EFFECT OF POSTHATCH HOLDING TIME ON PERFORMANCE AND ON RESIDUAL YOLK AND LIVER COMPOSITION

An experiment was carried out to determine the importance of holding time after hatching on the performance of male broiler chickens. This was done by transferring the chicks from the hatchery to the poultry house at intervals of 24 h. The weight and composition of the yolk residue on time of transfer were also determined. At 21 and 40 days of age, feed intake and body weight were inversely related to the period of holding. The chicks did not compensate for their posthatching body weight loss. The growth retardation caused by 24- and 48-h holding was equivalent at market age to 1 or 2 days body weight gain, respectively. There were no differences among treatments for feed utilization or mortality.