Effect of protein and energy intake of broiler breeder hens on performance of broiler chicken offspring.

Two hundred and forty individually caged Hubbard x Hubbard broiler breeders (BB) were fed one of six diets at 150 g/bird per day, which provided 19 or 25 g protein and 325, 385, or 450 kcal nitrogen-corrected metabolizable energy. In Trial 1, chicks hatched from 29-wk-old BB were sexed and 12 females and 12 males placed in each of four replicate floor pens per treatment. A 23% crude protein (CP) starter (0 to 20 day), 20% CP grower (21 to 34 day) and 18% CP finisher (35 to 41 day) diets were fed. Protein intake of BB had no effect on body weight of offspring. Energy intake of BB had no effect on growth of female offspring; however body weights of 20 day-old-male offspring were 575, 586, and 601 g for low, medium, and high energy intake, respectively (P less than or equal to .01). Increasing BB energy intake increased carcass protein and reduced fat in male offspring (P less than or equal to .01) and decreased the percentage of Canada Grade B ratings for both sexes (P less than or equal to .05). In Trials 2 to 4, chicks from BB at 32, 36, and 40 wk were sexed and cage-reared to 21 days of age. The energy intake of BB had no effect on female offspring growth. Male offspring weighed 570, 563, and 585 g for the low, medium, and high energy intakes, respectively (P less than or equal to .01).