Overfeeding and restriction effects on food and glucose preference in weight selected lines of chickens

Adult males from lines of chickens selected for high (HW) and low (LW) body weights were subjected to either ad libitum, forced, or restricted feeding for 21 consecutive days. Males from the HW line could be force fed to a greater extent than could those from the LW line. A preference for glucose solution versus water was tested in the groups fed diets ad libitum and restricted and in birds compensating from force feeding. Regardless of line, ad libitum-fed birds preferred the glucose solution to water and the restricted-fed birds preferred water to glucose. The HW birds compensating from forced feeding preferred glucose to water, whereas birds treated similarly from the LW line preferred water to glucose. After the assays were completed for preference for glucose solution versus water, each bird was provided continuous access to both a high protein and a high energy diet. Under ad libitum feeding, the HW males consumed more of the high-protein diet than of the high energy diet, while those from the LW line voluntarily consumed more of the high energy than of the high protein diet. The preference of the LW birds for the high energy diet was enhanced by both restricted and forced feeding. The preference of the HW males for the high protein diet was changed by both force and restricted feeding; more of the high energy diet than of the high protein diet was consumed by these birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)