Spiking applications in broiler breeders and its effect on reproduction performance

SUMMARY According to current reports, broiler breeder eggs have a high fertility rate at the beginning of production, but a quick decline occurs in fertility after 40 to 45 weeks. In actuality, female broiler breeders require more frequent breeding to maintain high fertility, whereas males of the same age are less interested in breeding and the hatchability of eggs starts to decline with age. Due to these circumstances, proper care and management are essential for aged breeder flocks to maintain good reproductive performance and production. In order to address the issue of declining fertility in older flocks, spiking application has just begun to be included in the maintenance and management methods of many breeders worldwide. To encourage the flock’s mating activity, this strategy entails replacing some of the existing male breeders with young or older breeders. With young or old roosters, the spiking exchange can be used in single or double forms. The objective of this review is to provide in-depth information about spiking, which has a variety of forms, and to compile the results of relevant research.