Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of early feed restriction on growth, fat accumulation and meat composition in unsexed broiler chickens. Five hundred 7-day old unsexed broiler chickens were distributed into ten treatment groups with 5 pens of 10 broilers each group. One group was fed ad libitum as the control group and other nine groups were fed 25% ad libitum for 3, 6 or 9 days, 50% ad libitum for 3, 6 or 9 days, and 75% ad libitum for 3, 6 or 9 days, respectively. Thereafter, they were fed ad libitum to 56 days of age. The present results showed that broilers showed compensatory growth when they were restrict-refed. Feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in broilers fed 25% ad libitum for 9 days (p<0.05). Triglyceride concentration of serum was significantly lower in restricted unsexed broilers (p <0.01), whereas cholesterol concentration was not significantly different. Abdominal fat was significantly lower in broilers fed 25% ad libitum for 9 days, 50% ad libitum for 3 days and 75% ad libitum for 6 or 9 days (p<0.05). Moisture and protein contents of meats were not significantly affected. Ash content of meat was significantly higher in restricted broilers. Fat content of meat was lower in broilers fed 25% ad libitum for 9 days, 75% ad libitum for 3 to 9 days. In conclusion, broilers showed compensatory growth when they were restrict-refed at an early age. In order to achieve the success of early feed restriction (namely reduce fat accumulation and improve feed conversion ratio with comparable body weight at market age), unsexed broilers should be fed at level of 25 ad libi=tum for 9 days starting at 7 days of age.