This document discusses feeding and nutrient requirements of poultry. It begins by stating that the objective is to supply balanced diets that meet nutrient needs at different growth stages to optimize efficiency and profitability. It then describes the digestive tract and specialized digestive organs of poultry, such as the crop, gizzard, and cloaca. The document outlines the main components of poultry feed including energy sources, protein sources, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. It provides details on the nutrient and energy requirements of poultry as well as common feed ingredients used to meet these requirements.
Poultry Nutrition: Balanced Diet Key to Maximizing Production
1. Feeding and Nutrient Requirement
of Poultry
Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh
Professor & Head (Animal Nutrition)
Bihar Veterinary College, Patna, Bihar
E-mail: vetpank@gmail.com Phone:7909079625
2. Objective
Balanced diet Genetic potential
Feed cost accounts ~70% of total production cost
To supply a range of balanced diets that satisfy the nutrient
requirements at different physiological stages of poultry
that optimize efficiency and profitability without
compromising bird welfare or the environment.
3. Digestive Tract - Poultry
Esophagus
Crop
Proventriculus
Gizzard
Liver
Gall bladder
Cecum
Cloaca
Large intestine
Small intestine
(jejunum, ileum)
Pancreas
Duodenum
4. Specialized Digestive Organs in Poultry
1. Beak
âşNo lips, no teeth, and no chewing.
2. Crop
âşOut-pocketing of the esophagus that provides
storage for consumed food.
âşFood moistened and softened.
3. Proventriculus
âşGlandular stomach where the first amount
of digestive juices are added.
4. Gizzard
âşA muscular organ used to grind and break up food.
âşMay contain grit (small stones) eaten by bird
5. Cloaca
â Common chamber into which the digestive, urinary, and
reproductive tracts open
â When fecal material is excreted, the cloaca folds back at the vent allowing the rectal
opening of the large intestine to push out, closing the reproductive tract opening
6. Digestive System
Mouth Teeth & Lips absent, Horney beak (Main prehensile organ),
Tongue
Oesophagus Distensible tube, role is to pass food materialfrom Mouth to
Stomuch
Crop Permanent expansion of oesophagus, storage organ of food
Proventriculus Glandular /True stomuch, secrete gastric juice (HCL & Pepsin)
Gizzard Muscular stomuch, Bioconcave disc composed of 2 thick muscles.
Grinding organ- Break down coarse feed to fine particles.
Process of grinding aided by those of insoluble Grit or Gravels
Duodenum U shape loop, enclose pancreas.
Pancreatic & bile ducts open at the junction of duodenum & Small
intenstine.
Small intestine Lumen lined with Villi, to absorb nutrient
Large intestine Extends from point of caecal opening to cloaca or rectum
Storage, water resorption.
Caeca Two blind ended tubes, Microbial digestion of cellulose
Some synthesis of B complex vit.
Cloaca Common receptacle of Genital , Digestive & Urinary system
8. PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING POULTRY
⢠Birds have no lips & teeth hence, cannot chew, so require
concentrate feed (grain, cake etc).
⢠Simple stomach-so nutrient requirement are more precise &
specific.
⢠Have higher rate of metabolism-so different feeds for different
classes of birds are required as per standard recommendation.
⢠Being smaller: Poultry fed in group.
⢠Feed s/be appetising & free from Aflatoxin b/c poultry are
very sensitive to it.
⢠Should provided clean, fresh & cool water.
⢠Being non-ruminants CF s/not be > 6-8%.
⢠Feeding should done according to rearing purpose.
⢠Essential nutrients s/be supplied in balanced form.
10. Energy feeds
1-Energy requirement:
ďˇ Ration for poultry calculated on the basis of Metabolisable energy (ME).
ďˇ Prestarter ~ 3200 kcal/kg
~ Why ME is preferred in Poultry?
ďˇ Poultry eat to satisfy their energy needs when fed free choice
ďˇ Energy source limit intake of all nutrients
ďˇ Calorie protein ratio (CPR)
Energy feeds:
ďˇ Grain (maize, rice, wheat, millets) and animal fat & vegetable oils
ďˇ Cereal grains ~ principal energy sources.
ďˇ Maize is the most common grain used in formulating poultry diets
ďˇ Other grains such as sorghum & wheat substitute maize
ďˇ Animal & vegetable fats added in limited amounts (5-10% of the diet)
11. Feedstuffs for poultry
Energy Sources:
i. Cereal grains : Maize, Wheat, broken rice
ii. Grain by-products: Rice polish & bran, wheat bran
iii. Agro-industrial waste: Molasses, mango kernel meal,
iv. Fats and oils: Animal fat, vegetable oil
v. Miscellaneous: Tapioca meal, sweet potato tuber
dried poultry manure
13. Protein Rich Ingredients
ďˇ Protein supplements are added to provide the essential AAs.
o Plant protein
o Animal protein
o Industrial by-products
ďˇ Several protein sources are used to achieve a better balance of AAs.
~ Better Biological Value
Plant protein
o Soybean meal
o Groundnut cake
o Mustard oil cake
(Canola meal)
o Linseed cake
o Sunflower cake
o Cotton seed cake
Animal protein
o Fish meal
o Meat meal
o Meat-cum- bone meal
o Blood meal
o Feather meal
o Maggot meal
ďˇ Animal protein sources are
more variable in their amino
acids than plant protein.
Industrial by-products
o Dry Distiller`s grain
(DDGS)
o Maize gluten meal
o Silkworm pupae meal
14. A-Plant protein:
ďˇ Soybean meal is most commonly source & has a better balance of
AAs than other plant protein (cottonseed meal, corn gluten meal,
linseed meal).
ďˇ G.N.C, sunflower cake, cotton seed cake, linseed meal etc.
ďˇ Cottonseed meal used in grower poultry ration to replace up to 50%
of the soybean meal, while linseed meal not more than 3-5% of diet.
15. B-Animal protein:
ďˇ The most commonly used are fish meal, meat by-products (meat-
cum bone meal), blood meal, feather meal & poultry by-product
meal.
ďˇ Fish meal have a good balance of AAs, but must not used in large
amount (2-7%) to avoid fishy flavor in eggs & poultry meat.
17. Amino Acids
⢠Poultry require all the 20 amino acids for protein synthesis.
⢠Essential amino acids: AAs ones that animals canât synthesize or
cannot synthesize in sufficient amounts to meet their requirements
⢠PVT TIM HALL
- Phe, Val, Trp, Thr, Ile, Met, His, Arg, Leu, Lys
- Glycine is the 11th EAA in poultry
â Required for biosynthesis of Uric acid and feather growth
⢠Semi essential amino acid: Semi-essential amino acids are those
that can be synthesized by the body in certain conditions. eg.. Arginine,
Cysteine, Glycine, Proline, Tyrosine
Cysteine Methionine; Tyrosine Threonine
Serine Glycine; Proline Glutamine
Argginine Orrnithine
18. Limiting Amino acids
⢠Liebig's law of the minimum (Liebig's barrel):
- Growth and other performance is dictated by the scarcest
nutrient (limiting factor) which is especially pertinent to the
level of amino acids in the diet
19. Limiting amino acids
Among the EAA , the amino acids that are likely to be low in practical
diet are limiting amino acid
Limiting amino acid" is used to describe the essential amino acid present
in the lowest quantity in a feed protein relative to its requirementâ.
Soybean poor in Methionine & rich in lysine
GNC rich in Arginine
Lysine: 1st limiting AA in soya free diet
t
st limiting AA on soya based die
1
Methionine:
Maize is poor source of Lysine, tryptophane
the limiting AAs in poultry depend on the source of protein used in the
diet.
Methionine -1st limiting amino acid
Lysine- 2nd Limiting AA
Threonine -3rd limiting AA
Synthetic L-lysine & DL-methionine are available commercially
In practical poultry diets
20. Amino acid Antagonism
It is an interaction between structurally similar AAs resulting the
precipitation of adverse effects.
Lysine-Arginine
Excess Lysď impair utilization of Arg.
ď increased renal arginase activityď destruction of Arg. (oxidation of
Arg.)
Leucine/valine-isoleucine
Excess leucine/valineď utilization of isoleucine
ď induces enzyme that catabolizes all three branched chain Aasď loss of
isoleucine
21. Fat
⢠Structural and functional components of cell membrane
⢠Source of fatty acid
⢠Carriers of fat soluble vitamins
⢠Energy reserve in the bird
⢠Concentrated form of energy. Fats contain 2.5 times more energy
than carbohydrates.
⢠Fat/Oil is added in poultry diet to maintain dietary energy level
⢠Fats: make up over 40% of dry egg &
⢠17% of dry wt of broiler.
⢠Most feed ingredientâmaize, barley, safflower, milo, rice bran
contain 2-5% fat & is enough for inclusion of Linoleic acid.
22. Essential fatty acids
Certain poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)PUFA can not be
synthesised in chicken body and are to be provided in the diet. These
are called essential fatty acids (EFA) viz.
1. Linoleic,
2. Linolenic
3. Arachidonic acids
Linoleic acid is the only EFA in poultry and has to be provided in the
diet.
