Influence of weight at hatching on weekly weight of broiler chickens

Abstract

Broiler production is concerned with raising birds that reach market weight within a short time interval, and efforts are geared at indices that can accurately predict the future growth performance of birds based on their initial measurements. This study investigated the relationship between initial weight taken at hatch and its influence on subsequent weights of birds. Newly hatched day-old chicks were obtained from a reputable hatchery in Ibadan, Oyo state. It comprised of chicks from four different commercial broiler strains (Arbor Acre, Cobb, Marshall and Ross). The chicks were tagged for proper identification and weighed and records of their weekly weights taken over ten (10) week period of the study. At the end of the study, a total of 216 broiler chicks comprising Arbor Acre (48), Cobb (52), Marshall (60) and Ross (56) were analysed. Weekly weight progressively increased with increasing age of the birds, while weight gain increased across the weeks, with a decline and a further rise in values reflecting the different stages of growth. The population was fairly homogenous at the early stages but was later moderately varied with increasing age of birds. There was a highly significant (P<0.001) positive correlation amongst all the weights studied but strongest values were recorded on measurements that are contiguously close. Despite the fact that regression of weekly weights was highly statistically significant on initial weight, it is noteworthy that initial weight as predictors of weekly weight had the best fit on the first weekly weight, but the influence of initial weight consistently decreased with increasing age of the broiler birds. This study revealed that initial weight of broiler birds at hatch is a good predictor of future weight of the birds and can be used to model the future growth performances of the birds.