The effects of alternative feeding strategies for broiler breeders

PhD student: Aitor ArrazolaAdvisor: Stephanie Torrey

The effect of feed restriction on mortality of broiler breeders

Katanbaf et al., 1989

The effect of feed restriction on growth rate

de Jong et al., 2003

Commercial feed restriction program

HungerFrustration Lack of satiety

Stereotypies F&O Pecking Overdrinking

Starting Control growth rateSexual tissue development

The effect of feed restriction on oral-related behaviours

Hocking et al., 1996

The effect of feed quality reduction on oral-related behaviours

Sandilands et al., 2005

The effect of feed quality reduction on growth rate

Sandilands et al., 2006

The effect of non-daily feeding schedules on growth rate

de Beer and Coon, 2007

Objective

The objective of this research is to examine the effect of rationed alternative diet and non-daily feeding schedules

for broiler breeders, in terms of animal welfare and performance, under commercial simulated conditions

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 Aviagen Parent Stock Management Manual Photostimulated at week 22 Feeder space: 4 cm/pullet

Dietary treatments

1. Control

• Commercial diet, daily3. 4/3

• Commercial diet, 4 on feed days per week4. Graduated

• Commercial diet, varying on-feed days

2. Alternative

• Alternative diet, daily

Diet formulations

+40% extra S+50% extra G1+54% extra G2

Data collection

Growth rate and flock uniformity• Random subsample of 25 pullets/pen• Week: 6, 10, 14 and 17

At week 22• All birds were weighed• Maturity score

Aviagen, 2013

mature immature

Data collection

Feather coverage score• Subsample of 10 pullets/pen• Biweekly• 0 – 5 score:

0 – 0% feather loss 1 – < 10% 2 – 10% < x < 50% 3 – > 50% 4 – 10% < x < 50% + injury 5 – > 50% + injury

Morrissey et al., 2014

Data collection

Foot lesion and hock burn prevalence• Same subsample of birds• Biweekly• Yes/no score

Blood samples• 3 birds on on-/off- feed days per pen• Weeks: 5, 11, 18, 22 • Blood collection after feeding

Welfare Quality., 2014

Data collection

Feeding motivation• Subsample of 10 pullets/pen• 5 birds on on-/off- feed days per pen• Weeks: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20• ad libitum feed for 20 min (same home diet)• Test performed before feeding time

Data collection and analyses

Data collection

Litter moisture• Weekly sampling• 4 subsample per pen

SAS version 9.4Mixed procedure• Week repeated measure• Pen random effect • Animal id subject• Degree of significance <0.05 (*)

Statistics analysis

Results and discussion: growth rate

Treatment x week*

5/2

4/3

Daily

Results and discussion: flock uniformity

Treatment x week*

4/3 5/2 Daily

Results and discussion: maturity score

Control Alternative 4/3 Graduated

a a b ab

Results and discussion: feather coverage

Treatment x week*

4/35/2 5/2 Daily

Results and discussion: plasma glucose

Off-feed days (non-daily fasting for 24 h) On-feed days

Treatment x week x day*

4/3 5/2 Daily 4/3 5/2 Daily

Results and discussion: feeding motivation

Off-feed days (non-daily fasting for 24 h) On-feed days (non-daily fasting for 48 h)

Treatment x week*Treatment x day*

4/3 5/2 Daily5/2 5/2 4/3 5/2 Daily

Results and discussion: litter moisture

Treatment x week*

Results and discussion: foot lesions

Treatment x week*

Results and discussion: hock burns

Week*

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. Behavioural data is still to be analyzed. Larger quantity of feed for non-daily and

alternative treatments may decrease feather pecking by increasing time spent feeding

All treatments were highly motivated to feed, but were neither hypoglycemic nor hyperglycemic

Alternative treatment increased litter moisture and foot lesions during the first few weeks of rearing

Acknowledgements

AdvisorStephanie Torrey

Advisory committeeTina Widowski

Alexandra HarlanderElijah Kiarie

Michele Guerin

Volunteers & StudentsElyse Mosco

Iran Oliveira Da SilvaAra Khanamtran Candace MartinsGeisa MainardesHillary Dalton

Jacqueline ChowJessica Ellis

Katherine Hobson Lilia Serpa

Marcos Donizete Silva

Marissa Belanco  Meagan Coffey Melissa SpeirsMichael Ross

Michelle LopesNatalia Stefanoska Nicole Berming  

Patrick Birkl Peter McBride

Vinicious Machado dos Santos

aarrazol@uoguelph.ca