EFFECT OF AGE AND BODY WEIGHT AT MOLTING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER BREEDER
HENS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL HOUSES IN
PAKISTAN
HASSAN M. MALIK, EHSAN-UL-HAQ AND F. AHMAD
Department of Poultry Sciences,
University
of Agriculture,
Faisalabad,
Pakistan
Abstract
In the present study, 2700 broiler breeder hens of Arbor Acre strain were
divided into 27 experimental units (100 each) and allotted to nine treatments
randomly having three replications each. The birds were kept under uniform
managemental conditions throughout the experimental period of 32 weeks post molt
period. The birds were molted under conventional method at 50, 55 and 60 weeks
of age having three different body weights i.e. 3000, 3500 and 4000± 50g under 3x3 factorial design. At the time of 5% production, data on
production performance (weekly eggs/hen, hen day production, body weight and
feed consumption) were recorded. Data collected was analyzed by analysis of
variance technique under 3x3 factorial arrangement of treatment and the
differences among the treatment means were analyzed by
Duncan’s
Multiple
Range
test. Significant (P<0.05) differences due to body weight and age were noted for
feed consumption, weekly eggs per hen, hen day production and hen house
production. Broiler breeders having low age group (50 weeks) and medium body
weight (3500g) resulted in maximum production performance/net profit.
Key words:Broiler breeder,
moulting, egg production, body weight.