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This study determined the effect of maize-, whole wheat-, soya bean-based-diets on the growth performance, egg quality and dressing percentage of chickens, as well as the potential for soy and gluten allergen carryover to eggs and meat from chickens. Twenty 36-week-old Lorham White (LW) hens were divided into two groups and kept in individual cages until they reached 39-weeks of age, with water and feed supplied ad libitum. Ten LW hens were fed a maize/soya bean-based diet (T1) and the other ten birds were fed a maize/soya bean-based diet with a 15 percent whole wheat inclusion (T2) for a period of four weeks, with weekly individual hen weights and group feed consumption figures being recorded. After a two-week diet adaptation period, six eggs per treatment group were collected every second day from the LW hens’ to measure egg quality traits. Every third day, over a 29-day period, six eggs per treatment were collected and analysed for the presence of soy, gluten and gluten-derived peptides using allergen specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) kits. For the broiler trial, a total of 160 Ross 308 mixed sex day old chicks were used in a completely randomized design. Two dietary treatments were assigned to eight cages (replicate) per treatment, with ten birds per cage. The Ross 308 broiler feeding programme consisted of three phases, starter (day 1 to day 10), grower (day 11 to day 20) and finisher (day 21 to day 28). At the beginning of the trial all chicks were fed T1 which contained a maize/soya bean-based diet for a period of 10 days and then eight cages with 10 birds per cage were randomly selected and fed the T2 diet, which contained a maize/soya bean-based diet with a 15 percent whole wheat inclusion, until they reached 28 days of age. Weekly live weights, feed intake, average daily gain and the average daily feed intake were recorded and calculated. At the end of the grower (day 21) and finisher phase (day 28), one broiler bird was selected per cage to have eight (8) birds per treatment and 16 birds per phase that were slaughtered and breast meat samples were analysed in duplicate for the presence of soy and gluten allergens using ELISA kits. The dressing percentage of hot carcasses was also determined at the end of the finisher phase on eight birds per treatment. For LW hens, live weight (LW) at 39 weeks of age, the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and weekly feed intakes (FI) were significantly different (P < 0.05) between treatments with birds on T2 recording higher gains. As birds age in weeks increased, significant differences (P < 0.05) in live weight values were recorded. Egg quality traits measured (shell weight, yolk weight, albumen weight, albumen height and Haugh units) were significantly different (P < 0.05) between treatments, with eggs from hens receiving T1 recording higher mean values. As hens got older, the colour of egg yolk improved, producing eggs with higher b* (yellowness) values and lower L* (lightness) and a* (redness) mean values. The Haugh unit, significantly improved (P < 0.05) as the hens got older, signifying better quality of eggs. For the broiler birds, growth traits measured indicated that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in live weight (LW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), weekly feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), cumulative feed intake (CFI) and cumulative gain (CG) between treatments. No significant differences (P > 0.05) between dressing percentage of broilers from the two treatments were observed. As birds grew, significant differences (P < 0.05) in LW, FI, AFI, FCR, and CFI, over a four-week period were recorded. Results of the allergen analyses indicated that soy and gluten allergens were not carried over from feed into eggs and meat of chickens fed a maize/soya bean-based diet and a maize/soya bean-based with a 15 percent whole wheat inclusion, respectively. In conclusion, a maize/soya bean-based diet and maize/soya bean-based diet with a 15 percent whole wheat inclusion that contained soy and gluten allergens, are feed sources that promote and stimulate 36-week-old LW hen and Ross 308 chicken growth.

