Feed preference in broiler fed diets containing different energetic densities

Abstract

During the initial phase, 1-28 days, eighty broiler chicks aged one-day, 40 males and 40 females, were kept in a brooder battery containing 10 birds per division. The chicks received diets with 2,500, 2,800 and 3,100 kcal ME/kg and 20% of crude protein. The birds had free access to the three different diets (self-selection). In the final phase, between 29-49 days of age, 22 birds (11 males and 11 females) selected at random, were weighed and kept in individual cages. During this phase the crude protein content was changed to 18% and the diets were also offered by self-selection. In both phases, the intake of the different diets and weight gain were weekly measured. The birds during the whole experimental period had preference to the diets containing higher energetic densities (3,100 and 2,800 kcal ME/kg). The energy intake was 289,90 kcal ME/bird/day.