Somjet Tongnual, Songyot Kittichonnthawat, Kham Phommachan, and Sompong Te-Chato

pp. 829 - 836

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of early feed restriction on compensatory
growth, production performance and carcass characteristics of Betong chickens. Completely randomized
design was used comprising 4 treatments, each treatment with 4 replications (10 birds/replicate). The control
group was fed ad libitum, while the other groups were fed a restricted diet for 20%, 40% and 60% of the
control group during the chick’s age of 1-3 weeks, then fed ad libitumly to 16 weeks of age. At 3 weeks of age,
birds fed ad libitum had higher body weights, feed intakes (P<0.05) and feed conversion ratios (P<0.01) than
this restricted birds. After refeeding phase, body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and percentage
of carcass traits as well as digestive organs of birds were not significantly different among the experimental
groups. This indicated that the restriction of feed up to 60% of the control group during the first 3 weeks of
birds’ age had no effect on final performance and carcass characteristics of Betong chickens because of the
compensatory growth and feed intake during the refeeding phase. Such restriction could save 206-263 g
feed per chick.