Effect of Precision Feeding on Uniformity and Efficiency of Broiler Breeder Pullets

Abstract

Broiler breeders are feed restricted to control growth and increase the production of settable eggs. However, the consecutive need for the deposition and mobilization of nutrients, due the feeding and fasting cycles those birds are submitted to, is not a efficient process. Additionally, the less food is provided within a day, the more competition is observed among birds with the less aggressive ones not having enough chance to eat. This competition decreases the flock BW uniformity. Precision feeding for broiler breeders is a novel technology that feeds birds individually small amounts of feed throughout the day. The primary objective of this thesis was to determine the effect of precision feeding on BW uniformity, efficiency and water intake of Ross 308 pullets in comparison to the commonly used skip-a-day feeding program. Another experiment was ran concurrently to compare five target BW to identify whether that promoted higher flock BW uniformity and feed efficiency. A third experiment was designed to determine how many birds the precision feeding system could feed without compromising efficiency and flock BW uniformity in an attempt to maximize the number of birds per station to minimize cost. The precision feeding treatment was more efficient and uniform with no difference in water intake as compared to the skip-a-day feeding treatment. For the second trial, Low Flush (Ross 708 with high peri-pubertal growth rate) and Low (Ross 708) target BW were the most efficient and had the highest BW uniformity. For the third trial, precision feeding was able to keep the flocks highly uniform without affecting efficiency regardless the stocking pressure employed.