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Impact of starter and grower diets’ duration on performance of broiler chicks

Article · January 2006

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Der Tropenlandwirt J., 2006: Beiheft 75: 144 - 149

Impact of starter and grower diets’ duration on performance of broiler

chicks

M.A. Tony1 and R.H. Fayed2

1) Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo
University, 12211 Giza, Egypt. mohamed_tony@hotmail.com

2) Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,

Cairo University, 12211 Giza, Egypt. rhfayed@hotmail.com

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of the duration of
feeding starter diet (0 – 11, 0 - 16 and 0 - 21 days) and grower diet (12 – 35, 17 - 35 and
22 – 35 days) on final broiler performance. A total of 300 1-day-old Cobb local breed
chicks of both sexes were allocated randomly to three dietary regimes, each regime 5
replicates / each 20 chicks. Body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were
determined at 11, 16, 21, 35 and 42 days of age. ِAll broiler chicks were vaccinated
against Newcastle disease. Blood samples were collected at 11, 16, 21, 35 and 42 days of
age to detect the titer of antibodies against Newcastle disease vaccines using
haemaglutination inhibition test (HI). At the end of the experimental period (42 days), 10
chickens from each group (2 / replicate) were randomly selected and sacrificed to
calculate the carcass weight and dressing percentages. After their slaughter spleen, liver,
gizzard, thymus and bursa were collected to measure their relative weights. The results
showed that the duration of feeding the starter and grower diets had a non-significant
effect on broiler live weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (p>0.05).
Furthermore, results of HI test revealed non- significant differences between different
treatments. The relative weight percent of spleen, liver, gizzard, thymus and bursa were
not significantly affected by dietary treatments (p>0.05). Considering the fact that the
cost of a typical starter diet is much greater than that of a typical grower diet, replacing
the starter diets at an earlier age may have significant economic benefits in broiler
production and can reduce environmental pollution as well.

Introduction

Phase feeding is adopted by broiler industry as a nutritional management strategy

which may support the elimination of some excess dietary supplemental amino acids,
thereby potentially decreasing dietary costs, and environmental concerns over excess
nitrogen and phosphorous excretion in concentrated poultry production areas around the
world (NRC, 1994; Summers, 1997). The NRC (1994) provides a single set of
recommendations that encompasses both male and female broiler chicks and
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Der Tropenlandwirt J., 2006: Beiheft 75: 144 - 149

requirements are segregated into three fixed periods: Starter, grower and finisher. This
regime does not correspond with grow out periods used in typical commercial production
systems or with the recommendation from breeder companies. It is common for broiler
companies to implement different growth phase schedules each with specific dietary
nutrient recommendation with the aim to maximize economic returns and deliver uniform
production. Generally broiler chickens are typically provided three or four phases feeding
schedule under Egyptian industry conditions. However, more than three phases are
recommended for broilers marketed at heavy weights. Reduction of nutrient
specifications in final feed phases may be economically advantageous (Dozier et al.,
2006).

In an attempt to provide a flexible feeding program that is adaptable and

applicable to competitive modern broiler industry, different phase feeding schedules have
been investigated and recommended (Gehleh et al., 1974; Diambra and McCartney, 1985;
Saleh et al., 1996 and Saleh et al., 1997).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of duration of feeding starter
and grower diets on growth responses, carcass traits and some immunological parameters
of broiler chickens.

Materials and Methods

Three hundred 1-day-old, mixed sex, local Cobb breed broiler chicks were
weighed and randomly allocated to three dietary regimes, each regime 5 replicates / each
20 chicks. All chicks were reared on floor pens. Corn-soybean meal based diets (Table 1)
as mash were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of Cobb breed, 2000. The
dietary regimes varied in the schedule of feeding of the starter and grower diets (feeding
starter diet during 0 – 11, 0 – 16 and 0 – 21 days, and grower diet during 12 – 35, 17 – 35
and 22 – 35 days. Then finisher diet were offered during 36 to 42 days. All broiler diets
were subjected to proximate analyses according to AOAC (1975).

Feed and water were provided ad-libitum during the entire experimental period
(42 days). Chick body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were determined at
11, 16, 21, 35 and 42 days of age. The chicks were vaccinated against Newcastle disease
by eye drop route using Hitchner-B1 (Intervet) at 7 days of age and Lasota-ND vaccine
(Intervet) at 21 days of age. Blood samples were collected without anticoagulant for
separation of sera from the experimental birds of each group at 11, 16, 21, 35 and 42 days
of age. Separation of sera was performed to detect the titer of antibodies against
Newcastle disease vaccines using haemaglutination inhibition test (HI) as an indication of
the bird’s immune response in the different experimental groups. Geometric mean titer
(GMT) was calculated according to Brugh (1978).
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At the end of the experimental period (day 42), 10 broiler chickens from each
group (2 birds / replicate) were slaughtered to calculate the carcass and dressing
percentages, also spleen, liver, gizzard, thymus and bursa were collected. The relative
weight of each organ was calculated as follows: Relative weight = (organ weight/Live
body weight) X 100.
Table 1. Composition and calculated nutrients profile of the basal diets
Ingredients% Starter Grower Finisher
Corn yellow 51.75 56.20 61.20
Corn gluten meal 5.00 5.00 5.00
Soybean meal (44% CP) 37.30 31.50 25.9
Soy oil 2.20 3.50 4.00
Dicalcium phosphate 1.60 1.60 1.70
Lime stone 1.40 1.45 1.44
Common salt 0.40 0.40 0.40
DL-Methionine 0.05 0.05 0.06
Broiler premix* 0.30 0.30 0.30

Calculated analyses:
ME (Kcal/kg) 2951.89 3049.55 3124.07
Crude Protein% 23.20 21.29 19.00
Crude fat% 6.00 6.92 8.00
Crude fiber% 4.50 4.8 5.2
Calciun% 1.00 1.00 1.00
Non-phytate phosphorus% 0.45 0.45 0.45

*Per kg premix: 1 200 000 IU vit. A, 350 000 IU vit. D 3, 4 000 mg vit. E, 250 mg vit. B1, 800 mg vit. B2, 600 mg vit.
B6, 3.2 mg vit. B12, 450 mg vit. K3, 4.5 g nicotinic acid, 1.5 g Ca-pantothenate, 120 mg folic acid, 5 mg biotin, 55 g
choline chloride, 3 g Fe, 2 g Cu, 10 g Mn, 8 g Zn, 120 mg I, 40 mg Co.

All data were statistically analyzed using SPSS® ver. 11 software for PC (2005).
Means were compared by one way ANOVA (p<0.05), Sendecor and Cochran (1980).

Results and discussion

Compositional analyses for broiler diets used are presented in Table 2. The values
of proximate analyses were comparable to the range of calculated analyses of starter,
grower and finisher diets. These results reflected the homogenization of mixing during
diets preparation.

Table 2. Proximate composition of broiler diets used (% DM)

Parameter% Starter Grower Finisher
DM (% fresh matter) 89.89 89.50 89.78
Crude Protein 23.50 21.5 19.36
Ether Extract 6.00 7.00 8.00
Crude Fiber 5.00 5,9 6.00
Total Ash 7.00 7.75 7.01
Nitrogen Free Extract 48.39 47.35 49.41
Ca 0.92 0.98 0.95
Total P 0.40 0.41 0.42

The results of the statistical analyses are summarized in Table 3. The results of
these analyses showed that during the experimental period average body weight was not
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significantly influenced by the various feeding schedules (p>0.05). However, at day 35

of age the group consumed starter diet for only 11 days of age showed significantly
improved live body weight (p<0.05) when compared with the other two dietary
treatments. Throughout the 22 – 35 and 36 – 42 d growth periods average weight gain
was significantly affected (p<0.05), but the total gain in the different groups was not
influenced by the dietary treatments.

Table 3. The effect of changing the duration of feeding starter and grower diets on broiler chicken growth performance
(mean ± SD) (n=100)
Dietary Treatments
Age (days)
Starter 0 – 11 d 0 – 16 d 0 – 21 d
Grower 12 – 35 d 12 – 35 d 22 – 35 d
Finisher 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d
Live body weight (g) 11 175.54 + 2.5 175.15 + 3.1 175.38 + 2.1
16 325.22 + 3.2 321.82 + 2.7 322.35 + 2.9
21 515.23 + 2.2 512.65 + 2.5 510.94 + 2.8
35 1536.15 + 3.4a 1479.87 + 3.5b 1482.52 + 3.8b
42 2001.09 + 24.3 2000.60 + 20.6 1999.92 + 22.2

Live gain (g) 0 - 11 135.54 + 1.8 135.15 + 2.3 135.38 + 2.5

12 - 16 149.68 + 2.3 146.67 + 2.8 146.97 + 3.2
17 - 21 190.01 + 4.2 190.83 + 4.8 188.59 + 3.8
22 - 35 1020.92 + 3.5a 967.22 + 2.9b 971.58 + 3.5b
36 - 42 464.94 + 6.1a 520.73 + 5.5b 517.4 + 4.1b
Total 1961.09 + 7.2 1960.60 + 6.0 1959.92 + 3.9

Feed Intake (g) 0 - 11 172.20 + 6.2 170.29 + 5.3 171.93 + 3.4

12 - 16 220.54 + 5.4 224.41 + 4.1 229.27 + 5.1
17 - 21 296.71 + 10.2 307.24 + 7.8 309.29 + 6.8
22 - 35 1715.15 + 5.8 1653.95 + 4.3 1700.27 + 5.5
36 - 42 1127.51 + 9.2a 1161.23 + 6.4b 1164.15 + 7.2b
Total 3532.11 + 17.5 3517.12 + 15.2 3574.91 + 16.1

FCR 0 - 11 1.27 1.26 1.27

12 - 16 1.47 1.53 1.56
17 - 21 1.56 1.61 1.64
22 - 35 1.68 1.71 1.75
36 - 42 2.42 2.23 2.25
Total 1.80 1.79 1.82

Figures in the same row with different letters are statistically significantly different (p<0.05).

The effect of feeding schedule on broiler feed intake was only affected
significantly (p<0.05) form 36 d of age till the end of the experimental period day 42.
Broiler chicken fed grower diet at 11 d of age consumed less feed from finisher diet. Feed
conversion ratio (FCR) was not affected by the three dietary regimes. These finding are
in agreement with Diambra and McCartney (1985) and Saleh et al. (1997) who also
found that changing the schedule of feeding starter to grower diets did not have any
significant effect on broiler chicken performance and carcass characteristics. The lack of
significant effects of changing time of feeding starter to grower diets could be partially
explained by the ability of the broiler chicken to compensate for the adverse effects of
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marginal dilution of dietary treatments resulting from changing from starter to grower
diets (Olomu and Offiong, 1980; Diambra and McCartney, 1985 and Saleh et al., 1997).
Table 4. illustrates the effects of different feed regimes used on the results of HI
antibody titer to Newcastle disease vaccine of broiler chickens. The statistical analyses of
the obtained data showed non-significant variations (p>0.05) in HI titer at 11, 16, 21, 35
or 42 days in broiler chickens fed on different dietary treatments. In terms of humoral
immune response, the results indicated that the humoral immune response to Newcastle
disease vaccines was not influenced by the duration of feeding the starter and grower
diets.

Table 4. The effect of changing the duration of feeding starter and grower diets on hemagglutination inhibition (HI),
Geometric mean antibody titer (log2) against ND virus of broiler chickens
Dietary Treatments
Age (days)
Starter 0 – 11 d 0 – 16 d 0 – 21 d
Grower 12 – 35 d 17 – 35 d 22 – 35 d
Finisher 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d
HI, Geometric mean 11 1.83 + 0.1 1.85 + 0.2 1.81 + 0.1
antibody titer (log2) 16 2.11 + 0.3 2.15 + 0.2 2.13 + 0.1
21 3.41 + 0.1 3.49 + 0.1 3.43 + 0.3
35 3.88 + 0.4 3.85 + 0.2 3.81 + 0.2
42 3.85 + 0.1 3.79 + 0.1 3.88 + 0.2

Dressing percent as well as the relative weight percent of spleen, liver, gizzard,
thymus and bursa are tabulated in Table 5. The recorded data at 42 days of age were not
significantly affected by different dietary treatments (p>0.05). Saleh et al. (1997)
reported that the duration of feeding starter or grower diets to broiler chickens did not
have any significant effect on carcass traits of broiler chickens.

Table 5. The effect of changing time of feeding starter to grower diets on some carcass traits of broiler chickens
(day 42)
Dietary Treatments

Starter 0 – 11 d 0 – 16 d 0 – 21 d
Grower 12 – 35 d 17 – 35 d 22 – 35 d
Finisher 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d 36 – 42 d
Dressing % 70.60 + 1.8 70.64 + 1.4 70.68 + 1.5
Liver relative weight % 2.44 + 0.3 2.43 + 0.5 2.39 + 0.4
Gizzard relative weight % 2.33 + 0.7 2.35 + 0.3 2.39 + 0.5
Spleen relative weight % 0.14 + 0.02 0.13 + 0.01 0.14 + 0.01
Bursa relative weight%: 0.24 + 0.01 0.23 + 0.02 0.21 + 0.02
Thymus gland relative weight% 0.41 + 0.03 0.40 + 0.05 0.43 + 0.06
Values are means ± SD (n= 10)

In conclusion the results indicated that varying the duration of feeding the starter
and grower diets had no influence on broiler chickens performance. Considering the fact
that the cost of a typical starter diet is much greater than that of a typical grower diet,
replacing the starter diets at an earlier age may have significant economic benefits in
broiler production and can reduce environmental pollution as well.
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Der Tropenlandwirt J., 2006: Beiheft 75: 144 - 149

References

AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) (1975). 7th Ed., Washington DC.

Brugh, M.G.A. (1978). Avian Disease, 22: 362 - 365.

Diambra, O.H. and McCartney, M.G. (1985). Poultry Science, 64: 1829 – 1833.

Dozier, W.A., Gordon, R.W., Anderson, J., Kidd, M.T., Corzo, A. and Branton, S.L.
(2006). Applied Poultry Research, 15 (2): 312 – 325.

Gehleh, M.H., Powell, T.S. and Arends, L.G. (1974). Poultry Science, 53: 1543 – 1548.

NRC (National Research Council) (1994). 9th Ed., Washington DC.

Olomu, J.M. and Offiong, S.A. (1980). Poultry Science, 59: 828 – 835.

Saleh, E.A., Watkins, S.E. and Waldroup, P.W. (1996). Applied Poultry Research, 5: 269
– 275.

Saleh, E.A., Watkins, S.E. and Waldroup, P.W. (1997). Applied Poultry Research, 6: 64
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Snedecor, F.W. and Cochran, W.G. (1980). Iowa state Univ. Press Ames. I.A.

Summers, J.D. (1997). Journal Applied Poultry Research, 6: 495 – 500.

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