The effect of feed denial in starter diets on the performance of broiler chickens

A total of 2000 commercial chickens (1000 males and 1000 females) were used in an exploratory experiment designed to estimate the effect of two daily feed denial treatments (8 and 12 hr) extended from either 8 to 21 days or 15 to 28 days of age. Mortality was unaffected by these treatments. Body weight at 28 days was reduced, and feed conversion was improved by the feed denial treatments. The length of the daily feed denial period showed a greater impact than age of imposition, and the 12-hr daily denial time diminished the growth performance. At 49 days body weight and monetary returns were higher for the chickens exposed to the 8-hr daily feed denial treatment extending from 8 to 21 days compared with the control group (P less than .10).