Body weight optimization of broiler breeder hens. 2. Reproductive performance.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of shifted gain from the pubertal to prepubertal phase (early growth; EG) and timing of maximum pubertal growth (inflection point of a second growth phase; I2) on BW, feed efficiency, carcass composition, and reproductive performance of broiler breeder hens. Target BW trajectories were designed by changing coefficients of a 3-phase Gompertz model fit to the recommended Ross 308 BW target, [Formula: see text] . In each phase i, biologically relevant coefficients describe the amount of BW gain (g_i), the rate of growth (b_i), and the inflection point (I_i), which is the age (wk) when the growth for that phase is at its peak. The study had a 6 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, with six I2 levels (I fro

SUBMITTER: Noetzold TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12510006 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature