Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Effect Of Double Interspiking On Fertility, Behavior, And Blood Parameters In Broiler Breeder Males Reared Under Heat Stress Conditions, Karianne Mei-Ying Chung

Masters Theses

Broiler breeders experience a natural decline in fertility levels as a flock ages. A male management practice such as double interspiking could be applied to counteract this decline. Our objective was to investigate the effects of double interspiking on flock fertility, testosterone concentrations, stress responses, and behavioral responses of broiler breeders in heat stressed environments. Two hundred and eighty-eight broiler breeder pullets and thirty-six broiler breeder roosters (Ross 708) were assigned to three groups at 21 weeks of age (WOA). All three groups were housed in slatted floor pens in which room temperature cycled from 23.8 to 30 C to …