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Distinct patterns of feed intake and their association with growth performance in broilers
Yuchen Jie1, Chaoliang Wen2, Qiang Huang1
1State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding and Frontier Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Understanding broiler feed intake patterns is key to improving meat production efficiency. This study identified three distinct feed intake patterns, showing that maintaining appetite until the end of the growth period significantly boosts performance.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Poultry Science
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Improving feed utilization is crucial for sustainable meat production and meeting global demand.
- While broiler feed intake (FI) and feed utilization efficiency have improved, dynamic changes in FI and their impact on feed conversion ratio (FCR) remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize dynamic feed intake patterns in broilers from 4 to 6 weeks of age.
- To investigate the relationship between these feed intake patterns and growth performance, including body weight gain (BWG) and FCR.
Main Methods:
- Individual weekly feed intake and body weight of 274 male broilers from purebred and crossbred lines were measured.
- Broilers were monitored from 4 to 6 weeks of age to identify distinct feed intake patterns.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare growth performance across different feed intake patterns.
Main Results:
- A continuous increase in weekly FI was observed from 4 to 6 weeks, with body weight gain (BWG) peaking at week 5.
- Three distinct feed intake patterns were identified: continuous increase (Pattern 1), increase followed by plateau (Pattern 2), and increase followed by decrease (Pattern 3).
- Pattern 1 showed significantly better growth performance and feed utilization efficiency compared to Pattern 3, highlighting the importance of sustained appetite.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic feed intake patterns in broilers can be categorized into three distinct types.
- Maintaining consistent feed intake, particularly in the later growth stages, is vital for optimizing broiler growth performance and feed utilization efficiency.
- These findings provide a basis for improving feeding strategies and understanding feed intake regulation in broilers.