Vegetable fats are the sources of linoleic acid.
Requirement of linoleic acid. :1.1% in broiler and 1% in layer chicken
Functions of EFA
1. Growth
2. Maintaining egg weight
3. Spermatogenesis
4. Embryonic development
Deficiency of EFA
i. Poor growth
ii. Low production
iii. Reduced egg size
iv. Poor fertility & hatchability.
23. Crude Fiber
⢠Bulk helps in movement of gut
⢠Helpful to avoid constipation
⢠Chicken are not able to digest CF in excess
⢠Decrease availability of other nutrients
⢠Fibre free diet leads to cannibalism, feather picking
⢠CF level should be upto 5% in broiler and 7-8% in
layers.
24. Mineral requirements
Macro minerals: Required
in larger amounts in the diet.
Calcium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sodium
Sulfur
Micro or Trace minerals :
Required in very small amounts in
the diet.
Cobalt
Copper
Fluorine
Iron
Iodine
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium
Zinc
25. Mineral requirements:
ďś Minerals ~inorganic nutrients .
ďś Bones are formed of Ca & P
ďś Egg shells are mainly composed of calcium.
ďś Construction of muscles
ďś Construction blood cells
ďś Construction of internal organs & enzymes.
ďś Poultry fed with mineral deficient diets:
ďś Never develop properly
ďś Poor performance (growth and egg prodn.)
ďś Poor feed efficiency
ďś More susceptible to disease.
26. Calcium:
ďˇ Broiler chicken require 1.2% Ca
ďˇ Laying birds need large amounts of Ca (3%)
Egg shells composed entirely of CaCo3
ďˇ Bird stored Ca for about 10-14 days before the first
egg was laid in the marrow of long bone.
ďˇ ďŻ Ca in laying ration ď ďŻ egg production & egg
shell weak & ďŻ hatchability.
Ca supplements:
Ground oyster shell, limestone, bone meal, dicalcium phosphate.
27. Calcium
ďź Egg shell ~calcium carbonate
ďź Development of the medullary bone ~reservoir of calcium
ďź Pre lay feed for the 2wk before 2 % production. 2-2.5% Ca at 16 wks of age
ďź Osteoporosis & Cage layer fatigue, shell less eggs
ďź 2-4 mm shell grit particle size
ďź retained in the digestive tract and dissolved slowly during the shell formation
ďź Half of the Ca should be supplied in coarse particle
ďź Early maturing pullets may select their Ca need
ďˇ The recommended ratio Ca : Pav. in diet of poultry
is 1.2:1 (range 1:1 to 1.5:1)
For laying hen 6:1 (Ca for bone & shell formation)
ďˇ ď Ca in diet ď ďŻutilization of Mg, Mn & Zn.
28. Phosphorus: (0.5% av. P)
ďˇ Animal Protein supplement (meat meal, tankage, fish
meal) usually rich in phosphorus.
ďˇ Plant protein should supplement with P & Ca.
ďˇ Inorganic P is more available than phytate P.
ďˇ Phytate P: 40% of P from plant origin (wheat bran &
rice bran) is available.
ďˇ Phytase enzyme improve P utilization
ďˇ Inorganic P supplied by bone meal, dicalcium
phosphate, rock phosphate.
29. Source Ca P
Limestone powder 36 -
Oyester Shell 38 -
Calcium carbonate 38 -
Calcite grit 34 -
Mono Calcium Phosphate 20 21
Di Calcium Phosphate (DCP) 23 18
Tri Calcium Phosphate 38 19
Mono Sodium Phosphate - 22.5
Rock Phosphate 33 18
Common calcium and phosphorus sources
30. Poultry Feeding
B- Salt (NaCl):
ďˇ The recommended level in the ration 0.5-1% of the ration.
ďˇ Adult poultry can tolerate much higher inclusion but the water consumption
increased.
⢠Deficiency:
â Increased feather pecking
â decline in egg production
⢠Excess dietary salt intake
â wet droppings and wet litter.
⢠Coccidia
⢠Feed ingredients, fish meal, meat meal contain high levels of Na. When such
ingredients are used, the level of supplemental (NaCl) in the diet must be
reduced.
⢠Turkey and duck are more susceptible of salt posioning than chicken
31. Poultry Feeding
C- Manganese:
ďˇ Def. of Mn cause perosis with slipped tendon.
ďˇ Mn needed for egg production & hatchability.
D- Iodine:
ďˇ Iodine included at rate of 0.5mg but when fish meal
included at 5-10% no need iodine suppl.
E- Magnesium:
ďˇ No Mg Suppl. Needed for poultry ration.
