Abstract

Background:
Heat stress (HS) significantly affects tropical broiler farming by impairing growth, physiology, meat quality, survival, and profitability. Since feed constitutes a major production cost, adopting feeding management approaches may reduce costs while enhancing bird resilience under HS without compromising productivity.

Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different feeding management approaches on growth, rectal temperature, water intake, serum biochemistry, meat quality, gut histomorphology, and profitability in heat-stressed broilers.

Methods:
A total of 750 broiler day-old chicks were reared in an open-sided house for 6 weeks and allocated to five feeding approaches: T1 = ad libitum feeding (AdLF); T2 = quantitative feed restriction (6, 9, and 12% restrictions during the 4, 5, and 6th weeks, respectively, QuantFR); T3 = fixed-period feed withdrawal (8 h restriction, 8hFW); T4 = different periods of feed withdrawal (5, 7, and 9 h restrictions during the 4, 5, and 6th weeks, respectively, DPFW); and T5 = intermittent feed withdrawal (2 h of feeding and 2 h of fasting, InterFW), with 5 replications of 30 chicks each. All groups were fed ad libitum for the first 3 weeks; thereafter, feed restriction protocols were applied. Data on growth, water intake, rectal temperature, serum biochemistry, carcass yields, meat quality, and gut histomorphology were analyzed.

Results:
The 8hFW group showed significantly (P

Key words: Feed restriction; Growth performance; Gut histomorphology; Heat stress; Survivability.