Orientador: Ariel Antonio Mendes / Banca: José Roberto Sartori / Banca: Claudia Marie Komiyama / Resumo: Foram realizados dois experimentos. No experimento 1, foi determinado qual das dosagens de vitamina 25-OHD3 promoveria a maior concentração de cálcio plasmático. Foram utilizados 90 frangos de corte e aos 35 dias, as aves foram suplementadas diariamente por sete dias com três dosagens de vitamina D3 na dieta. Todas as dietas continham 2.500UI de vitamina D3. O Tratamento 1, dieta controle, continha somente 2.500UI de vitamina D3/kg ração; o Tratamento 2 foi suplementado com 1.000UI de vitamina 25-OHD3, totalizando 3.500UI; o Tratamento 3, suplementado com 2.500UI de vitamina 25-OHD3, totalizando 5.000UI. A partir dos 42 dias todas as aves receberam a ração controle até os 48 dias de idade. Foram realizadas coletas de sangue, antes, durante e após a administração de vitamina D3 com coletas diárias dos 35-42 dias. O efeito dos níveis de cálcio foi testado de forma contínua por análise de regressão. Foram observadas diferenças ao longo dos dias de coleta de sangue, quanto maior os níveis de vitamina D3 suplementados na ração, maior foram as concentrações de cálcio plasmático. Conclui-se que a dose de 5.000UI de vitamina D, provocou maior concentração de cálcio sanguíneo. No experimento 2, foi avaliado qual o melhor tempo de administração de vitamina D3 antes do abate para se obter níveis elevados de cálcio plasmático por pelo menos dois dias após a última administração. Foram utilizados 60 frangos de corte e aos 35 dias as aves foram suplementadas com vitamina D3 na dieta com a melhor dosagem obtida no experimento 1... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract:Two trials were conducted. In trial 1, there was determine which dosage of vitamin 25-OHD3 would promoted the highest plasma calcium concentration. There were housed 90 broiler chickens and at 35 days of age, the birds were supplemented daily for seven days with three doses of vitamin D in the diet. All diets contained 2.500UI of vitamin D3. The treatment 1, control diet, contained only 2.500UI D3/kg vitamin in diet; the treatment 2 was supplemented with 1,000UI of 25-OHD3 vitamin, totaling 3.500UI; Treatment 3, was supplemented with 2,500UI of 25-OHD3, totaling 5.000UI. From 42 days all birds received the control diet until 48 days old. Blood samples were collected, before, during and after the administration of vitamin D3 with daily collects in the 35-42 days. The calcium levels effect was continuously tested by regression analysis. There were differences day of blood collection, and the higher levels of 25-OHD3 vitamin supplementation in the diet were higher concentrations of plasma calcium. It is concluded that the dosage of 5,000UI vitamin D3, caused the highest calcium concentration. In experiment 2 there was evaluated the best administration time of vitamin D3 before slaughter to obtain high levels of plasma calcium by at least two days after the last administration. There were housed 60 broilers chickens and at 35 days of age, the birds were supplemented with vitamin 25-OHD3 in the diet with the best dosage obtained in experiment 1, was evaluated in three periods of administration, T1: 3 days, T2: 5 days, T3: 7 consecutive days of administration of the final diet supplemented. After each period of feed, the birds received control diet for four consecutive days. Daily, blood samples were collected, before, during and after the last administration. The plasma calcium in birds fed for five consecutive days... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This study was designed was to determine the effects of additive supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on growth performance, digestibility, digestive organ size, intestinal integrity, bone ash content and bone breaking strength, as well as meat yield and quality of broiler chickens. A total of 2400 day-old unsexed Cobb-500 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 5 treatment groups: T1, positive control, 668 g/ton Salinomycin and 500 g/ton Albac; T2, T3 and T4 contained graded levels of MOLM at 1 percent, 3 percent and 5 percent of dry matter (DM) intake, respectively; and T5, a negative control (0 percent additives) in a complete randomized design experiment. Except for week one, FI and FCR was highest (P < 0.05) in T4 birds; while T1 birds had the highest FI in the period of 22 to 27d (P < 0.05). Throughout the production period, birds supplemented with MOLM had the highest BW (P < 0.05) than the birds fed the control diets. Feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among treatments was highest (P < 0.05) in T4 birds during the period of 8 to 14 d; and was highest (P < 0.05) for T1 birds in the period of 22 to 27d. