Nutritional Management and Welfare of Broiler Breeders
Summary
Broiler breeders serve as the parent stock for commercial meat-producing chickens; their nutritional management is a balancing act between sustaining reproductive performance and safeguarding welfare. Unlike broilers reared for meat, breeders require precise feed restriction throughout growth and laying to prevent obesity, metabolic disturbances and skeletal disorders. Controlled allocation of energy, protein and essential nutrients supports bone integrity, optimal body composition and timely sexual maturity, while minimising the risk of fatty liver syndrome and metabolic bone disease. However, chronic quantitative restriction often induces persistent hunger, frustration and abnormal behaviours such as stereotypic pecking and excessive activity around feeding times. Advances in diet formulation—including the use of high-fibre or diluted feeds—seek to maintain satiety without boosting energy intake, thereby improving plumage condition, stress indicators and skeletal strength. During lay, tailored feeding schedules such as split feeding and multiple daily meals align nutrient delivery with physiological demands, enhancing eggshell quality and behavioural welfare. Integrating precision feeding systems with welfare-oriented behavioural assessments ensures that feeding regimes optimise productivity while addressing birds’ behavioural needs on a global scale.
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Nutritional Management and Welfare of Broiler Breeders publication trend
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Technical terms
Feed restriction: Limiting daily feed below voluntary intake to control body weight and optimise reproductive performance.
Ad libitum: Allowing animals free access to feed without quantitative limits.
Intermittent fasting: Scheduled alternation between periods of feeding and complete withdrawal of feed to modulate metabolism.
Qualitative feed restriction: Diluting standard diets with low-energy ingredients to increase feed volume without raising energy intake.
Split feeding: Dividing the daily feed allowance into two or more meals with differing nutrient compositions to match physiological demands.
References
- Physiological and behavioural effects of intermittent fasting vs daily caloric restriction in meat-type poultry. Animal (2023).
- Effect of Qualitative Feed Restriction in Broiler Breeder Pullets on Stress and Clinical Welfare Indicators. Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2020).
- Effects of feeding strategies during lay on broiler breeder production performance, eggshell quality, incubation traits, and behavior. Poultry Science (2023).
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