61992 Applied Poultry Science.

Inc

DAILY FEED AND WATER CONSUMPTION OF BROILER CHICKS FROM 0 TO 21 DAYS OF AGE'
J. D. BRAKE2, T .N. CHAMBLEE, C. D. SCHULTZ, E. D. PEEBLES and J. P.THAXTON
Poultry Science Depament, Mississippi State University)Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: (601) 325-3417 F M : (601) 325-8292

Primary Audience: Applied Nutrition Researchers

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
The length of time that chicks are fed starter diet prior to grower diet varies considerably. In the research arena, grower diet has been fed as early as 10 days and as late as 45 days of age [2,3,4]. However, most researchers consider the starter period to encompass the first 21 days post hatching [5,6,7] as suggested by NRC [8]. The changeover usually involves weighing any remaining starter feed, removing it, and replacing it with grower feed
~ ~~

when chicks are 21 days of age. Allowances for treatment differences are not normally made. However, we have noted on several occasions that consumption of starter is not always uniform among pens of chicks; therefore, when the starter feed is removed at a predetermined time, results will be confounded because of pen-to-pen variations in consumption. In commercial broiler operations, a set amount of starter is delivered per chick and

1 Ap roved for publication as Journal Article No. 5-7745 from the Mississippi Agricultural anC rForestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University

To whom correspondence should be addressed

161 fed until total consumption occurs. Depending upon the broiler cross, amount of feed delivered, feed energy, and brooding temperature, starter feed will be consumed between the 16th and 23rd day post hatching. At that time, the grower feed is first offered. If research protocols are to reflect commercial feeding patterns, a predetermined amount of starter feed must be consumed by each replicate pen of chicks before the grower feed is offered. In this manner, chicks that experience slow growth (for any number of reasons) will receive the same amount of starter as faster growing chicks. If daily and cumulative consumptions are known, and if mortality occurs, corrections on pen feed input can be made. Our objective was to determine starter feed and water consumption profiles of broiler chicks from placement to 21 days of age. Results are intended to establish a baseline by which researchers can calculate, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the amount of feed and water that will be consumed daily and cumulatively during the starter period.

FEED AND WATER CONSUMPTION

TABLE 1 . Ingredient composition (%) and calculated analysis of starter diet.
INGREDIENT Ground yellow corn (8.4% CP) W e a n meal (48% CP) Fishmeal, Menhaden (60% CP) Fat, pork Defluorinated phosphate Limestone Sodium chloride DL-methionineA L-lysine.HCIB Micronutrient premixCsD SalinomycinE Bacitracin methylene disalicylateF CALCULATED ANALYSIS Metabolizable energy (kcal/lb) Crude protein, % Lysine, % Methionine, 70
%

