RESEARCH ARTICLE
J Res Vet Med. 2021: 40 (1) 49-53
DOI:10.30782/jrvm.779699
Comparison of Growth Curve in Male Layer Chickens
 Widya Pintaka Bayu Putra1,  Roshan Riaz2,
   Andrean Amar Gunawan3,   Abdülkadir Orman2*
1Bursa Uludağ University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Bursa, Turkey
2Bursa Uludağ University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Sciences, Bursa, Turkey
3Jenderal Soedirman University, Faculty of Animal Science, Department of Animal Production, Purwokerto, Indonesia
Received 13-08-2020 Accepted 24-12-2020
Abstract
This study was aimed to obtain the growth curve of body weight in male layer chickens (Lohman MB 202) based on Logistic and Gompertz 
models. The frequently data of body weight from one day age to adult age were used for growth curve prediction. Total of one thousand birds 
from private sector poultry farm in Tasikmalaya Regency, Indonesia were used in this study as the data source. The growth curve estimation 
was calculated based on Logistic (L) and Gompertz (G) models using Curve Expert 1.4. computer program. The final weight (asymptote) 
in birds was reached of 1111.27 g (L) and 1685.13 g (G). Therefore, the weight of inflection (Wi) of birds were reached of 555.64 g (L) and 
619.53 g (G). The time of inflection (ti) and maximum growth rate (GR) of birds in both models were 6 weeks and 19 g/week respectively. In 
conclusion, both models had similar coefficient of determination (R2) value. However, the growth curve of Gompertz model was confirmed 
as better growth curve for body weight of birds than that of Logistic model due to lower of  root mean square error (RMSE) value.
Keywords: Body weight, growth curve, inflection and male layer.
Introduction The application of mathematical model on growth curve 
can give a collection of parameters that might be accus-
Growth is an economic trait in poultry production and tomed describe growth pattern overtime. moreover, it'll 
affected by genetics and environmental factors. Growth alter the breeders to expect the burden of animals at a 
can be expressed as an increase body size per time unit.1 selected age and to discover the stage that related to the 
Growth is a constant function throughout the animal’s reduction in rate of growth.4 Moreover, growth curve of 
lifetime from embryonic phases up to fully-grown age farm animal has been accustomed observe dynamically of 
and its mathematically described by growth curve models. growth course, to forecast the poultry growth law and in-
Growth curve for poultry usually have the features: an ac- struct the feeding and management programs to enhance 
celerating phase of development from hatching, a point of the choice and breeding effects.5
inflection in the development curve at which the growth The growth curve of livestock can be estimated with sev-
rate is supreme, a phase where growth amount is slowing eral nonlinear regression model of Brody, Bertalanffy, 
and a limiting value (asymptote) complete weight.2 In ad- Gompertz, Logistic, Richards and Weibull. However, the 
dition, the growth curve is to define the consistent change Logistic and Gompertz jobs have secure growing methods 
generated by the live weight or some portion of the animal with opinion of inflection at about 50% and 30% of the 
through the age increasing, which commonly is a S-shaped asymptote in birds correspondingly.6 Moreover, previous 
(sigmoid) curve.3 studies were worked with Logistic and Gompertz models 
to evaluate growth curve of broiler.7,8 But recently, study 
 * Corresponding author:  orman@uludag.edu.tr 
                Bursa Uludağ University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Sciences, Bursa, Turkey
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Bayu Putra et al.  2021
that explain male layer growth curve is not reported. Two growth curve models of Logistic (L) and Gompertz 
Growth performance of male layer chicks are moderate, (G) were performed using Curve Expert 1.4. computer 
and yield and preferable meat in the carcass does not meet program and relevant models are described in the Table 2s. 
consumer expectations.9 On the other hand, in the Phil- The best growth curve was selected based on coefficient of 
ippines and some other parts of Asia, day-old layer males determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) 
are used as a human “snack food”. In some African and values. Growth curve with highest of R2 value and lowest 
Asian nations, male layer chicks are raised up for meat by of RMSE values were confirmed as the best growth curve 
way of backyard poultry that feed for most of their diet. to predict body weight of birds from hatching to adult age.
In some shops in Malaysia, layer males, which have been Table 2. The growth curve functions
raised up to market weight and processed, are truly sold at 
an advanced value per pound than are broilers.10 Also, in 
Africa and Asia there are many dishes that benefit from a 
cockerel instead of a standard broiler.11 In Indonesia, male 
layer chickens were kept by many farmers for meat produc-
tion. In Indonesia, the day of chick (DOC) of male layer 
were kept by many farmers for meat production. The ob-
jective of the current study is to assess the growth curve of 
male layer chicken. The results of this study can be used for Results
obtaining the suitable management system for male layer Growth curve analysis
chickens. The growth curve analysis results with Curve Expert 1.4. 
Materials and Methods computer program was presented in Table 3. The final 
This study was conducted in one of the specific sector weight (A) in L model was lower than G model. The aver-
poultry farms located at Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, age growth rate (k) in L model was higher than G model. 