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) and energy utilization efficiency (EEU) ratios were statistically significant among treatments (P < 0.05). However, dietary treatments had no effect (P > 0.05) on the weights of the heart, liver, spleen, or the gizzard, although the bursa for T2 birds was the lightest (P < 0.05); while gizzard erosion score was highest in T2 birds. All of the nutrients measured, except for fat, had negative intercepts that were significantly different (P < 0.05) from zero, indicating the presence of endogenous fecal losses. Tibiae length (TL) was highest in T2. The dried defatted weight (DW) was heaviest (P < 0.05) for T3 (11.20 ± 0.347) and T5 (11.08 ± 0.328). A positive correlation (r = 0.667; P < 0.01) between TW and DW was observed. There were no dietary effects on bone breaking strength (BBS), but T1 tibiae had highest resistance to breaking force (T1 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T5). Calcium was highest (P < 0.05) in T1; and lowest inT2 and T5. Phosphorus levels were lowest (P < 0.05) in T1; and highest (P < 0.05) in T5 compared. The highest Ca: P ratio was obtained in T4 (P < 0.05); while the ash percent was highest (P < 0.05) in T1. Drip loss increased as L* values increased; and a negative correlation was observed between L* and pH. On D1, C18: 0 and C22 in T2, while C15:0 was highest in T4. On D1, C20:2, C20:3n6 and C22:6n3 were highest in T2 (P < 0.05); T4 had the highest C18:3n6 (P < 0.05), while C20:2 was highest in T5 (P < 0.05). The P/S ratio on D1 was highest in T4; while n-6/n-3 was highest in T1; and n-3 was highest in T3. On D8, the n-3 was highest in T1 (P < 0.05). Results of the current study show that supplementation of M. oleifera leaf at additive levels of up to 5 percent of the bird’s DMI does have the potential to influence the bird performance without any detrimental effects on nutrient utilization, bird health, bone strength and/or meat quality, which can be concluded that MOLM enhanced the bird’s genetic potential for optimal productivity.

Broiler production is an important animal production enterprise with potential to make high returns. Increasing feed efficiency and early body weight gain has always been a top priority in the broiler industry. The general objective of broiler nutrition is to maximise production performance and profitability . Nutrition is of major importance in raising chicken, and feed is a major input in poultry production systems, accounting for over 60% of total production costs in commercial poultry sector Renkema (1992). The cost of feed is therefore often a constraint especially in developing countries. For instance, Onyenokwe (1994) observed that high cost of feed ingredients in many African countries has caused many poultry farmers to abandon the industry. The continued rise in feed prices is due to competition for some of the ingredients with human e.g. sorghum, wheat and maize. Broiler farmers are therefore forced to use combinations of feed ingredients of low cost to obtain savings and avoid any further loss of profits. It is therefore important to give special attention to feed and feeding since the rate of feed consumption increases rapidly with advancing age of the birds and good nutrition is reflected in the bird's performance and its products. The profitability of a broiler enterprise depends on the efficient conversion of feed to meat. Broilers have the ability to convert the feeds into meat with a high efficiency. For instance Morris and Njuru (1990) reported that broilers have much higher daily rates of protein deposition than layer chicken strains. This implies that fast-growing strains would require greater daily protein intakes than slow-growing ones. In the past, the major criteria for assessing the performance of broilers has been growth rate and feed conversion ratio (FeR). Diet specifications and feeding programmes have been aimed at maximising these two parameters whereby overall flock performance is calculated based on the total weight of chicken produced from total feed deliveries. With the new developments in understanding of nutritional factors affecting broiler growth and carcass composition, it is now possible to apply sophisticated and yet efficient approaches to feeding broilers. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-01-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:36:59Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 sanfelice_c_me_botfmvz.pdf: 528622 bytes, checksum: c9f0911ab04c1ca00ef2a724dcc79192 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Foram realizados dois experimentos. No experimento 1, foi determinado qual das dosagens de vitamina 25-OHD3 promoveria a maior concentração de cálcio plasmático. Foram utilizados 90 frangos de corte e aos 35 dias, as aves foram suplementadas diariamente por sete dias com três dosagens de vitamina D3 na dieta. Todas as dietas continham 2.500UI de vitamina D3. O Tratamento 1, dieta controle, continha somente 2.500UI de vitamina D3/kg ração; o Tratamento 2 foi suplementado com 1.000UI de vitamina 25-OHD3, totalizando 