The common methods of feeding restriction mainly include the time-limited method, the quality restriction method and the limit method.
Time-limited method: It is mainly to control the feed intake of breeders by controlling their feeding time. Specifically, there are three forms: daily feeding limit, alternate day feeding restriction and weekly feeding limit. The daily feeding limit is according to the age of the breeder, the weight gain and the nutritional needs of maintaining growth and development, and the daily feeding is limited or by limiting the number of feedings and the time of each feeding to achieve the feeding limit. This method is less stressful to the chickens and is suitable for breeders in the late brood, pre-finishing and 1-2 weeks before transfer to the laying house or throughout the laying period. The alternate day feeding restriction is to concentrate the two-day feed on one day, that is, one day to feed and one day to stop. This method is more stressful to the breeders, but can alleviate their food contention, so that each chicken eats roughly the same amount of feed, so as to obtain a flock with higher weight uniformity and meet the target requirements. This method is suitable for flocks with fast growth and difficult to control phases, but the total amount of feed for two days during the implementation phase should not exceed the amount of feed during the peak laying period. Weekly feeding restriction is 2 days per week, but for the first 98 days, anticoccidiosis drugs must also be added to the feed to control the occurrence of coccidiosis. From 49 days, 0. per 100 chickens per week45 kg of sand grains (3 mm in diameter) that aid digestion and prevent the shrinkage of the bursa.
Quality restriction method: mainly to limit the nutritional level of the diet, so that the weight of the chicken is up to standard, neat, healthy and firm, evenly developed, timely production, and improve the egg production rate and egg fertilization rate, reduce the mortality rate during the egg production period. Feed 10%-80% of the diet every day or every other day or stop feeding for 2 days a week. There is no limit to the amount of feeding.
Limit method: It is to limit the amount of feed that the birds consume every day.
The significance of feeding restriction is to make the weight of the chicken up to standard, good uniformity, healthy and firm, well-proportioned, timely production, and improve the egg production rate and egg fertilization rate, and reduce the mortality rate during the egg production period. By restricting feeding, you can promote the growth and development of chickens and improve their performance, while also preventing obesity and health problems in the flock. In addition, feeding restrictions can also help farmers better control feed costs and production efficiency.