ďˇ ď Mg in diet ďlaxation
32. Vitamin supplements:
ďˇ Natural feedstuffs provide some vitamins for poultry.
ďˇ Vitamin premixes are commonly used to provide the required vitamins in
poultry.
â Routinely supplemented
â Water soluble
⢠B-complex vitamins
â Fat soluble
⢠A, D, E and K
33. Vitamin requirements:
A- Vitamin A:
ďˇ Vit.A is needed for normal growth & health.
ďˇ Def. Symptoms:
ďˇ Retardation of growth
ďˇ Emaciation
ďˇ Staggering gait
ďˇ Ruffled feathers
ďˇ Reduced immunity
ďˇ Sources: fish liver oils & other animal sources.
B- Vitamin D:
ďˇ Vit.D required for bone formation, egg production, reproduction
& prevention of rickets.
ďˇ Def. symptoms:
ďˇ poor growth, lameness & rickets.
ďˇ Poultry do not get exposure to sunlight, ration must suppl. with vit. D.
34. Poultry feeding
C- Vitamin E:
ďˇ Vit.E in ~ Immunity & Prevention of Peroxidation
ďˇ Vit. E essential to prevent encyphalomalacia or crazy
chick disease.
D- Vitamin K:
ďˇ Def. of vit.K ď delay clotting time of the blood &
produce serious hemorrhage
ďˇ All mixtures should be suppl. With vit.K
ďˇ Treatment by sulfonamide ď ď vit. K req.
40. Benefits of using enzymes
1. Enhances nutrient availability by digesting indigestible
nutrients.
2. Enhances capabilities of endogenous enzymes by
reducing viscosity
3. Releases bound minerals
4. Reduces moisture content of excreta
5. Reduces faecal volume and nutrient content, thereby
improving farm hygiene
6. Reduces feed cost
41. POULTRY FEEDING
6. Water:
ďś Cheapest nutrient.
ďś Provides the basis for all fluid in the animalâs body.
ďś Used in the blood supply.
ďś Digestion requires moisture for the breakdown of
nutrients.
ďś Needed in the movement of feed through the digestive
track
ďś Some medications are administered in the drinking water.
ďś Flushing the animalâs body of waste.
ďś Regulate the animalâs body temperature.
ďś Water consumption affected by environmental
temperature
ďś Bird drink about twice as much water by weight of feed
consumed.
42. Typical daily water consumption for broilers (litres
per 1000 birds)
Age 20Âş C 32Âş C
1 weeks 24 40
3 weeks 100 190
6 weeks 240 500
43. I. Broiler chicken (meat type chicken)
a. Broiler Pre-starter (0-7 days)
b. Broiler starter (8-21 days)
c. Broiler finisher (22-35 days)
II. Layer (egg type chicken)
a. Chick (0-8 wk)
b. b. Grower (9-20 wk)
c. Layer (20 wk -72 wks)
Phase I (20-40 wk)
Phase II (41-60 wk)
Phase III (61-72 wk)
Poultry Feeding Systems
44. a. Broiler Pre-starter (0-7 days)
b. Broiler starter (8-21 days)
c. Broiler finisher (22-35 days)
FCR`~ 1.4
Broiler Feeding
45. Chicken feeding
ďź Poultry completely depend upon the dietary sources for all
nutrients (essential AAs., vit. B groups & vit. K)
ďź Feed must contain all essential nutrients in right amounts &
proportion (optimum Ca:P, Ly:Arg etc.)
ďź Different standards as per physiological stage should be
followed.
ďź Include agro-industrial by-products~ to minimize cost of the ration
ďź Optimum level of ingredient inclusion~ as many of
ingredients have a deleterious effect at higher levels.
ďź Judicious use of feed additive and supplements
46. Feeding of broilers
1. Ad libitum feeding of high protein and high energy ration during
pre-starter and starter phases.
2. In the finisher phase energy level is increased and protein level
is decreased in the ration
3. This excess energy gives a desired body finish.
4. Essential amino acids like lysine and methionine are
supplemented
5. Supplementation of fatty acid (linoleic acid) through fish meal,
meat meal desirable.
6. Additives like probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, toxin binders,
liver tonic, antioxidant, Immunostimulators, Coccidiostats etc.
should be used.
7. Coccidiostats are essential in deep litter rearing.
47. Feed formulation
Points to consider:
I. Nutritional requirements- BIS,NRC, ARC
II. Availability of feed ingredients- Locally & easily
available
III. Cost of feed ingredients - Low cost
III. Non-nutrient characteristics of feeds:
Free of anti-nutritional factors
IV. Inclusion level of feed ingredients:
48. Methods of poultry feed formulation:
1. By trial and error method:
Feed ingredients are interchange by trial and error until right
combination is reached
- The most practical
2. Pearson square method:
This is simple easy and direct method.
