>wth and Feed Standards
for Broilers — 1959

By

WILLIS S. REED

and
W. C. SKOGLUND

s

Cn\ on Bulletin 466 October 1959

Growth and Feed Standards
for Broilers — 1959

By

WILLIS S. REED

and
W. C. SKOGLUND

Agricultural Experiment Station

University of New Hampshire

Durham, New Hampshire

Growth and Feed Standards for Broilers — 1959

By Willis S. Reed and W. C. Skoglund*

rT,HERE is a constant need for up-to-date standard figures for growth,
A- feed consumption, and feed conversion for various ages of broilers.
With such figures available, the broiler producer is able to determine how
his flock compares with a standard flock. With the highly competitive posi-
tion of the broiler industry, it is absolutely essential that every effort be
made to surpass recognized standards or industry averages in order to
survive.

The University of New Hampshire, Department of Poultry Science, pub-
lished growth and feed standards for New Hampshires in 1952 as Station
Bulletin 401. These figures were taken from a composite of five strains of
New Hampshires entered in the first New Hampshire Broiler Test. These
standards were widely used in the industry as a guide, but with the rapid
strides made in breeding, nutrition, and disease control, such standards
have long since been outdated.

In 1958-59 growth and feed standards were obtained for four com-
mercially available strains of broilers. The chickens were typical of the
stock being sold commercially now, and in all cases were crosses, either
of strains or breeds. The chicks were raised at the University of New
Hampshire in a building heated by a centrallv located hot water heating
system. Each pen had a capacity of 250 chicks, allowing 1.1 square feet
per chick. Feeder space was increased as the chickens grew and after
four weeks of age. 2.9 inches per chick of feeder space was provided. A
water trough eight feet long, from which the chicks could drink on each
side, was used in each pen. This allowed approximately .8 inch per chick
of watering space. Feed consisted of a high energy broiler feed in mash
form for the first two weeks, shifting to pelleted feed during the third
week. A total of 5,250 chicks were reared in three different lots during
all seasons of the year.

The figures presented in the accompanying two tables are averages of
the four strains and the three lots reared.

Table 1 presents the weekly average weight and weekly gain for males,
females, and mixed sexes.

Table 2 contains the weekly and cumulative feed consumption per broiler,
also the feed conversion calculated from mixed sex weight and gain.

It should be pointed out that best use can be made of the figures pre-
sented by considering them only as a guide to be surpassed in the broiler
grower's own operation.

* Mr. Reed was formerly Graduate Research Assistant, New Hampshire Agricultural
Experiment Station. His present address: Eastern States Farmers Exchange, West
Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Skoglund is Professor of Poultry Science and Poultry
Scientist, New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station.

Table 1. Weekly Average Weight and Gain for Commercial Broilers, 1958-59.

Males

Females

Mixed

Sexes

Week

Avg. Wgt.

Gain/week

Avg. Wgt.

Gain/week

Avg. Wgt.

Gain/week

lbs.

lbs.

lbs.

lbs.

lbs.

lbs.

1

.19

.19

.18

.18

.19

.19

2

.38

.19

.35

.17

.37

.18

3

.69

.31

.62

.27

.65

.28

4

1.11

.42

.98

.36

1.04

.39

5

1.63

.52

1.39

.41

1.51

.47

6

2.19

.56

1.78

.39

1.99

.48

7

2.78

.59

2.23

.45

2.50

.51

8

3.35

.57

2.66

.43

3.01

.51

9

4.02

.67

3.13

.47

3.57

.56

10

4.57

.55

3.53

.40

4.05

.48

Table 2. Weekly and Cumulative Feed Consumption and Feed Conversion for
Mixed Sex Commercial Broilers, 1958-59.

Feed Consumption Per Broiler
Week Weekly Cumulative

Feed Conversion*
Weekly Cumulative

lbs.

lbs.

1

.14

.14

2

.30

.44

3

.49

.93

4

.68

1.61

5

.92

2.53

6

1.06

3.59

7

1.25

4.84

8

1.44

6.28

9

1.56

7.84

10

1.55

9.39

.74

.74

1.67

1.19

1.75

1.43

1.74

1.55

1.96

1.68

2.21

1.80

2.45

1.94

2.82

2.09

2.79

2.20

3.23

2.32

* Pounds of feed required to produce one pound of live weight.

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a Liberal Education and a Career

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New Hampshire are to give students a broad education in the bio-
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