RESPONSE OF BROILER BREEDER FEMALES TO FEED RESTRICTION BELOW RECOMMENDED LEVELS .1. GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE

Arbor Acre broiler breeders were used to determine the effects on growth and reproduction performance of quantitative feed restriction below breeder recommended levels. Feed treatments were: 8% above standard (+8%); standard feeding program (STD); and 8 (-8%), 16 (-16%), and 24% (-24%) below standard. Proportional decreases in feed allocation resulted in corresponding decreases in body weight, frequency of double-yolked eggs, and number of days in production. Egg weight, fertility, hatchability, and female mortality to 64 wk of age were not significantly (P greater-than-or-equal-to .05) affected by the reduction in feed intake. Shell quality was significantly improved with the -16 and -24% feed treatments. A delay in sexual maturity caused a significant (P less-than-or-equal-to .05) decrease in average rate of lay (%hen-day) but not in total settable eggs for treatments -16 and -24% to 64 wk of age.