Genetic-economic evaluation of traits in a broiler enterprise: reduction of food intake due to increased growth rate.
Separate mathematical models for food consumption and growth pattern of broilers were used to derive a combined model to estimate food consumption during the growth period. The model was used to show that each reduction of one day in reaching a fixed body weight would reduce food consumption per bird by 50 to 60 g. Broiler lines with a slow growth rate at an early age and rapid growth rate near market age require appreciably less food overall. This feature should be considered in breeding and feeding programmes.
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000191:economics*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004435:Eating; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological