Feeding Broiler Breeder Males. 3. Effect of Feed Allocation Program From Sixteen to Twenty-Six Weeks and Subsequent Feed Increments During the Production Period on Body Weight and Fertility1

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to com-pare different feed allocation programs from 16 to 26 wk of age and during the subsequent production period on broiler breeder male BW and fertility. In experiment 1, Ross 344 males were randomly assigned to 3 rates (slow, medium, or fast) of weekly feed increase from 16 to 26 wk of age that provided a gradual increase from 85 to 110 g/male/d. Feed allocation was also increased 5 g/ male/d in a single increment at 55 wk of age after fertility had declined. In experiment 2, a 2 × 2 factorial design was used to evaluate the interaction between the slow and fast feeding programs described in experiment 1 in Key words: broiler breeder, feeding program, fertility, body weigh