Early feed restriction in broilers. I–Performance, body fraction weights, and meat quality
SUMMARY Two experiments were performed, with male and female broilers separately, to evaluate the effect of early feed restriction on performance, carcass, organs, breast, legs, and back weights, and breast meat quality. Treatments were applied from 8 to 16 d of age as follows: without feed restriction [T1; standard feed (SF) ad libitum]; quantity restriction (T2; 80% ad libitum consumption of SF); time restriction (T3; SF offered throughout 8 h/d); and quality restriction (T4; SF with 80% of the limiting nutrients). Birds from both sexes submitted to T2 or T3 had lower BW at the end of the restriction period, however, they were able to reach the same BW at 42 d when compared to T1. Quality restriction did not reduce initial growth because birds compensated for the dilution by increasing feed intake. Organ weights recovered more quickly than the other fractions. Females on T3 recovered BW earlier than males. Quantity restriction allowed the full recovery of breast weight at 35 d, whereas T3 only achieved that at 42 d. Restriction programs did not have any effect on weight loss due to thawing, cooking, shear force, or lipid oxidation on the breast meat. Early restriction programs either by T2 or T3 can be used as a method for controlling growth rate in broilers without any damage to performance and meat quality at 42 d of age.