Optimum Broiler Breeders' Age for Production Performance, Internal Egg Characteristics and 7 Day Mortality of Chicks

Sibusiso Halalisani Nxumalo, Victor Mela Obinna Okoro and Christian Anayochukwu Mbajiorgu

Background and Objective: Breeder age strongly influences egg weight, as well as egg quality and composition, however, literature on the optimal age that influences such are scarce. This study was therefore carried out to understand the optimum age of breeder broilers (Ross 308 strains) for enhanced production, internal egg performance and 7 day mortality of chicks using regression models. Materials and Methods: A total of 1188 sexed breeder broiler chicks comprising of 117 males and 1071 females (1:10 ratio) were randomly assigned to pens of 3 treatment groups for this experiment, all reared to maturity. The production, internal egg performance and 7 day mortality parameters measurements were taken at ages 29, 42 and 55 weeks. Results: The production parameters showed that the breeder age affected the average egg weight, percentage fertility, hatch percentage and chick hatch weight significantly (p<0.05). The breeder age also had a significant effect on fertile egg protein, fat, carbohydrate, dry matter, ash and 7 day mortality. A significant linear relationship was established (p<0.05) between the breeder age and the production performance, internal egg and 7 day mortality of the broiler chickens. Optimal ages were established for hatch percentage, number hatched, protein, fat, dry matter and ash at ages of 37.8, 37.6, 40.0, 52.8, 49.3 and 47.5 weeks with a very high coefficient of determinations but only significant for protein content. Conclusion: This implies that between the ages of 37-53 weeks, most production and internal egg performance were at the optimal output for the Ross 308 broiler breeder strains.

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