Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers

This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on performance, gait score (GS) and carcass and bone traits in broilers. A total of 420 1-day-old chicks were wing banded and randomly distributed into 21 pens with 20 chicks each. At 7 days of age,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Y. Konca, E. Yaylak, A. Önenç
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2008-01-01
Series:Animal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731108002437
_version_ 1818643417058508800
author Y. Konca
E. Yaylak
A. Önenç
author_facet Y. Konca
E. Yaylak
A. Önenç
author_sort Y. Konca
collection DOAJ
description This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on performance, gait score (GS) and carcass and bone traits in broilers. A total of 420 1-day-old chicks were wing banded and randomly distributed into 21 pens with 20 chicks each. At 7 days of age, chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to one of the three treatments: (1) control (C) feed (23.02% crude protein (CP)) was available ad libitum; (2) meal-time feeding (MF); control feed was available from 0100 to 0900 h and from 1500 to 2300 h. Food was withdrawn from 0900 to 1500 h and whole wheat (10 g/bird per day) was dispersed on the floor from 7 to 21 days; and (3) low-protein (LP) diet (19.71% CP) was fed to the chicks from 7 to 21 days. All of the groups were fed ad libitum from 1 to 7 days of age and from 21 to 45 days of age with a standard commercial diet. Individual body weight was measured on days 7, 21 and 45. Feed consumption was measured from 7 to 21 days and from 21 to 45 days. Forty-two chicks were humanly slaughtered and eviscerated for bone evaluation, on days 21 and 45. Also carcass characteristics were determined on day 45. Control group body weight was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 21 and 45 days of age than the MF and LP groups, which did not differ. Feed intake was reduced by meal-time feeding and LP diet (P < 0.01). Feed efficiency was the best in the MF group during the period of 21 to 45 days of age (P < 0.01). In the control group, shank was significantly longer than that of the LP group and tibia breaking strength was higher than that of the MF group at 21 days (P < 0.05). However, shank width, tibia wet weight and tibia mid-diaphysis ash percentage of the MF group were significantly lower than those of the C and LP groups at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). GS, shank and carcass and tibia bone traits on day 45 were not significant among groups. No compensatory growth and walking ability improvement were observed at 45 days of age for broilers fed with MF and LP between 7 and 21 days of age.
first_indexed 2024-12-16T23:58:37Z
format Article
id doaj.art-337da1cef1c7493f9ebb88aa648cbc0f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1751-7311
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-16T23:58:37Z
publishDate 2008-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Animal
spelling doaj.art-337da1cef1c7493f9ebb88aa648cbc0f2022-12-21T22:11:08ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112008-01-012913241330Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilersY. Konca0E. Yaylak1A. Önenç2Ödemis Vocational Training School, Ege University, TurkeyÖdemis Vocational Training School, Ege University, TurkeyAgricultural Faculty, Ege University, Izmir 35750, TurkeyThis experiment was designed to investigate the effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on performance, gait score (GS) and carcass and bone traits in broilers. A total of 420 1-day-old chicks were wing banded and randomly distributed into 21 pens with 20 chicks each. At 7 days of age, chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to one of the three treatments: (1) control (C) feed (23.02% crude protein (CP)) was available ad libitum; (2) meal-time feeding (MF); control feed was available from 0100 to 0900 h and from 1500 to 2300 h. Food was withdrawn from 0900 to 1500 h and whole wheat (10 g/bird per day) was dispersed on the floor from 7 to 21 days; and (3) low-protein (LP) diet (19.71% CP) was fed to the chicks from 7 to 21 days. All of the groups were fed ad libitum from 1 to 7 days of age and from 21 to 45 days of age with a standard commercial diet. Individual body weight was measured on days 7, 21 and 45. Feed consumption was measured from 7 to 21 days and from 21 to 45 days. Forty-two chicks were humanly slaughtered and eviscerated for bone evaluation, on days 21 and 45. Also carcass characteristics were determined on day 45. Control group body weight was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 21 and 45 days of age than the MF and LP groups, which did not differ. Feed intake was reduced by meal-time feeding and LP diet (P < 0.01). Feed efficiency was the best in the MF group during the period of 21 to 45 days of age (P < 0.01). In the control group, shank was significantly longer than that of the LP group and tibia breaking strength was higher than that of the MF group at 21 days (P < 0.05). However, shank width, tibia wet weight and tibia mid-diaphysis ash percentage of the MF group were significantly lower than those of the C and LP groups at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). GS, shank and carcass and tibia bone traits on day 45 were not significant among groups. No compensatory growth and walking ability improvement were observed at 45 days of age for broilers fed with MF and LP between 7 and 21 days of age.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731108002437broilercarcassgait scoremeal feedingprotein
spellingShingle Y. Konca
E. Yaylak
A. Önenç
Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
Animal
broiler
carcass
gait score
meal feeding
protein
title Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
title_full Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
title_fullStr Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
title_full_unstemmed Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
title_short Effects of meal-time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
title_sort effects of meal time feeding and protein restriction on walking ability and some bone and carcass properties in broilers
topic broiler
carcass
gait score
meal feeding
protein
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731108002437
work_keys_str_mv AT ykonca effectsofmealtimefeedingandproteinrestrictiononwalkingabilityandsomeboneandcarcasspropertiesinbroilers
AT eyaylak effectsofmealtimefeedingandproteinrestrictiononwalkingabilityandsomeboneandcarcasspropertiesinbroilers
AT aonenc effectsofmealtimefeedingandproteinrestrictiononwalkingabilityandsomeboneandcarcasspropertiesinbroilers