Only one or two nutrient can be balanced at a time
3. Algebric equations
4. By using computer/least cost formulation/linear programming
49. Feed preparation:
ďˇ Mash
ďˇ Pellets
ďˇ Crumbles
⢠Feed may be in form of mash or pellet
⢠Mash feeding is most common system
⢠Pelleting or crumbling will resulting less feed wastage.
⢠Nutrient are uniformly distributed without segregation in mash feed
⢠Crumble feed are ideal for chicks and broilers
⢠Feed consumption are increased and better growth rate and feed efficiency are
achieved
⢠Mash feed gives gritty feeling , it should not either too fine or too coarse
51. Nutrients Requirements for Broiler Chicken (BIS, 2007)
Characteristics Pre-starter
(0-7 days)
Starter
(8-21 days)
Finisher
(22-35 days)
Vit A IU/Kg, min. 11,000 11,000 10,000
Vit D3 IU/Kg, min. 3,000 3,000 3,000
Vit E , mg/kg, min. 30.0 30.0 30.0
Vit K , mg/kg, min. 1.5 1.5 1.5
Vit. B1, mg/kg, min. 2.5 2.5 2.5
Vit. B2, mg/kg, min. 6.0 6.0 6.0
Pantothenic acid, mg/kg, min. 15.0 15.0 15.0
Niacin, mg/kg, min. 40.0 40.0 40.0
Biotin , mg/kg, min. 0.15 0.15 0.15
Vit B6, mg/kg, min. 5.0 5.0 5.0
Vit B12 , mg/kg, min. 0.015 0.015 0.015
Folic acid , mg/kg, min. 1.0 1.0 1.0
Choline,mg/kg, min. 500.0 500.0 500.0
Linoleic acid,%, Min. 1.1 1.1 1.1
52. Nutritive Requirement of Broilers (NRC, 1994)
Nutrient Broilers
0-3wk 3-6 wk 6-8 wk
Metabolizable energy (kcal/kg) 3200 3200 3200
Crude protein % 23 20 18
Linoleic acid % 0.88 0.91 0.91
Lysine % 1.1 1.02 0.85
Methionine% 0.5 0.38 0.30
Calcium % 1.00 0.9 0.8
Pav % 0.45 0.35 0.30
Sodium % 0.20 0.15 0.12
Chloride % 0.20 0.15 0.12
Potassium% 0.30 0.30 0.30
Vit A, IU 1500 1500 1500
Vit D3, ICU 200 200 200
Vit E,IU 10 5 5
Vit K, mg 0.50 0.50 0.50
53. Calorie-Protein Ratio:
⢠It is said that âBird eat for energyâ.
⢠Defined as âratio of Metabolozable energy (Kcal) per kg of diet to
the % protein in dietâ.
i.e. C:P ratio= ME in Kcal/kg of diet
% protein in diet.
ďą C:P ratio is varies with the age of birds.
ďą It is maintained for effective utilization of protein and amino acids.
ďą As per BIS Calorie-Protein ratio
TYPE CPR
â˘Broiler Pre-starter 130 = 3000/23
â˘Broiler Starter Feed 140=3100/22
⢠Broiler Finisher Feed 160=3200/20
â˘Chick Feed 140=2800/20
â˘Growing Chicken Feed 156=2500/16
â˘Laying Chicken feed 144 =2600/18
58. Nutrient requirement of Layers (NRC, 1994)
Nutrient
(% or kcal/kg)
Starter
(0-6 wk)
Grower
(6-12 wk)
Pre-layer
(12-18 wk)
Layer
(>18wk)
ME (Kcal/ Kg) 2850 2850 2900 2900
Crude protein % 18 16 15 17
Lysine 0.93 0.72 0.70 0.7
Methionine 0.45 0.34 0.40 0.40
Linoleic acid % 1 1 1 1
Calcium % 0.9 0.8 0.8 2.0
P(av) % 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.32
Sodium 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15
Chloride 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15
Potassium 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
Vit A, IU 1500 1500 1500 1500
Vit D3, ICU 200 200 200 300
Vit E,IU 10 5 5 5
Vit K, mg 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
59. Feeding of laying chickens
Chicks (0-8 Weeks):
1. Provide finely ground maize for first 2 days.
2. Provide crumbles from 3rd day onward to 3 weeks.
3. After 3 weeks pellets may be provided.
4. Additives like probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, toxin binders,
liver tonic, antioxidant, Immunostimulators, Coccidiostats etc.
should be used.
