Effects of low-density broiler breeder diets on offspring performance and mortality were studied using 2,100 female and 210 male Cobb 500 breeders. Breeder treatments involved 4 experimental groups and a control group with normal density diets (ND, 2,600 kcal of AME/kg during rearing and 2,800 kcal of AME/kg during laying). In treatment 2, nutrient densities were decreased by 12% (LD12) and 11%...

This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of in ovo injection of nano-silver, thyme and savory extracts in broiler breeder eggs on growth performance, lymphoid organ weights, immune and blood parameters and bone mineral concentration of broiler chicks. A total of 560 fertilized broiler breeder eggs were divided into 7 groups. On d 5 of incubation, eggs were treated with the fol...

It is well documented that aging has negative effects on fertility. With increasing age, the activity of antioxidant enzymes are reduced and because of roosters sperm composition, a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the probability of sperm damage increases. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of nano-selenium and sodium selenite on fertility in a...

Metabolic, immune, and physical status of chicks can impact the incidence of morbidity and mortality of broilers during the first week of production. Assessments of chick quality are made primarily by subjective observations with few quantitative measurements. Given a better understanding of how broiler breeder hen age and nutrient intake may influence progeny physiology, certain actions can be...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to assess whether broiler breeders vaccinated in ovo with a Vaxxitek (HVT&IBD) (Merial) plus an inactivated IBD vaccine prior to the onset of lay had a significantly different humoral IBD antibody response to broiler breeders vaccinated solely with Vaxxitek (HVT&IBD) (Merial) in ovo. In addition, maternally derived antibody (MDA) passed to the progeny of...

From the literature, it is evident that broiler breeder pullets exhibit photorefractoriness, and while it is assumed that male broiler breeders respond in a similar manner to females, it would be beneficial to determine if this is the case. This would enable lighting programmes to be designed that will ensure maximum fertility of both males and females. Male broiler breeders were housed in ligh...