Interaction between ascites susceptibility and CO(2) during the second half of incubation of two broiler lines: the effect on post-hatch development and ascites mortality.

1. The aim of this study was to investigate if genetic predisposition to ascites interacts with changed incubation conditions, and how this might affect the post-hatch performance and ascites susceptibility. 2.

Hatching system and time effects on broiler physiology and posthatch growth.

A multilevel housing system for broilers was developed, named Patio (Vencomatic BV, Eersel, the Netherlands), in which the hatching and brooding phase are combined. In a Patio system, climate conditions differ from those provided in the hatchers currently in use. We compared the physiology of broilers hatched in a hatcher or in a Patio system, and included the effects of hatching time.

Interaction between ascites susceptibility and CO during the second half of incubation of two broiler lines. Effect on embryonic development and hatching process.

1. Because CO(2) during the second half of incubation is known to influence air cell and blood gases, and embryo development, it is postulated that post-hatch development and ascites sensitivity could also be influenced. 2.

Effect of delayed feed access on production and blood parameters of layer-type chicks.

A total of 684 Hisex Brown day-old chicks were studied. The chicks were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: (1) chicks with immediate feed access; (2) chicks with 48 h delay in feed access, and (3) chicks with 72 h delay in feed access. For each group, chicks were assigned into 4 replications of 57 birds each.

Effect of macronutrient ratio of the pre-starter diet on broiler performance and intermediary metabolism.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of isoenergetic substitution between the three energy delivering macronutrients in pre-starter diets on performance and intermediary nutrient metabolism in broiler chickens. From hatch until 5 days of age, 600 chicks, collected during peak of hatch, were fed one of the three experimental pre-starter diets with isoenergetic (13 MJ metabolisable energy/kg) substitutions between fat (43 vs. 108 g/kg), protein (126 vs.