Four feeding schedule were investigated for broiler breeders: at 6:30 am; 50% feeding at 6:30 am and 50% at 3:30 pm (dual); at 11:00 am, and at 3:30 pm. Arbor Acres breeders were randomly assigned to 48 boxes, with 12 replicates of 27 females and three males each. The nutritional levels and management procedures were those recommended for strain. The variables studied were: total egg production, nest, clean and broken egg production, in six collections (6:30 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm); egg weight and egg specific gravity, grouped in three collections (9:00 am, 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm). Analysis of variance was used. Means were compared using Student t test for traits and collection and polynomial regression analysis for age. The collection and feeding schedule effects were significant for all traits, except for broken eggs, in which feeding schedule was not significant. The maximum egg production was obtained at 9:00 am for feeding schedule at 6:30 am (22.78 ± 0.36%) and dual (20.26 ± 0.33%), and at 1:30 pm for feeding schedule at 11:00 am (20.35 ± 0.39%) and at 3:30 pm (19.25 ± 0.38%). Female broiler breeders under the dual and at 3:30 pm feeding schedule showed egg weight of 71.0 ± 0.3 g, which was at least equal to the other feeding schedule in any collection. The egg specific gravity for feeding schedule at 11:00 am (1.0788 ± 2) and 3:30 pm (1.0799 ± 2) were higher than the other feeding schedule. Eggs from older female broiler breeders and eggs collected in the first hours of the day were heavier and had thinner eggshell than those from younger females and eggs collected later in the day. The dual feeding schedule could be an alternative to feeding schedule at 6:30.
egg production; egg quality; feeding schedule; female broiler breeders
