Effects of food regulation during the growing and laying stages on the productivity of broiler breeders

1. From 1 to 22 weeks of age 720 Ross 1 parent stock pullets were given regulated amounts of food to achieve 90, 100 or 110% of a target weight (R90, R100 or R110, respectively) while from 23 to 64 weeks of age they were fed 80 or 100% of a set allowance (L80 or L100, respectively). One hundred and fifty Ross 1 parent stock males were on the R110 treatment and then either the L80 or L100 during breeding.

2. Mean number of settable (> 53 g) eggs per hen housed was 131, 131 and 135 and mean number of chicks hatched per hen housed was 108, 101 and 101, respectively, for the R90, R100 and R110 treatments. These differences were not statistically significant.

3. Mean number of settable eggs per hen housed was 116 and 148 and mean number of chicks hatched per hen housed was 94 and 112, respectively, for the L80 and L100 treatments (P<0.001).

4. Fertility and hatchability were improved but uniformity of the birds was decreased by restricting food intake.