3.500UI; o Tratamento 3, suplementado com 2.500UI de vitamina 25-OHD3, totalizando 5.000UI. A partir dos 42 dias todas as aves receberam a ração controle até os 48 dias de idade. Foram realizadas coletas de sangue, antes, durante e após a administração de vitamina D3 com coletas diárias dos 35-42 dias. O efeito dos níveis de cálcio foi testado de forma contínua por análise de regressão. Foram observadas diferenças ao longo dos dias de coleta de sangue, quanto maior os níveis de vitamina D3 suplementados na ração, maior foram as concentrações de cálcio plasmático. Conclui-se que a dose de 5.000UI de vitamina D, provocou maior concentração de cálcio sanguíneo. No experimento 2, foi avaliado qual o melhor tempo de administração de vitamina D3 antes do abate para se obter níveis elevados de cálcio plasmático por pelo menos dois dias após a última administração. Foram utilizados 60 frangos de corte e aos 35 dias as aves foram suplementadas com vitamina D3 na dieta com a melhor dosagem obtida no experimento 1... / Two trials were conducted. In trial 1, there was determine which dosage of vitamin 25-OHD3 would promoted the highest plasma calcium concentration. There were housed 90 broiler chickens and at 35 days of age, the birds were supplemented daily for seven days with three doses of vitamin D in the diet. All diets contained 2.500UI of vitamin D3. The treatment 1, control diet, contained only 2.500UI D3/kg vitamin in diet; the treatment 2 was supplemented with 1,000UI of 25-OHD3 vitamin, totaling 3.500UI; Treatment 3, was supplemented with 2,500UI of 25-OHD3, totaling 5.000UI. From 42 days all birds received the control diet until 48 days old. Blood samples were collected, before, during and after the administration of vitamin D3 with daily collects in the 35-42 days. The calcium levels effect was continuously tested by regression analysis. There were differences day of blood collection, and the higher levels of 25-OHD3 vitamin supplementation in the diet were higher concentrations of plasma calcium. It is concluded that the dosage of 5,000UI vitamin D3, caused the highest calcium concentration. In experiment 2 there was evaluated the best administration time of vitamin D3 before slaughter to obtain high levels of plasma calcium by at least two days after the last administration. There were housed 60 broilers chickens and at 35 days of age, the birds were supplemented with vitamin 25-OHD3 in the diet with the best dosage obtained in experiment 1, was evaluated in three periods of administration, T1: 3 days, T2: 5 days, T3: 7 consecutive days of administration of the final diet supplemented. After each period of feed, the birds received control diet for four consecutive days. Daily, blood samples were collected, before, during and after the last administration. The plasma calcium in birds fed for five consecutive days... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Antonio Celso Pezzato / Coorientador: José Roberto Sartori / Resumo: Foi realizado um experimento para avaliar o efeito dos níveis de zinco na dieta de frangos de corte, sobre o desempenho, a imunidade e saúde. O ensaio foi realizado em aviário experimental, o delineamento foi inteiramente casualisado com cinco níveis de zinco, totalizando 5 tratamentos com sete repetições, os tratamentos consistiram em 50, 75, 100, 125 e 150% da exigência de zinco segundo Rostagno et al. (2011), sendo o tratamento 100% (controle): 81,3; 71,5; 65 ppm de zinco nas fases pré- incial, inicial e crescimento, respectivamente. As aves foram divididas em boxes, sendo cada box uma unidade experimental com 33 aves cada. E aos 35 dias de idade foi realizado um desafio com LPS de E. coli. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de desempenho: conversão alimentar, consumo de ração, peso corporal, ganho de peso e viabilidade; bioquímicos: zinco no sangue, superóxido dismutase e glutationa peroxidase no soro sanguíneo; e imunológico: título de anticorpos para doença de Newcastle de 1 a 35 dias de idade. Após os 35 dias de idade foram avaliados peso relativo de órgãos, o teor de zinco na tíbia inteira, fêmur sem a medula óssea, medula óssea do fêmur e no fígado, atividade da superóxido dismutase e glutationa peroxidase no soro sanguíneo e no fígado e a produção de reativos de oxigênio e nitrogênio por macrófagos peritoniais; em todos os níveis de zinco em aves desafiadas por LPS ou não. Os dados foram avaliados pela análise de variância (ANOVA) através do procedimento General Lineal Model (GLM), com auxílio do programa estatístico SAS 9.3. O nível ótimo de zinco dietético foi determinado pela análise de regressão no modelo da Nova Compartimental (���� = ��������−�������� (1+ ����−����(����−����) ) ) utilizando-se o programa Excel (xlsx) com exceção dos dados de Peroxido de Hidrogênio e Oxido Nítrico em que o... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of zinc levels on the broiler diet on performance, immunity and health. The experiment was carried out in experimental fowl, the design was completely randomized with five levels of zinc, totaling 5 treatments with seven replicates, treatments consisted of 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150% of the zinc requirement according to Rostagno et al. (2011), the treatment being 100% (control): 81.3; 71.5; 65 ppm of zinc in the pre-intial, initial and growth phases, respectively. The birds were divided into boxes, each box being an experimental unit with 33 birds each. And at 35 days of age a challenge was performed with E. coli LPS. Performance parameters were evaluated: feed conversion, feed intake, body weight, weight gain and viability; Biochemicals: zinc in the blood, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in blood serum; And immunological: titer of antibodies to Newcastle disease from 1 to 35 days of age. After 35 days of age, relative body weight, zinc content in the entire tibia, femur without the bone marrow, bone marrow of the femur and liver, superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione peroxidase in blood serum and liver were evaluated. Production of oxygen and nitrogen reactives by peritoneal macrophages; At all levels of zinc in LPS challenged birds or not. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure, using the statistical program SAS 9.3. The optimal level of dietary zinc was determined by the Regression analysis in the New Compartmental (���� = ��������−�������� (1+ ����−����(����−����) ) ) using the program Excel (xlsx) with the exception of Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide data in which the optimum level of dietary zinc was determined by the regression analysis, Broken Line, using the Proc Reg procedure of SAS 9.3, with the aid of... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

The high cost of feed materials and feed additives in developing nations has elicited interest in the search for sustainable alternatives. Moringa (Moringa oleifera), one of such sustainable alternatives is a tropical plant that has its usefulness investigated in this study. A 42-day study was designed to determine the response of Ross 308 broilers to dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation. The Moringa oleifera leaves used for the study were analysed for proximate, mineral and composition as well as phytochemical contents before being incorporated in the diet. Day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks (n = 500) were allotted to five treatments in completely randomized design with each treatment replicated five times and each replicate having 20 chicks. The birds were subjected to diets supplemented with Moringa oleifera leaf meal at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/kg feed at both starter and finisher stage, respectively and designated as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5. Moringa oleifera leaf meal level that supported optimum production and physiological variables was modelled using the quadratic function. At day 42, three birds per replicate were slaughtered to evaluate carcass and organ yields. Result of the proximate composition revealed that MOLM is rich in protein (32.37%) and neutral detergent fibre (52.16%). Mineral assay indicated that MOLM was high in calcium, sodium, potassium, sulphur and iron. Daily feed intake (FI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio were the same among the treatments with the exception of starter broilers on diet T1 that had higher ADG (p<0.05) than those on the other diets. Final live weight (FLW), mortality and gizzard weight were influenced (p<0.05) by Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation. Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation had no effect on parameters measured. Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation at 39.98 and 35.80 g/kg feed supported optimum FLW and ADG at starter phase and 46.88 g/kg feed MOLM supported optimum FLW at finisher phase. In conclusion, Moringa oleifera leaf meal is a good source of nutrients and suitable for production of enhanced cut parts in broiler chickens. Birds on 50 and 75 g Moringa oleifera leaf meal/kg feed had higher (p<0.05) packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and glucose than those on the other 3 treatment diets. The white blood cell (WBC) counts for birds on 50 g Moringa oleifera leaf meal/kg feed were higher (p<0.05) than those on 100 g Moringa oleifera leaf meal/kg feed but similar (p>0.05) to those on 0, 25 and 75 g MOLM/kg feed. Blood platelet count maintained the trend 75 g > 0 g > 50 g > 100 g > 25 g MOLM/kg feed with birds on 75 g Moringa oleifera leaf meal/kg feed being statistically higher (p<0.05) than those on 25, 50 and 100 g MOLM/kg feed. Dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation had no significant effect (p>0.05) on haemoglobin (Hb), total serum protein (TSP), albumin, cholesterol and uric acid. Triglyceride (TG) level of birds on 25, 75 and 100 g Moringa oleifera leaf meal/kg feed decreased significantly compared to those on 0 and 50 g MOLM/kg feed. Daily Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the differential WBC count. Daily Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation with 26.99 g/kg feed and 31.95 g/kg feed respectively supported optimum PCV (38.62%) and glucose (245.42 mg/dl) in Ross 308 broilers. It is, therefore summarized that optimizing MOLM supplementation level in the ration of Ross 308 broilers could assist in improving their productivity. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / Ph. D. (Agriculture)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of broiler maternal dietary lysine intake on progeny performance. Three experiments were conducted with chicks hatched from Cobb 500 breeders at 38, 48, and 60 weeks of age. Breeder hens received six dietary treatments (T1-T6) from 26 to 60 weeks of age, which allowed an intake of 800, 930, 1070, and 1200 mg lysine/bird/d (T1-T4) respectively. An intake of 800 mg/bird/d at 26 weeks was increased by 25 mg every two weeks to provide 1225 mg lysine/bird/d at 60 weeks (T5). An intake of 1200 mg/bird/d at 26 weeks was reduced by 25 mg every two weeks to supply 775 mg lysine/bird/d at 60 weeks (T6). A total of 320, 401, and 390 chicks were hatched from breeder hens at 38, 48, and 60 weeks of age respectively. Immediately after hatching, 270, 384, and 384 unsexed chicks from breeder hens at 38, 48 and 60 weeks of age respectively, were placed in an environmentally controlled room and randomly allocated (within a treatment) to single-tier cages (80 × 50 cm). Nine chicks from breeders at 38 weeks of age and 8 chicks from breeders at 48 and 60 weeks of age were placed in each pen, keeping chicks from the same treatment group together for 21 d. Chicks were fed ad libitum with a commercial broiler starter crumble for 21 d and water was provided ad libitum throughout the duration of each trial. Feed intakes (FI), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured weekly. Data were subjected to analysis of variance using a generalized linear model of GenStat 12th edition. Simple linear regression model of GenStat 12th edition was used where appropriate. Significant improvements in offspring feed intake and body weight gain from 7-21 d were observed in chicks hatched from young breeder flocks (38 weeks) with low dietary lysine intakes (800, 930 and 950 mg/bird/d). The effect of maternal dietary lysine intake on offspring performance disappeared with the aging of the breeder flock (60 weeks). It was concluded that lower maternal dietary lysine intakes (800, 930 and 950 mg/bird/d) may improve feed intake and body weight gain from 7-21 d of broiler chicks hatched from younger breeder flocks (38 weeks). / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Fertility of Broiler Breeders (BBs) has been researched over many years with inconclusive findings. Genetic selection and improvements in growth traits have had negative effects on fertility of BB. One explanation is related to overweight birds, resulting in the inability of birds to copulate successfully, with no cloacal contact. The requirements of CP for egg production in BB females have been quantified, but there is less literature on how CP affects fertility in male BBs. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of feeding BB males different dietary CP intakes (10.4, 12.4, 14.2, 17.8, 19.3 and 20.1 g CP/bird/day) on fertility in flocks with natural mating and in birds that were artificially inseminated (AI). Results showed that birds consuming 10.4 and 12.4 g CP/bird/day resulted in weight loss (between 24.9 and 23.6% and 26.5 and 22.4% below target BW) over the 29 weeks of the experimental period in both natural mating and individual pens respectively. Intakes of higher protein content (17.8- 20.1 g CP/bird/day) however resulted in BW gain over the experimental period. Hatch percentage across all CP intakes throughout the duration of the study was found to be high, ranging between 75- 100 and 80-95 % in AI and naturally mated birds respectively, and not affected by CP intakes. Similar results for predicted fertility using the methods published by Brillard & Antoine (1990) and Wishart (1997) were found; however Brillard & Antoine (1990) is more lenient requiring less outer perivitelline layer (OPVL) sperm/mm2 to pronounce an egg fertile. Improved fertility predictions could have been made by using examination of inner perivitelline layer (IVPL). There was a tendency for a superior response in predicted fertility from birds with a protein intake of 14.2 g CP/bird/day. This intake also least affected the BW of the male birds and thus 14.2 g CP/bird/day can be recommended for optimal BB male performance. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.