Indonesia. A total of one thousand male layer chickens The weight of inflection (Wi) in L model was lower than 
(Lohman MB 202) were used in this study. Birds were kept G model. Despite, both models had similar of time of in-
in floor pen. The illumination procession provided 22 h of flection (ti) value (approximately 6 weeks) and maximum 
nonstop light per daytime. The vaccination of Newcastle growth rate (GR) value (approximately 19 g/week). The co-
disease (ND) and Gumboro were given to each bird. A efficient of determination (R2) value in both models were 
marketable basal regime was given to the birds as present- similar (0.98) in both models but the lowest  root mean 
ed in Table 1. Feed and intake water were obtainable ad square error (RMSE) value was observed in G model. 
libitum. Birds were measured at fixed intervals of one week Moreover, the growth curve in both models showed a sig-
for 8 weeks. moid form (Figure 1). According to the both models, the 
Table 1. Nutrient compound of the basal regime of male layer chicken highest of GR value in birds was occurred at 42-45 days 
(Lohman MB 202) (Figure 2) as noted in Table 3.
Table 3. Growth curve parameters, inflection point, maximum growth 
rate and goodness of appropriate standards
Predicted weight
The actual and predicted live weights in birds at 0-8 weeks 
age were presented in Table 4. Commonly, the predicted 
weight in both models were closed to actual weight. The 
predicted weight in L model at 0 week was too higher than 
actual weight. The predicted weight in G model at 7 and 8 
weeks were closed to the actual weight. Moreover, the max-
imum weekly growth rate in both models were showed at 
7th week.
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Bayu Putra et al.  2021
Table 4. Measured and predicted live weights and growth rates accord- less root mean square error (RMSE). 
ing to two growth curves in male layer chickens (Lohman MB 202) The final weight (A) of birds in the current study were low-
er than some Broiler strains as presented in Table 5. The 
maturing rate (k) in studied birds were closed to strain 
Ross 30815 and Hubbard JA5716 Broilers. The k value in 
studied birds were higher than in Creole chickens.17 The 
weight of inflection (Wi) in studied birds were lower than 
some Broiler strains (Table 5). N’dri et al. (2018)18 ob-
tained Wi of 554.01 g and 586.10 g in Cote d’Ivoire chicken 
breeds and lower than in this study. The time of inflection 
(ti) in studied birds were closed to strain Hubbard JA57 
Broiler.16 The growth rate (GR) in studied birds were lower 
than some Broiler strains (Table 5). The growth curve of G 
Discussion model was better than L model to predict the body weight 
According to the present study the mean body weight at from hatching to final weight. Previous studies reported 
first week of age was found 70 g. The mean body weight that G model was accurate to explain the growth curve of 
and weight obtained at the first week in this study was low- Broiler,19,20,16,7 Ghanaian,21 nondescript Italian22 and Polish 
er than the weight gain reported by the Habig et al (2016).12 Greenleg Patridge.23 
Habig et al (2016) studied the Lohmann Brown males and Table 5. The growth curve parameters, maturing rate, inflection point 
reported 80.9 g mean body weight at first week of age and growth rate of commercial Broiler chickens in certain previous re-
which is also higher than the results presented by Koenig ports
et al (2012). This difference in the mean weight is associat-
ed with the day-old chick weight and line under study. The 
body weight gain is significantly influenced by the line and 
the space covered at its sitting and standing position. Fur-
thermore, higher weight gain and uniformity was observed 
in Lohmann dual males than the Lohmann brown males. 
The results of the presented study at fourth and seventh 
week of age are comparable with the results demonstrated 
by Koenig et al (2012), who reported the mean weigh 344g 
and 681g respectively. Kreuzer et al (2019)13 studied the 
Lohmann Brown, Hubbard and Lohmann Dual purpose 
male layer and found the higher mean weight in the Broiler 
males throughout the study followed by the dual-purpose 
male layers and lastly the Lohmann male layers. The per-
formance of the dual-purpose male layer was higher than 
the slow growing broiler males and the layer males at lower 
dietary protein levels. The Final weight gain in this study The male layer chicken in this study showed lower growth 
was lower than the reported weight gain by the other re- rate than Broiler chicken. It can be caused by genetical fac-
searchers. Giersberg et al. (2018)14 reported the final male tor. Broiler chicken was developed for meat production 
layer weight gain for Lohmann Brown and dual-purpose with fast growth trait. Hence, layer chicken was developed 
stains 1.3 and 1.5 kg, respectively. Meanwhile the authors for egg production with medium body size trait. Accord-
also reported the weight daily gain of 9 to 13 g and 18 to ing to Figure 1, the final weight of male can be obtained 
20 for organic and conventional rearing system. Leenstra at more than 100 days (14 weeks). Hence, obtaining the 
(2014) studied the effect of the rearing system on the male final weight in male layer chicken needed a long time and 
layers and reported the higher weight gain at floor system feed cost. In strain Ross 308 Broiler, the final weight was 
than cage system and the rearing system significantly influ- reached of about 3000-4000 g at 11 weeks age.8 Common-
enced the weight gain at third, seventh and eleventh week ly, harvest time in male layer chicken at 8 weeks age with 
of their age. The curve fitting of the G model is more closer slaughter weight about 1 kg. Therefore, most of this chick-
than the L model and higher accuracy in the weight esti- en was supplied to restaurants in Indonesia because of bet-
mation can be done with the G model with higher R2 and ter meat taste than Broiler meat.
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Bayu Putra et al.  2021
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The author thanks to the farmers in Tasikmalaya Regency and mixed sex broilers kept for fattening purposes re-
for their cooperate and support to this research. garding their  floor space covering, weight-gain 
and several animal health traits. Arc  G e f l ü g e l k d . 
Funding 2016; 80:1-10.
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