J APPL POULT RES 2007. 16:234-239
© 2007 Poultry Science Association
Hatchery Feeding of Starter Diets to Broiler Chicks1
M. T. Kidd*,2,
J. W. Taylor
,
C. M. Page*,
B. D. Lott* and
T. N. Chamblee*
* Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, 39762; and Tyson Foods Incorporated, Forest, MS 39074
Correspondence: 2 Corresponding author: mkidd{at}poultry.msstate.edu
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SUMMARY
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This study examined hatchery feeding of starter diets differing in amino acid density and moisture on live performance measurements up to 37 d and processing measurements at 38 d. Eggs from a Cobb x Cobb 500 slow-feathering cross broiler strain were set in a common incubator and hatched. Chicks were feather-sexed, placed in 36 chick trays (25 chicks of each sex), and weighed by tray. One of 4 dietary treatments was administered (454 g/tray) in crumble form: 1) no feed; 2) feed containing 1.24% digestible Lys, 0.84% digestible TSAA, 0.80% digestible Thr, 23.2% CP, and 3,080 kcal/kg of ME; 3) feed containing 1.45% digestible Lys, 0.94% digestible TSAA, 0.84% digestible Thr, 26.0% CP, and 3,080 kcal/kg of ME; and 4) treatment 3 plus 100 mL of potable water added to the crumbles 5 min before administration in the trays. Chicks received feed treatments in trays in the hatchery, during transportation to the research facility, and in the research facility until placement (5 h of total tray feeding). Body weight gain at d 7 was increased in birds fed the high density diet alone or in combination with water as compared with birds that were fasted. Subsequent live performance, processing, and small intestine weights, however, did not differ among treatments. Lack of 37-d improvements (average 4.6-lb birds) to early feed allocation may be a result of diet composition, duration of diet allocation, and the genetic strain of bird used, because much literature has pointed to the importance of posthatch nutrition of broilers.
Key Words: hatchery • broiler • posthatch • amino acid • early nutrition
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DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
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Management of broiler breeder flocks and the hatchery are vital to assure good chick quality (i.e., rapid early growth and low 7-d mortality). But the effect of good management practices can be mitigated if chicks have delayed access to feed and water posthatch. Hence, early nutrient utilization promotes posthatch intestinal development, thus improving early BW in a critical period as the newly hatched chick transitions from a nutrient source rich in fatty acids (i.e., yolk) to a diet rich in carbohydrates.
Research efforts by many faculty of the Hebrew University have pointed to the importance of early feeding for posthatch benefits. Early feeding of chicks and poults compared with fasted chicks and poults has resulted in improved intestinal mucosal function [1], increased gut-associated lymphoid tissue [2], and increased early growth [3]. Noy and Sklan [4] conducted a series of experiments evaluating early posthatch access in chicks and poults to water and various feed-type regimes. Early dietary nutrient intake, but not water intake, improved BW and breast meat yield relative to chicks and poults held in hatchery trays for 34 and 48 h, respectively [4]. Hatchery feed supplements and starter feed are easily added to chick trays in the chick holding rooms in commercial hatcheries. In most broiler operations, however, it is difficult to maintain identification and monitoring of experimental birds through to market and obtain live performance and yield data for those birds. Although there is a spread in hatch time in commercial hatcheries as eggs from various breeder hen ages are mixed to better control climate conditions of the setter, commercial chicks are typically held less than 6 h in the chick room and less than 3 h during transportation to the farm. Hence, the applicability of studies measuring periods of chick holding from 24 to 48 h may be somewhat less for integrations in the southern United States than for other areas.
This study evaluated starter feed as a hatchery supplement for a 5-h holding and transport period on subsequent live performance and carcass yields of Cobb broilers. Experimental treatment variables that differed were starter feed nutrient density and moisture content.
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MATERIALS AND METHODS
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Three thousand eggs from a slow-feathering Cobb x Cobb 500 breeder flock [5] were transported to a hatchery (Tyson Foods, Forest, MS) and incubated and hatched in a common setter and hatcher, respectively. Vaccinations consisted of Marek’s disease vaccine at 18 d in ovo and Newcastle and infectious bronchitis vaccinations via course spray after they were removed from the hatcher. Chicks were then divided into groups by sex in the chick holding room after being feather-sexed by 2 trained personnel. Twenty-five chicks of each sex were placed into 36 chick trays (1,800 chicks) and weighed by tray. Chicks had been removed from the hatcher for approximately 5 h at the completion of tray weights. This experiment was approved by the Mississippi State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
Hatchery treatments represented crumbled broiler starter feed [6] and were administered in the center of the trays on paper. Chicks received 1 of 4 treatments (9 replications/treatment of 50 chicks each): no hatchery supplement, hatchery feed representing 454 g of a low-density starter diet (Table 1
), hatchery feed representing 454 g of a high-density starter diet (Table 1), or hatchery feed representing 454 g of the high-density starter diet (Table 1) plus 100 mL of potable water added to the crumbles 5 min before administration in the chick trays. Chicks were allowed to receive treatments in the hatchery, during transportation, and in the experimental facility before placement (5 h of total treatment availability). Visual inspection of the chick trays indicated that chicks consumed most of the treatment crumbles.
