Ad libitum feeding alters mRNA abundance in the ovarian cortex of broiler breeder hens.

Giving breeder hens unrestricted access to feed can lead to problems with their ovaries, including excessive growth of the ovary and reduced fertility. Giving a limited amount of feed is the only effective way to reduce this growth of the ovaries and improve fertility. This study aimed to assess the changes in the molecules that make proteins in the body in hens fed unrestricted and restricted diets. In the hens fed a limited amount of feed, there were more of one type of molecules, while there were more of another type in the ovaries of hens with unrestricted access to feed. These results show that how much a hen eats can alter the number of these molecules in the ovary and this could help us understand why their ovaries grow excessively and why their eggs are less fertile.