
Mischa Ross
Michelle Lopes
Natalia Stefanoska
Nicole Bermingham
Patrick Birkl
Peter McBride
Vinicious Machado dos
Santos