A sustainable growth profile is critical in order to produce good quality male breeders with high levels of fertility, according to Lindsay Broadbent UK customer account co-ordinator, Aviagen.

At a recent DSM conference in Coventry, Mr Broadbent said that early growth and development were extremely important for future fertility.

According to Farmers Weekly Interactive, he said that best results for maintaining a growth profile of uniformity can be achieved by constantly increasing the body weight and feeding profile.

One of the key objectives of rearing good males is for them to ideally mate with females at 19-22 weeks, he said.

Mr Broadbent said that skeleton size and leg length were of a significant influence to fertility, especially in the latter half of laying.