EFFECTS OF STOCKING DENSITY ON BROILER PERFORMANCE

This study is carried out in order to determine the effects of stocking density on the performance of hybrid (Ross 308) broilers. The broilers in the study were separated in three groups according to their stocking density, named A (10 broilers/m2 ), B (13 broilers/m2 ) and C (16 broilers/m2 ). Five hundereds chicks were put in each group of stocking density. A common care and feeding program was applied to all groups. In order to determine the features of slaughtering and carcass quality as well as the characteristics of meat quality, 30 broilers were randomly selected as 5 females and 5 males from each group. The live weight gain was recorded weekly while the feed consumption and the dead chicks were recorded daily. Before slaughtering the average live weights on the 42n d day of the broilers in A, B, and C groups were determined as 2395.70 g, 2379.60 g, and 2284.90 g, respectively. The effect of stocking density on live weight was determined insignificant. Total feed consumption on the 42n d day was as 4407.75 g, 4433.89 g, and 4430.09 g, respectively. On the 42n d day, the feed conversion ratios were 1.80, 1.82 and 1.83 in the groups A, B, and C, respectively. The effects of pH, cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force value, L, a, b of meat colour regarding the meat quality of groups A, B, and C were found statistically insignificant. As a result of the study, it is understood that the increase in the stocking density as in this research would not cause serious problems if appropriate conditions are provided.