Growth curves of three broiler chicken strains fed diets of different nutritional densities
Josiane Carla Panisson A , Isabella de Camargo Dias
A * , Marley Conceição dos Santos A , Leopoldo Malcorra de Almeida A , Everton Luis Krabbe B , Alex Maiorka A and Simone Gisele de Oliveira A
A
B
Abstract
The genetic potential of different poultry strains generates different nutritional, environmental, and management demands, and understanding these differences helps in expressing the production potential of these animals.
The objective was to determine the growth curves of three broiler chicken strains and assess the impact of different dietary nutritional densities on growth performance potential.
In total, 3240 broiler chickens were housed from 1 to 49 days of age in floor pens and distributed in a completely randomised design in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme, with three genetic strains (moderate growth (A), rapid growth (B and C)) and three nutritional densities (regular (RND), medium (MND), and high (HND)), with 12 replicates of 30 animals each. The Gompertz mathematical model (Y = a × exp(−b × exp (−k t))) was used to determine the growth curves. The growth model parameters were estimated on the basis of the weekly average liveweight of each strain within each diet. Carcass and breast weight data were collected at 28, 35, 42, and 49 days.
Rapid growth strains B and C fed MND and HND diets showed higher maximum growth rates and greater feed intake than did the A strain-fed RND diets (P < 0.05). All strains fed RND diets exhibited reduced maturity speed and a delayed inflection point in the growth curves (P < 0.05), with a 6.4% lower growth rate than for broilers that received MND and HND diets (P < 0.05). The A strain showed lower bodyweight and feed intake at maturity than did Strains B and C (P < 0.05).
Thus, it can be concluded that broiler chickens fed with regular nutritional density diets show reduced maturity rates and a delayed inflection point on their growth curves. The dietary nutritional density influences the performance of broiler chickens in different ways according to the strain of the animal.
Adjusting dietary nutritional density on the basis of genetic strain optimises broiler growth performance, improving feed efficiency and economic returns. Lower nutritional densities delay maturity, affecting production planning and market readiness.
Keywords: allometry, broiler chickens, genetics, Gompertz, growth curve, nutrition, nutritional density, poultry nutrition.
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