Chicks were placed in 36 pens (1 tray/pen), and the pen was the experimental unit. Pens were in a curtain-sided house containing the following: a concrete floor; electric brooders over each pen as a primary heat source, 4 radiant "pancake" brooders in the hallways for supplemental heating, 2 cool cell pads, four 24-in. and two 36-in. fans for minimum and transitional ventilation. Each pen contained the following: 1 nipple drinker line (6 nipple drinkers), 1 tube feeder (22-kg capacity), and used soft-wood shavings as litter. Average litter temperature under the brooder at d 1 was 51.1°C. House average high and low temperatures, respectively, were as follows: wk 1, 31.7 and 29.6°C; wk 2, 31.8 and 29.9°C; wk 3, 29.9 and 26.8°C; wk 4, 26.0 and 22.7°C; and wk 5, 25.4 and 19.8°C. Birds were provided 24 h of light from d 1 to 7 at 29 lx, 12 h of light from 8 to 15 d at 29 lx, and 16 h of light from 16 to 37 d at 0.4 lx as measured by a calibrated light probe meter [7]. Water and feed were provided ad libitum.
In addition to the tray weight at the hatchery, birds were weighed by pen at d 7, 17, and 37. Feed consumption was obtained on d 17 and 37. Feed consumption was not obtained at d 7, because feed in the box lids contained feces and shavings. The box lids were removed at d 11 when all feed was consumed. Birds that died were removed from the pen daily. Feed conversion was calculated for the 1- to 17-d and 1- to 37-d periods by dividing total feed consumed per pen by the weight of live birds in the pen. Mortality was calculated from 1 to 7 d and 1 to 37 d. After pen measurements at 37 d were obtained, 1 bird per pen was randomly chosen to measure intestinal weight. Birds were killed by cervical dislocation, and the small intestine was harvested. The duodenum and jejunum were excised. The intestine was cut longitudinally and manually emptied of contents by using the index finger and thumb to carefully wipe free material. Wet intestine weight was obtained. Wet intestine is expressed relative to live BW. Three male and 3 female broilers were randomly removed from each pen, weighed and individually tagged with a badge, placed in coops, and transported to a pilot processing plant. Birds remained in coops in a well-ventilated live haul area in the processing plant for 8 h before processing. Birds were processed, and carcass and abdominal fat weight were obtained. Carcasses were allowed to remain in an ice bath for 3 h, the first 30 min of which they were agitated, and were then cut into market parts (wings, drumsticks, thighs, and tenders and fillets (boneless and skinless). If any part of the carcass could not be identified to the badge number, the bird was removed from the processing data set.
Data were examined through ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS [8].
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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If providing feed to chicks in ovo, in the hatcher, in the chick trays at the hatchery, or during transportation to the broiler farm decreases days to market weight or increases a saleable carcass part, the economic advantage is clear based on low administration levels or low feed intake. For example, Uni et al. [9] administered sugars and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate into the amnion of chick embryos from Cobb 500 hens at 17.5 d of incubation and found significantly improved breast meat yield posthatch at 1, 10, and 25 d of age. In addition to sparing muscle protein for gluconeogenesis in ovo, it was hypothesized that improved breast meat yield as achieved by in ovo feeding was partly attributable to heightened myoblasts and satellite cells, in ovo and posthatch, respectively [9]. Further, these authors also noted improved BW at d 1, 10, and 25.
Because long-term early feeding (beyond 24 h) has been shown to increase performance, our objectives were to determine if a short-term feeding period (5 h) could improve early growth, subsequent live performance, and carcass yields. For example, Noy and Sklan [4] fed chicks various feeding treatments 34 or 48 h posthatch and noted improved early growth and breast meat yield. It must be pointed out that their [4] feeding treatments (starter feed and commercial hatchery supplements), but not water, improved chick performance. In addition, it was noted that chicks fed feed plus water had equal BW at 4, 7, 14, and 21 d posthatch of chicks provided feed only [4]. These results are in agreement with live performance results herein. Hence, BW gain was improved (P = 0.02) at d 7 in chicks fed high-density hatchery feed with and without water over that of chicks not receiving feed (Table 2). In addition, our results indicate that the early growth response was primarily attributable to higher nutrients, because chicks receiving low-density feed had intermediate d-7 BW gain results, but differences in feed intake cannot be ruled out. Indeed, birds fed limiting nutrients increase feed intake to compensate for the deficiency. Differences in d-17 and d-37 BW gain (P > 0.05) among treatments did not occur (average BW of 2.1 kg at d 37). It may be that the research presented herein differs from previous research in that heightened BW gain from early feeding is realized at market weight, because our feed allocation time may have been too short. It was short to mimic an industry situation, but the time from chicks clearing the shell to being pulled from the hatcher was not measured. Differences (P 
0.05) did not occur in feed intake, feed conversion, mortality, and relative small intestine weight among treatments. Again, it may be that the 5-h treatment administration was too short, because it has been shown that a 36-h feed delay hinders mucosal function and intestinal development [1]. However, the former work [1] noted that posthatch feed withdrawal depressed mucosal development, but chicks attained normal intestinal development 1 to 2 wk posthatch [1], agreeing with our work on equal (P > 0.05) intestinal weights at d 37.
