[Comparison of physical feed restriction methods during rearing on broiler breeder performance [growth and metabolic parameters]]

ABSTRACT

To compare the effects of four physical feed restriction methods during rearing broiler breeder on growth, metabolic status and blood indices of stress. A 4x2 factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design. On hundred and sixty pullets and 160 roosters of broiler breeder. The pullets and roosters were housed in pens and consumed the same amount of feed in both treatments. The effects of feed restriction methods [every day, six days a week, five days a week and skip-a-day] during 3 to 22 weeks of age on body weight, uniformity [coefficient variation], feed efficiency, serum biochemical parameters [glucose, triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol and uric acid] blood indices of stress [such as heterophil to lymphocyte ratio and basophil, monocyte and eosinophil counts] were determint. Analysis of variance [ANOVA]. While in the skip-a-day method the body weight and the feed efficiency were lower, the plasma cholesterol [P<0/05] and heterophil lymphocyte ratio were higher in females. Because of higher body weight uniformity in five days a week and six days a week methods, these methods can be recommended