REARING DENSITY IN THE PERFORMANCE AND PROFITABILITY OF ROSS 308 BROILERS

The objective was to evaluate the effect of stocking density on productive performance, carcass characteristics, productivity, bone development, and profitability of Ross 308 broilers. A completely randomized experimental design with four stocking densities (10, 12, 14, and 16 birds m-2) and four replicates, and the subplots the bone collection ages (7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 days old). The variables analyzed were live weight at 21 and 42 days, weight gain, feed intake, and conversion in the accumulated periods from 1 to 21 and 1 to 42 days. Weights of carcasses, commercial cuts, edible viscera, abdominal fat, productivity, production efficiency index, viability, and profitability were evaluated. The length, thickness, weight, and Seedor index of long bones (tibiotarsus and femur) were also evaluated. The yield was higher for densities of 14 and 16 birds m-2. The thickness of the tibiotarsus was lower in the density of 12 birds m-2. The increase in the stocking density of 10 or 12 birds m-2, to 14 birds m-2 allows greater productivity per area, without compromising the productive performance, such as carcass characteristics and the animal's bone development, besides being the breeding density with the highest profitability, considering the welfare of Ross 308 broilers.