Influence of feeding time on sexual maturity and carcass composition in female broiler breeders

One thousand two hundred and ninety six Arbor Acres females and 144 males were used to study the influence of feeding time on sexual maturity and carcass composition. Treatments were: T1 = feeding at 6:30 am, T2 = 50% feeding at 6:30 am and 50% at 3:30 pm (dual), T3 = feeding at 11:00 am, T4 = feeding at 3:30 pm. Nutrition and management were as recommended to the commercial line. Variables studied were: sexual maturity at 5% production (SM), mean egg production percentage (PEP) body weight (BW), carcass composition, tibia weight (TIBW) and tibia calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents. Analysis of variance was used, and the means were compared using Student's t test. T2 females reached SM at 25.92 weeks, which was earlier (p<0.01) than the other treatments. PEP was greater (p<0.01) for T1 and T2 than for the other treatments. BW was greater in T1 and smaller in T4 (p<0.05) than in the other treatments. TIBW was greater in T3 than in T1 and T2 (p<0.05), with no effect (p>0.10) on carcass dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP) and ash (ASH). DM, EE, TIBW, Ca and P increased (p<0.05) whereas CP and ASH decreased with age. Time of feeding influenced body weight, but not carcass composition. Hens fed twice a day had earlier sexual maturity and similar egg production compared to those fed once at 6:30 am

Performance of female broiler breeders submitted to different feeding schedules

The performance of Arbor Acres broiler breeders (1,296 females; 144 roosters) was evaluated when submitted to the following treatments (T): T1 = feeding at 6:30 a.m. (control); T2 = 50% feeding at 6:30 a.m. and 50% at 3:30 p.m. (dual feeding); T3 = feeding at 11:00 a.m.; and T4 = feeding at 3:30 p.m. Treatments were randomly distributed in 48 pens. There were 27 females and 3 males in each pen and 12 repetitions per treatment. Nutrition and management were as recommended for the commercial strain. It was evaluated age at first egg (AFE), total egg production (TEP), number of days with production above 80% (DAP80), laying peak (P), female mortality (MOR), and gross profit margin (GM) per hen. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and means were compared by Student's t-Test. TEP of T1 (186.3±2.3) and T2 (186.5±1.5) were higher (p0.10) among treatments. GM per hen was better (p<0.05) in T1 and T2 hens. Control and dual treatments were more efficient than other treatments. It was concluded that it is possible to change conventional feeding management's by the dual feeding system

Resultados de Pesquisa em Nutrição de Aves no Brasil: Resumo dos Ultimos 5 anos Results of Poultry Nutrition Research in Brazil: A Summary of the Last 5 years

Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre as pesquisas brasileiras na área de nutrição avícola, entre 1994 a l999. Nesse período, foi publicado um total de 496 trabalhos, com uma média de 82,7 trabalhos/ ano. Os trabalhos na área de nutrição revelaram que 64,52% foram realizados com frangos de corte; 24,19%, com poedoiras e aves de reposição; 3,93%, com matrizes pesadas; e 7,66%, com outras aves. Com relação às publicações em forma de resumos expandidos, foram publicados 226 e 163 resumos, nos Anais das Reuniões Anuais da Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas e da Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia, respectivamente. Na Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia e no Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia foram publicados, respectivamente, 65 e 34 trabalhos completos. Os pesquisadores das instituições UFV, UNESP-Jaboticabal e UFRGS publicaram no total 104, 92 e 46 trabalhos. As pesquisas concentraram-se principalmente nas áreas de proteína/aminoácidos (21,77%), avaliação de alimentos (21,77%), minerais (19,15%) e aditivos (16,33%).<br>A literature review of the papers published in the area of poultry nutrition was done considering Brazilian publications from the period of 1994 to 1999. During this period a total of 496 papers were published, with an average of 82. 7 papers/year. The publications in nutrition revealed that 64. 52% were made with broiler chickens, 24. 19% with laying hens and replacement birds, 3.93% with broiler breeders and 7.66% with other type of birds. Considering the publications in the form of summary, 226 and 163, were published in the Proceedings of Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícola and Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia, respectively. In the Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia and Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia were published, 65 and 34 papers, respectively. Researches in the Universities UFV, UNESP-Jaboticabal and UFRGS, accounted for a total 104, 92 and 46 papers, respectively. The papers in poultry nutrition concentrated mainly in the area of protein/amino acid (21.77%), feedstuffs evaluation (21.77%), minerals (19.15%) and additives (16.33%)