Systematic analysis of feeding behaviors and their effects on feed efficiency in Pekin ducks

Table 3 Comparison of measured traits among different RFI levels

Items		Low RFI(n = 33)		Middle RFI(n = 33)		High RFI(n = 33)
Items		Mean	S.D.	Mean	S.D.	Mean	S.D.
General Traits	BW 19, kg	1.1	0.1	1.1	0.1	1.2	0.1
	BW 42, kg	3.9	0.3	3.8	0.2	3.9	0.2
	Feed intake, kg	6.5^c	0.7	7.2^b	0.4	8.4^a	1.1
	RFI	−0.9^c	0.59	−0.024^b	0.027	0.9^a	1.1
	FCR	2.3^b	0.2	2.7^a	0.1	2.7^a	0.19
Feeding behavior traits	Total feed time, min	297.8^B	65.1	321.1^AB	61.0	346.1^A	98.5
	Daily feed intake, kg/d	0.297^C	0.024	0.324^B	0.025	0.372^A	0.061
	Visit feed intake, g	23	5	23	5	25	5
	Meal feed intake, g	33^b	7	37^b	6	40^a	8
	Visit duration, s	76.1	20.7	75.4	21.3	77.5	22.3
	Meal duration, s	147.5^c	38.8	171.8^a	40.4	170.1^a	41.7
	Daily interval between meals, min	165	26	167	23	161	28
	Daily feeding rate, g/min	19.6	3.0	20.3	4.3	21.7	4.0
	Number of meals per day	8.5	3.3	8.4	3	8.7	3.2
	Number of visits per day	12.9	5.9	13.8	5.8	14.5	6.6

BW 19: average body eight at d 19; BW 42: average body eight at d 42; RFI, residual feed intake; FCR, feed conversion ratio. S.D., standard deviation. Different letters in the same row means significant differences between different groups. Capital: P < 0.01; Lowercase: P < 0.05

ISSN: 2049-1891