Effects of feeder space allocations during rearing, female strain, and feed increase rate from photostimulation to peak egg production on broiler breeder female performance

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine if there were differences in female broiler breeder performance of 2 strains that had been subjected to 2 feeder space allocations during the growing period followed by 2 feeding to peak programs. Ross 308 and 708 pullets were reared with a single feeding program to 23 wk of age and with 2 circumferential feeder space allocations (5.3 cm/female or 7.0 cm/female) and then assigned to 2 feed increase programs (slow or fast) from photostimulation to peak egg production. The flock was moved to the laying house with 8.8 cm/female of female feeder space and photostimulated at 23 wk of age when Ross 344 males were added to create 16 pens with 60 females and 7 males each in a 2 × 2 × 2 design. The fast feed increase program significantly increased female BW at 31 wk of age, which could have contributed to an increased female mortality during the summer weather of early lay. The 708 females with 5.3 cm/female feeder space produced smaller eggs at 28 and 30 wk of age. The 708 females exhibited better fertile hatchability than 308 females due to fewer late dead embryos. There were no differences in egg production, fertility, or fertile hatchability due to the main effects of feeding to peak program or growing feeder space, but the slow feed increase from photostimulation to peak production reduced cumulative mortality.