Average carcass without abdominal fat and total breast meat yield of broilers at d 38 was 69.3 and 18.3%, respectively. Treatment differences did not occur (P > 0.05) for processing measurements relative to BW (i.e., carcass, abdominal fat, wings, drumsticks, thighs, tenders, fillets, and total breast yield (Table 3). Chicks in the current study were held in the chick room before sexing and feed allocation for approximately 3 h. It may be that a nutrient regimen mimicking our feed treatments delivered in ovo or in the hatcher would have provided different results. However, it appears that the 5-h feed allocation time used herein does not provide benefits in getting birds to market weight earlier and does not improve yields.
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CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS
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- Although research reports concerned with in ovo feeding, hatchery feeding, and high nutrient dense diets in the starter period have demonstrated improvements in broiler meat yields at various market weights, our results indicate that the 5-h hatchery feeding regimen of crumbled starter diets varying in amino acid concentration and moisture used in this experiment does not affect live performance or yields of Cobb x Cobb 500 broilers marketed to 4.6 lb.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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This study represented a grow-out project in an undergraduate broiler production course, and the following students are recognized for their efforts: Brett Anderson, Oliver Brown, Mercedes Burrell, Amy Denson, Ashleigh Ezell, Michael Jones, Preston Lott, Kelly Mayo, Jonathan Moon, Matt Nicholson, Joseph Sumrall, John Tamplin, David Thomas, Nikki Thornton, Michael Walley, Matt Wiggs, and Jerrett Williams. We thank Bill Dozier of USDA-ARS for providing scientific input and direction for the pellet durability measurement. Appreciation is extended to John Prisock of USDA-ARS for measuring light intensity.
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FOOTNOTES
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1 This is journal article number J-10959 from the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station supported by MIS-322230. Use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station of the products nor similar ones not mentioned. 
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REFERENCES AND NOTES
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- Uni, Z., S. Ganot, and D. Sklan. 1998. Posthatch development of mucosal function in the broiler small intestine. Poult. Sci. 77:75–82.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Shira, E. B., D. Sklan, and A. Friedman. 2005. Impaired immune responses in broiler hatchling hindgut following delayed access to feed. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 105:33–45.[ISI][Medline]
- Noy, Y., and D. Sklan. 1998. Metabolic responses to early nutrition. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 7:437–451.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Noy, Y., and D. Sklan. 1999. Different types of early feeding and performance in chicks and poults. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 8:16–24.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Tyson Foods, Oxford, AL.
- Diets were composed primarily of corn, soybean meal, poultry meal, and poultry oil (Table 1
). Salinomycin sodium was used as a coccidiostat in all diets. Diets were least cost-formulated with no ingredient constraints on DL-Met, L-Lys HCl, or L-Thr. Two isocaloric diets were formulated for hatchery feed: high and low density. Low density contained 1.24% digestible Lys and 23.3% CP, and high density contained 1.45% digestible Lys and 26.0% CP. The high-density diet was formulated to meet or exceed amino acid needs the first day of life based on industry norms. The low-density feed represented that of a typical starter diet for a US broiler operation. Upon placement in the pens, all birds consumed the crumbled starter diet to d 17. Although much more of the low-density feed was made, because it was also used for the starting period, enough high-density feed was made to attain good mixture uniformity before pelleting and crumbling. Birds consumed common pelleted diets from 18 to 28 and 29 to 37 d. Hence, dietary treatments were only administered in hatchery trays. Pellet durability index of the 18- to 28- and 29-to 37-d diets were 90.2 and 92.4%, respectively. - Extech Instruments Corp., Waltham, MA.
- SAS Institute. 2001. SAS User’s Guide. Version 8 ed. SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC. A randomized complete block design was employed. Statistical analyses used pen as the experimental unit. Data are reported as means of 9 replicate pens of 50 chicks each with a pooled SEM. Mortality was transformed using arcsin before analysis. Processing yield and intestine weights are expressed relative to BW rather than using BW as a covariate. Statistical significance is based on P 0.05.
- Uni, Z., P. R. Ferket, E. Tako, and O. Kedar. 2005. In ovo feeding improves energy status of late-term chicken embryos. Poult. Sci. 84:764–770.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
