Effect of Restricted Feeding and Debeaking on the Reproductive Performance of Heavy Type Breeders

SINGSEN (1962) in a review of work done at the University of Connecticut, pointed out that heavy broiler-type breeders tend to consume energy greatly in excess of their body needs when they have access to a high energy ration containing supplemental fat; this may result in obesity and an increase in mortality. Their work indicated that birds control-fed a high energy ration, laid as well as birds full-fed either a low or a high-energy ration and were far more efficient in the utilization of their feed. Mortality was lowest in the control-fed group. This author also reported that the “Skip-a-Day” system has proven to be satisfactory as a means of controlling feed intake. This system involved full-feeding a high energy ration from housing time until two weeks beyond peak production, following which all feed was withheld for 24 hours every fifth or seventh day. Based on several experiments, the results …