THE INTERRELATED EFFECTS OF FEEDING DIET COMBINATIONS WITH DIFFERENT PROTEIN AND ENERGY LEVELS TO MALES AND FEMALES OF COMMERCIAL BROILER GENOTYPES

Abstract

Two nutritional experiments were conducted involving 6,000 broiler chickens using diets with protein ranging from 14.1 to 26.0%, and metabolizable energy from 2,976 to 3,265 kcal/kg. These diets were used in different combinations to evaluate the genotypic response and their effects on the performance of male and female broiler chickens. Diet × sex interactions were demonstrated. These interactions, however, were not demonstrated in the practical dietary regimens. Genotype × diet interactions were estimated in experiment 1 only and were found to be of no importance. The dietary combinations that supported performance equal to or better than other dietary regimens for either males or females consisted of a starter diet with 24% protein and 2,976 kcal/kg coupled with a finisher diet with 15.9% protein and 3,175 kcal/kg.