I I

PERCENT 63.407
28.900
~~~

I
I

2.000 2.600 1.62.5 .520 .297 2.51 .02.5

2.50

I 1
I

.loo
,025

142.5 20.630 1.140 .586 .91S

,880
.450

MATERIALS AND METHODS TSAA,

?kro separate trials were conducted to determine daily feed and water consumption of broiler chicks from placement to 21 days of age. Peterson x Arbor Acres straight-run broilers were used in Trial 1 and Indian River x Arbor Acres straight-run broilers were used in Trial 2. For each trial 400 chicks were housed in each of eight floor pens, with 50 chicks per pen. The pen dimensions were 5 x 10 ft and each pen contained a hanging tube feeder and a bell waterer attached to an individual water bucket. This basic equipment was supplemented by an added one-gallon jug waterer and a feeder flat for the first five days in each trial. A mash starter diet (Table 1) and water were available ad libihrm. Pen heat lamps were used during the first week and supplemental heat was used for the remainder of the 21 days in an attempt to resemble industry brooding conditions. Lighting was continuous. Feed and water consumdon were determined by calculating the dzference between input and weighback on a daily basis for 21 consecutive days. If mortality occurred, the dead chick was assumed to have consumed feed and water equivalent to the pen means for

Calcium, % Available phosphorus. 70 Sodium, %

,220

AS^ plied by Degussa Corporation, Allendale, NJ 07688

BSuppliedby Heartland Lysine, Inc., Chicago, IL60631 Su plied the followin to each kilogram of finished fee$ Vitamin A, ll,& IU; vitamin D3, 2750 ICU; vitamin E, 22 IU; riboflavin, 7.7 mg; niacin, 38.6 mg; d-pantothenic acid, 13.2 mg; folic acid, 1.1 mg; vitamin BIZ, 13 mc ; biotin, 110 mcg; choline chloride, 441 m thiamine, t.8 mg; lyridoxine,, 4.,7 mf ethoxyquin, m ; menadione so ium bisulfite 4 9 m ; manganese, S t m g zinc, 50 mg; iron, 30mg; copper, ?mg; iodine, .S mg; and selenium, .1 mg

DSupplied by Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc., Nutley, NJ 07110 ESuppliedby Agri-Bio, Gainesville, GA 30503. Level of inclusion: 66 ppm FSu lied by A.L. Laboratories, Inc., Fort Lee, NJ 0 7 0 g Level of inclusion: 28 ppm

that day. Each daily mean is represented by 16 pen measurements and calculations are expressed on a per chick basis. Prediction equations were calculated for each set of consumption data.

Results from these trials were used to derive equations which accurately predict feed and water intake on a daily and cumulative basis. Data for each parameter were pooled by day and the following equations were generated [9] to predict individual chick intake:
FD = .37 + 3.546(A) (R2 = 9 2 7 ) Fc = 9.66 + SO56 (A) + 1.8355 (A2)

(R2 = .9999) WD = 9.73 + 6.142(A) (R2 = .9864) WC = 21.41 + 9.064 (A) f 3.193 (A2) (R2 = 9 9 8 ) where FD = daily feed intake (grams); Fc = cumulative feed intake (grams); WD = daily water intake (grams); Wc = cumulative water intake (grams); and A = age (days). Daily feed and water consumptions increased linearly with time (Figure 1).These results fit a straight regression line with a high degree of confidence as indicated by the coefficient of determination. Cumulative results, however, were curvilinear and were predicted by quadratic formulas. The large coefficient of
g/bird/day
1 6 0 r-140 120

Feed and energy intake in the third week, and water intake throughout the trials, were markedly greater in the present study (Figure 1) compared to those of a previous report [8]. This finding was attributed to genetic and management improvements [lo]. However, faster growth rates in contemporary broilers (compared to broilers of ten years ago) were evident only after two weeks of age. The mean body weight of the mixed sex broilers at 21 days of age was 560 g in Trial 1, and 574 g in Trial 2. The prediction equations generated in this research can be used to determine feed and water intake only under the conditions presented. However, if normal intake can be predicted, feed input correction can be made for mortality. Adoption of this methodology will result in all birds receiving similar amounts of starter feed. Inconsistencies in starter feed intake could explain some of the differences that are encountered in the published literature. It is suggested that a predetermined amount of starter feed be fed to chicks in all treatments in all studies, regardless of differ-

100
80 60

40
20
I
I

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1 7 18 19 20 21

Days
FIGURE 1. Mean daily feed and water intake of broiler chicks from 1 to 21 days of age 50 chicks each).

(n = 16 pens of

JAPR
163

FEED AND WATER CONSUMPTION

ences in growth rates between treatments and/or differences in treatments between studies. This procedure will prevent the amount of starter feed intake from becoming

a confounding factor in research. Furthermore, standardizing starter feed intake will make published research more applicable for use by industry personnel.

CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS

1. Feed and water intake of broiler chicks can be predicted accurately during the first three

weeks of age, if diet and conditions are comparable to those used in this study. 2. Results will be more consistent between laboratories if a standard amount of starter diet is fed to chicks prior to initiating grower diet. 3. Scientists who investigate utilization and consumption of any number of compounds will find these datavaluable for determining dilution rates in order to attain prescribed intakes.

endorsement by the Mississippi Agncultural and Forestry Experiment Station of these products, nor similar ones not mentioned. 2.Yule, W.J., 1976.Optimum change to finisher diet and most efficient marketing age of sexseparate broilers. Nutr. Rep. Int. 14:121-12A. 3. Proudfool, F:G., and H.W. Hulan, 1980. Performance of chicken broilers changed from starter to finisher at different ages. C a n J. Anim. Sci. 60:799-801. 4. Diambra, O.H., and M.G. McCartney, 1985. Performance of male broilers changed from starter to finisher diets at different ages. Poultry Sci. 64:1829-1833. 5. Pesll, G.M., and D.L. Fletcher, 1984. The response o f male broiler chickens to diets with various gotein contents durin the grower and finisher phases. r. PoultIy Sci. 25415323. 6. Leeson,S., W . Caslon, and J.D. Summers, 1988. Response of male and female broilers to diet protein. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 68:881-889.

U s e of trade names in this publication does not impy

1. Proect supported by Hatch funds (MIS-2972 .

7. Cupo, M A , and AL. Cartwright, 1991. The effect of feather meal on carcass composition and fat pad in broilers: Influence of the ca1orie:protein . Poultry Sci. 70153-159. ratio oft e diet 8. National Research Council, 1984. Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 8th rev. ed. Natl. Acad. Sci., Washington, DC. 9. The regression lines were generated b a commerciallyavailable statistical packa e (SAS 19853: SAS Institute, 1985. SAS Users Guide: &atistic;. Cary, NC. 10. Smllh, J.H., 1986. The corn lete male feeding r g r a m . Pages 1-2 in: Proc. 1986 Ratchery-Breeder ock Management Clinic, July 15-16, Birmingham, AL. 11.T h e authors ap reciate the statistical expertise and assistance of C a r o h R Boyle and the technical assistance of Jane Yeatman, Dernck Gray, Nancy Pugh, and Evelyn Hill.The typing expertise of Renee Anderson is greatly appreciated.