EFFECT OF FORCE MOLTING ON EGG PRODUCTION AND EGG QUALITY TRAITS OF BROILER BREEDER HENS

Abstract

The study was conducted in the poultry house of animal production Department, College of Agriculture, University of Diyala, during the period 1st Oct 2016 to 22 June 2017. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of force molting by fasting program of Ross 308 and Arbor Acres broiler breeder hens on some productive traits. Four groups (each group consist of 15 hens) were divided randomly as Ross molting (Rm), Ross control (Rc), Arbor Acres
molting (Am), and Arbor Acres control (Ac). The results were indicated that there is a significant increase in egg production of Am group compared with the two control groups, while there is a significant reduction in number of egg per hen in Ac group compared with other groups. There is a significant superiority of molting groups in egg shape index compared with Rc. While there is higher albumin weight in Am compared with Rm. There is no significant differences among groups in fertility and hatchability.