TITLE:
The Effect of Quantitative Feed Restriction Duration on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Chickens
AUTHORS:
Ziphozihle Gobane, Sindisile Goni, Denice Chikwanda, Leocadia Zhou
KEYWORDS:
Average Daily Gain, Body Weight Gain, Broilers, Feed Conversion Ratio, Feed Restriction, Duration
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.11 No.4,
September
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: The growth productivity of broilers is influenced by improving growth
performance through improving body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion rate.
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of quantitative feed
restriction duration on growth performance and carcass characteristics of
broilers. A total of 144 day-old broiler chicks were reared in a deep litter
system until slaughter at 42 days. Chicks were randomly allocated to three
treatments which were replicated three times with 16 birds per replicate. The
three treatments were the control (T1), one week of feed restriction (T2), and
two weeks of feed restriction (T3). Birds were fed with starter, grower and
finisher diets. The average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and the feed conversion
ratio (FCR) were computed for each week. Carcass weight and internal organs weights were measured. The body
weight gained by the birds in T1 was similar to the birds that were restricted for a week. The
treatments had a significant effect on the average daily gain in weeks 4, 5, and 6. The ADG for T2 was
higher (P ad libitum at week 4 at the start of
the treatment. There was no significant effect on the relative weights of heart
weights, liver, gizzard, feet, and
heads among the treatment groups except for intestine weight which was lower (P