EFFECT OF A SINGLE POSTHATCH INTUBATION OF NUTRIENTS ON SUBSEQUENT EARLY PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKS AND TURKEY POULTS

The effects of intubation of various nutrients immediately after hatch ing on subsequent growth was studied in poultry raised for meat. Two s hort-term experiments were conducted with turkey poults and two with b roiler chicks to market age. In each experiment a solution containing glucose, starch, oil, or a mixture of these was administered, and subs equent growth performance was measured. The intubation of single nutri ents into the crop of posthatch turkey poults promoted subsequent grow th as compared with controls. This effect was most prominent with the intubation of carbohydrates. Intubation of the mixture promoted growth consistently to market age in broiler chickens. Enhanced growth was a ssociated with increased feed consumption. Intubation of the mixture r eversed the depressive effects on body weight of increased posthatch h olding time, as well as the negative effects on offspring derived from young maternal flocks, as compared with controls. Results indicate th at a single intubation of nutrients immediately after hatching has a t remendous effect on subsequent performance of chicks or poults, especi ally in birds with delayed access to feed and water. This is probably due to early stimulation of the digestive system in the intubated bird s.