5. Coccidiostats are essential in deep litter rearing.
60. Growers (8-20 weeks)
1. Grower ration in mash or pellet form is provided ad libitum.
2. Nutrient diluents ( Wheat bran) are used to formulate low
protein-low energy grower ration.
3. Calcium level in the ration may be increased from 18 weeks of
age to have sufficient bone calcium reserve.
4. Feed restriction is usually practiced during 14 â 20 weeks of
age to delay sexual maturity of pullets.
5. Additives like probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, toxin binders,
liver tonic, antioxidant, Immunostimulators, Coccidiostats etc.
should be used.
6. Coccidiostats are essential in deep litter rearing.
61. Restricted Feeding
⢠Adolescent birds will eat until they become obese.
⢠The obesity limits the numbers of eggs laid and the fertility of eggs.
⢠Restricted feeding is necessary for breeder stock.
ďś Restricted feeding is practised during the growing period of bird
(Particularly between the age group of 12-20 weeks or up to 5 % egg
production).
⢠20-30% restriction of feed is done
⢠Not practiced during disease
ďś Objectives of Restricted feeding:
ď Delays the sexual maturity in hens (up to 3 weeks).
ď Uniform and larger eggs in laying period.
ď Decreased Ascites and Leg Disorders
ď Check weight gain in breeders
ď Reduce the mortality rate during laying period by eliminating weaker pullets.
ď Decreased Sudden Death Syndrome
ď Reduce the cost of feeding
ď Increase profit
62. Methods of feed restriction:
Quantitative: Limiting the amount of feed daily given to the animals
Qualitative: Related to nutrient dilution in the diet
1. Quantitative feed restriction
2. Reduction in the energy content of the ration
3. Reduction in the protein content of the ration
4. âSkip-a-dayâ programme
Physical Feed Restriction
⢠Physical feed restriction supply a calculated amount of feed per bird, which is
often just enough to meet maintenance requirements.
⢠It is necessary to provide sufficient feeder space in order to prevent competition
among restricted birds and to prevent unequal growth of birds within a flock.
Problem:
⢠Practical application of physical feed restriction is not simple due to the
problems of regularly weighing birds and calculating feed consumption on a
daily basis.
63. Methods of feed restriction:
Skip-a-day Feeding:
⢠Skip-a-day deprivation of feed is a technique for restricting feed and early growth.
⢠Decreases early growth and reduce the incidence of ascites.
Lighting Programs:
⢠Birds are very sensitive to light
⢠Poultry under different reduced lighting programs will reduce their feed
Diet Dilution:
⢠Diets are mixed with non-digestible ingredients such as fiber to reduce nutrient
density.
⢠Dilution with rice hulls in order to retard early growth.
Use of Low Protein or Low Energy Diets:
⢠Results into less lipid gain but maximize lean mass production
⢠Live weight and feed conversion
â Will be negatively affected
⢠Cost per lean mass will be optimal
⢠Advantage: Does not need any additional labour of weighing the feed
64. Layers: Phase I (21-45 wks) & Phase II (46-72 wks)
1. Layer ration may be started about 2 weeks before the
expected onset of laying.
2. In summer, dietary protein level need to be raised.
3. Supplemental calcium (4-5 g/bird/day) to be provided
in combination of limestone powder and shell grit for
better utilization.
4. In deep litter system, supplemental calcium to be
provided in separate feeder and in cage system the same
to be provided in the evening to facilitate proper shell
formation.
65. Phase feeding in layers
⢠The dietary protein requirement of hen varies between
different stages/ phases of egg production.
⢠Therefore, phase feeding is practiced to reduce the feed cost
and the size of eggs.
⢠Adjust nutrient intake with the rate of egg production
Percentage egg production Level of protein in ration
(%)
100 18
90 17
75-90 16
65-75 15
66. Separate-sex feeding
⢠Feeding separate male and female birds, a practice called
separate-sex feeding.
⢠Since male broiler chickens grow faster, they often are reared
separately from the females until they are moved into the breeder
house.
⢠There will be more uniformity among males and among females
in the flock.
⢠Separation of the birds also allows producers to feed diets that
more closely meet the nutritional needs of the male and female
birds.
67. Feeding management during heat stress
⢠Heat stress affects feed intake adversely
⢠A rise in temperature by 1° C results in a decrease of feed intake by 2.43g /hen
General feeding management to alleviate heat stress:
ď Feeding during early morning and late evening.
ď Feed should always be fresh and free from myoctoxin
ď Dim the lights while feeding, in order to reduce activity and hence minimise heat load on the birds.
