In recent years, the commercial broiler breeder industry has reported problems of male aggression towards females [Millman, S.T., 1999. An investigation into extreme aggressiveness of broiler breeder males. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Guelph]. Although this aggression is shown by the males and is apparently a defect in their behaviour [Millman, S.T., Duncan, I.J.H., 2000. Strain diffe...

Ceramic foam or cellular ceramics are proposed as a new solid breeder material configuration. Such cellular breeder materials would have an open cell structure consisting of a network of three-dimensional interconnected ligaments. Ceramic breeder foams could address some of the challenges facing packed breeder beds and potentially enhance thermal performance, increase breeding ratio, and improv...

Recently, it has been shown that group-living subordinate clownfish Amphiprion percula increase their growth rate after acquiring the dominant breeder male position in the group. Evidence was found for strategic growth adjustments of subordinate fishes depending on the threat of eviction, i.e. subordinates adjust their growth rates so they remain smaller than the dominant fish and thereby limit...

Considerable savings can be realized and performance can be improved by formulating poultry feeds based on the daily feed intake and nutrient needs of the chicken. Programmes have been developed for commercial layers, broiler breeders, and replacement pullets for commercial egg production. Programmes have also been suggested for broiler breeder replacements for this purpose. Suggestions have be...

Fertility reduction due to sub-fertile males is a major concern in breeder flocks. Phenotypic traits of broiler breeder males and their relationships with fertility can be used as reliable indicators for identification and removal of sub-fertile males from the breeder flocks. This study was conducted to investigate semen traits (semen volume, sperm motility, sperm viability and sperm count) and...

An experiment with laying hens and broiler breeders of two ages (young 22 vs. 36 weeks, old 83 vs. 64 weeks) and at temperatures of 20 and 28°C was carried out to evaluate the interactions between oviposition time (7:30; 11:30, and 15:30 h), age, and temperature on the one hand and egg quality on the other. A significant interaction (P ≤ 0.011) was determined in oviposition time. The highest nu...

Recent trends occurring in broiler primary breeding companies are described. The structure and operation of broiler primary breeder companies are described from pedigree elite populations, through great-grandparent and grandparent generations, down to the parent stock. The relatively low value of fertility and hatchability, compared with yield and feed efficiency as selection traits, is assesse...

Commercial poultry operations involve four types of birds: broiler (meat producing) chickens, layer (table egg) chickens, turkeys, and ducks. Each type differs greatly in size and nutrient requirements. Breeder flocks for each of the species are a major part of the industry, and those flocks also have different nutrient requirements. Distinctly different diets are required for each species and ...