Restricted Feeding in Early and Late-Feathering Chickens.

Carcass composition traits and weights and lengths of organs relative to body weight were measured in females from a broiler-breeder parent stock segregating for early and late-feathering alleles maintained under four feeding regimens. Feeding regimens consisted of ad libitum (AL), ad libitum restricted (ALR, feed restricted daily), and skip-one-day and skip-two-days (SOD and STD, given two or three times ALR allowance on Day 1 and not fed on the next 1 or 2 days, respectively). At 160 days of age, pullets on SOD and STD were changed to ALR feeding; daily feed allowances were increased to 135 g by day 180 and to 138 g on day 250. Organ growth and carcass composition were generally similar for early and late-feathering genotypes. Restricted feeding increased relative weights and lengths of segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and pancreas and reduced relative weights of the abdominal fat depot (AFD) and lipid contents of the liver, AFD, and total carcass. Relative weights of legs, breast, feathers, heart, and liver and carcass protein composition were not affected by feeding regimen. Relative oviduct and ovary weights were not affected, but number of rapidly developing follicles was higher for AL than restricted-fed hens. Relationships of most organs to total body weight changed little after sexual maturity. Relative weights and lengths of GIT decreased whereas breast, legs, and AFD increased. Feed-restricted chickens adapted to fasts by retaining GIT contents longer. Feeding regimen x age interactions were significant for esophagus, proventriculus, gizzard, shank, breast, legs, feathers, and AFD weights; esophagus, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and shank lengths; and lipid contents of AFD and liver.