Feed form
⢠Offering pelleted feed to broilers can result in a 67% reduction in the energy required for eating.
⢠Broilers with high quality pellets with the minimum amount of fines reduces the proportion of
energy wasted in acquiring feed.
Dietary fat
Inclusion of fat in diets for heat-stressed broilers helps improve feed intake and performance,
â because of the lower heat increment of fat compared to other energy sources such as carbohydrates or
proteins.
⢠Fat sources having large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as soybean oil, flaxseed oil
should all be avoided. Such sources are susceptible to oxidative rancidity and destruction of vitamin
A and E.
68. Feeding management during heat stress
⢠Minerals and vitamins
⢠Mineral and vitamin excretion increases at higher environmental temperature.
⢠The addition of extra vitamins and electrolytes to the drinking water.
⢠Use of ascorbic acid (Vit C 500 mg/ L water) in the drinking water.
⢠Use of ascorbic acid in the feed or in the drinking water.
Water supply
⢠Heat-stressed birds dissipate over 80% of their heat production via evaporative
cooling
⢠Increase water space by 25% .
Dietary electrolyte balance (DEB)
⢠The dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) is more critical at high temperature than
at normal temperature.
⢠Supplementing diets with Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) (0.3-1%) + Sodium
bicarbonate (1-2%) is helpful.
â Ammonium chloride reduces blood pH and Sodium bicarbonate prevents
excessive acidosis.
â Sodium bicarbonate 1gr/Litre.......may be used
69. Points to consider
Feeding Behaviour
ďź Naturally Grain eater
ďź Feeding during morning and evening
Quality of Feed:
Energy density~ Eat to fill their crop
Protein Quality (limiting amino acids)
Calcium and Phosphorus
Fibre Level& Common salt level in feed
Feather picking / Cannabalism
Donât forget the quality water
Higher Feed intakes day should be avoided
ďź Fatty liver syndrome.
Use of Feed additive and Supplements
70. RECENT ADVANCES
Use of feed additives and supplements
ďśAntibiotic growth promoters
ďśProbiotics
ďśPrebiotics
ďśSynbiotics
ďśEnzymes
ďśOrganic acids
ďśNucleic acid
ďśAntioxidant
ďśMycotoxin binders
ďśPhytobiotics
ďś Immunomodulators
72. Feeding of Ducks
⢠Ducks occupy an important position next to the chicken population in India.
⢠10% of the total poultry population and contribute 6-7% of total eggs produced .
⢠White perkin is the most preferred meat type duck,
⢠Khaki Campbell ~best egg laying breed (300 eggs /year ; egg weight: 65-75 g.)
⢠Ducks lay more egg per bird per year than chicken.
⢠The size of the duck egg is larger than hen egg by about 15 to 20 gms.
⢠Ducks do not require any elaborate houses like chicken
⢠Thrive well in scavenging conditions.
⢠Ducks supplement their feed intake by foraging.
⢠Reared mostly under free range system
73. Duck Nutrition
⢠Ducks do not have crop
⢠Proventriculus is cylindrical
⢠Structure of bills allow efficient straining of submerged food particles and dry
foods
⢠Ducks are voracious eaters and they feed on fingerlings, snails, earth worms,
insects apart from compounded feeds.
⢠Ducks prefer pellet feed to mash feed when given a choice.
⢠It is difficult for them to swallow the mash resulting in wastage of large amount
of feed in water.
⢠The B complex vitamin, niacin is very much essential for ducks because they
cannot convert tryptophan to niacin.
⢠Therefore, feeds slightly deficient in niacin cause bowed leg condition and leg
weakness in ducks.
74. ⢠Most mashes form a sticky
paste when mixed with saliva
& adhere to the papillae &
bordering the outer margin of
the tongue & upper & lower bill.
⢠The caking interferes with the
movement of the food mass to
the tongue where it is normally
rotated & coated with saliva &
then propelled back to the
esophagus for swallowing.
⢠This interference results in a
reduction in feed intake & an
increase in feed wastage which
occurs when the duck attempts
to shake or wash off the mash
adhering to its mouthparts.
75. Duck Nutrition
Aflatoxicosis in duck
⢠Ducks are very much susceptible to aflatoxicosis when compared
to chicken and guinea fowl.
⢠The maximum tolerable level of aflatoxin for ducks is 0.03 ppm in
feed as against 0.2 ppm in chicken.(Ducklings â poults â goslings â
pheasants â chicks)
⢠Aflatoxin metabolism is 90 times faster in the duck liver than rat
liver
⢠The duck contain a very high level of enzyme in the liver to convert
Aflatoxin B1 to Aflatoxicol (B2âB1 âaflatoxicol).
⢠Aflatoxin cause serious damage to both growing ducking and
laying ducks
⢠The hen soon stop laying & show follicular atresia of the overies
76. Nutrients requirements for Ducks on DM basis (ICAR, 2013)
Nutrients Starter
(0-8 weeks)
Grower
(8-16 week)
Rearer
(16-20 weeks)
Layer
(>20 weeks)
CP (%) 20.5 16.5 15 16.5
ME (kcal/kg) 2800 2650 2700 2650
Linoleic acid (%) 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.0
Lysine (%) 1.0 0.75 0.60 0.75
Methionine (%) 0.45 0.35 0.30 0.30
Methionine+ cystine (%) 0.85 0.65 0.60 0.75
Calcium (%) 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0
Phosphorus % (available) 0.42 1.0 1.0 1.0
Manganese (mg/kg) 60 50 40 50
Sodium (%) 0.17 0.15 0.15 0.17
Chlorine (%) 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12
Vit A IU/Kg, min. 3200 2250 2250 4000
Vit D3 IU/Kg, min. 400 350 350 650
Vit E , mg/kg, min. 20 20 20 20
Vit K , mg/kg, min. 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.5
Riboflavin mg/kg, min. 5 4 4 6
Niacin , mg/kg, min. 60 55 50 50
Pantothenicacid,mg/kg, min. 10 8 8 12
Pyridoxin, mg/kg, min. 3 2.5 2.5 2.5
Choline,mg/kg, min. 1000 750 500 750
Biotin , mg/kg, min. 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10
Folic acid , mg/kg, min. 0.60 0.40 0.40 0.60
78. Age (weeks) Cumulative feed (kg) Av. BW (kg)
1 0.22 0.27
2 0.99 0.75
3 2.10 1.32
4 3.35 1.9
5 4.8 2.4
6 6.4 2.85
7 8 3.2
8 9.7 3.5
Average feed consumption of ducks
79. Japanese Quail
It can reach adult body wt in about 5-6 wks (cumulative feed consumption:
4 kg) & start laying eggs for next 12-18 months.
Quail are becoming popular as an alternate meat bird to the chicken
Feed consumption is low, Broiler quail require high level of protein-27% &
critical AA in diet.
Energy requirement is 2750 Kcal ME/kg feed.
Comparative lower levels of nutrients seems to be satisfactory for egg
production (CP-22%, ME-2650 Kcal/kg).
80. Feeding of Japanese Quail
⢠Quails were introduced first in India at IVRI, Izatnagar
⢠Japanese quail multiplies fast and produces 3-4 generations per year.
⢠Quail are becoming popular as an alternate meat bird to the chicken
⢠Quails reach their mature body weight in about 5-6 weeks and continue
laying for the next 12-18 months.
⢠In a year 250-300 eggs are produced with an average egg wt. of 9-10g.
⢠Feed consumption is (20-25g/day).
⢠Broiler quail require high level of protein-27% & critical AA in diet. Energy
requirement is 2750 Kcal ME/kg feed.
⢠Since feed consumption is low, quails require high levels of protein and
critical amino acids in the diet during their growth period of short duration
⢠Nutritional requirement for egg production (CP-22%, ME-2650 Kcal/kg).
81. Feeding of Turkey
⢠Turkey is primarily reared for meat purpose.
⢠They provide excellent meat and have a better meat to bone ratio
than the broiler chicken.
⢠Breeds: Broad Breasted Bronze turkey
Broad Breasted Large White turkey
⢠FCR is same as chicken
⢠Nutrient requirements are higher b/c faster growth rate
Protein ME
Poult (0-4 wk) 28% 2800 kcal/kg
Turkey (20-24 wk) 14% 3300 kcal/kg
Requirement of Vit A, D, B12, niacin & choline is higher than chicken
82. Feeding of Geese
⢠Geese are largely herbivorous
⢠They commonly practice foraging.
⢠Young one called: Gosling
⢠Rearing System:
⢠Starter diets for 2 wks in confinement & thereafter for foraging.
⢠Fed limited diet through the growing period then allowed for
forging.
⢠Ad lib feed in confinement.
Nutritional Requirment
(0-4 wk) After 4wk
Energy requirement
(kcal ME/kg diet) 2900 3000
Crude protein (%) 20 15
83. Emu
⢠Second largest flightless bird
⢠Popular for low fat red meat
Starter Grower Finisher Breeder Maintenance
Age (wks) 0-14 15-34 35- slaughter 4 week before
breeding
Non breeding
ME
(kcal/kg)
2700 2600 2600 2600 2400
CP (%) 20 18 16 20 15