Poultry nutrition is an integral part of poultry production. It has changed drastically as a consequence of developments in the other disciplines of animal science and also because of changes in poultry husbandry practices.

1. Training on Poultry Feeds and Nutrition
Shambel Taye
Bishoftu/2024

2. Principles of poultry Nutrition

3. General definition of poultry nutrition:
 Nutrition is an action of supporting body tissues with
required nutrients included in the feed to support growth,
egg production, reproduction, movement, feed intake,
digestion, and absorption of nutrients in the feed ,
transportation of those nutrients to the cell
sufficiently.

4. o Ingesting –taking food into mouth using peak
o Digesting - breakdown of food into small soluble
products
o Absorbing – uptake of soluble sugar, amino acids etc.
into the blood stream.
o Assimilation - Converting food into tissue and energy
Nutrition:

5.  Poultry nutrition: There are around 40 nutrients necessary
to be included in the diet of poultry by adequate and
balanced levels allowing the genetic potency to represent
as growth and production.

6. Poultry feed: Is food for farm poultry, including
chickens, ducks, geese and other domestic birds.
Feed for poultry mostly consists of grain.
A portion of commercial feed, typically around a
quarter, is known as bulk and is indigestible.

7.  Poultry diets are composed primarily of a
mixture of several feedstuffs such as cereal
grains, soybean meal, animal by-product
meals, fats, vitamin and mineral premixes.
 These feedstuffs, together with water, provide
the energy and nutrients that are essential for
the bird's growth, reproduction, and health.
 The energy necessary for maintaining the
bird's general metabolism and for producing
meat and eggs is provided by the energy-
yielding dietary components, primarily
carbohydrates and fats, but also protein.

8.  The main goal of poultry nutrition is to prepare
and formulate sufficient diet to the bird in all steps
of production with higher income to the producer
in the same time offer the adequate welfare to the
bird.
The main goal of poultry nutrition

9. • The genetic potential for growth of the modern poultry (such us
broiler chickens) is continuously improving by 50g each year.
• Therefore the marketing age of broilers decreases yearly by an
average of day.
• It is estimated that the same broiler has the potential to double this
performance.

10. • Nowadays, the standard in broiler performance is
achievement of 2.8 kg live weight with a feed
conversion ratio of less than 1.72 at 45 day of age.

11. • Poultry nutrition is an integral part of poultry production. It has
changed drastically as a consequence of developments in the
other disciplines of animal science and also because of changes
in poultry husbandry practices.
• Developments in disciplines have been so strongly related to
one another that one discipline could not have developed in
isolation without developments in the other.
 For instance, poultry have been bred to have an increased
production, but the expression of this enhanced genetic
potential was only possible by continuous adjustment of
nutrition to the genotype of the bird.

12. • Similar connections can be made between nutrition and
housing and between nutrition and developments in
preventive medicine.
• Many changes have taken place in animal production
systems in many countries after the 1950’s.
• On the other hand, developments in poultry properties
have led to research on possible changes in nutritional
needs with regard to these developments.

13. • For commercial poultry
farming, feed serves as
the largest cost of the
operation (around 60-
70%).
• Thus the nutrition gains more consideration than other
factors. The use of new technologies to improve this
section is in great demand to achieve least cost of the
efficient feed to higher performance with fewer prices.

14. In industrial agriculture, machinery is used to automate
the feeding process, reducing the cost and increasing the
scale of farming.
The main goal of the nutritionists is achieving higher
production with the least cost of feeding by using
cheapest feed ingredients available in the market.
Chick and other goods cost
Nutrition cost

15. Figure 1: demonstrates the requirements of crude protein in
the diet of layer due to the age of the bird.
20
18
16 15 15
17 17
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 4 8 12 16 20 24
Protein level in the diet
Protein
level
%
Hen age (Week)

16. Nutrient requirements of poultry is higher than the
ruminant ?
because of the
1. Rapid growth
2. Higher feed conversion
3. Higher rate of respiration
4. Higher heart pulse
5. Higher body temperature

17. FCR= Feed Intake/ Body weight
In one broiler farm, the average body weight was 3 kg at
49 days of age and Feed/efficiency was 1.8, find the total
feed consumption for the total bird in the farm, if the
total number of birds in the farm was 5000?
Brainstorm!

18. The diet of birds should be:
1. In small amount
2. Concentrated
3. Easy to digest
4. High in feeding value
Because
1. The bird hasn't teeth.The grinding of the feed particles happen in the
gizzard.
2. The gastro intestinal tract (GIT) small with small capacity
3. The feed pass quickly through the GIT (3-8h)
4. The time of diet exposure to the GIT secrets (Hcl, bile salt and enzymes) is
too short.

19. The digestion in ruminants is:
mechanical, microbial and enzymatic
but in birds is:
enzymatic only
therefore the diet should be composed mainly
from concentrated form with low fiber
content

20. Classification of poultry diet:
1- Maintenance ration: For maintain the body heat to the rate that
sufficient to the basic voluntary muscles movements (movement and
walking) and involuntary muscle movements (heart. Respiratory
system and GIT).
2- Growth ration: A part of the feed to support the body with essential
nutrients required for growth and development of organ.
3- Production ration: A part of the feed to support the body with
essential nutrients required for production of meat and egg.
4-Feather and fat deposition.

21. Nutrients and their Requirements for Chickens
:
o The chemical constituents, which are vital for
sustaining life and have a crucial function in the
metabolic processes of animals
What is nutrients??

22. Nutrients requirements of poultry:
1.Energy requirement:
o Chickens need energy for their daily activities, growth, and
egg production
 Ration for poultry calculated on the basis of ME.
 Poultry eat to satisfy their energy needs when fed free
choice, thus must control the intake of all nutrients by
including them in a definite proportion to available
energy level..

23. o Grain, grain by-products and animal & vegetable fats
and oils supply the most of energy sources in the
poultry diets.
o Maize is the most common grain used in formulating
poultry diets
 Fat may be added at levels of 3-10% to increase dietary
energy concentrations.
The potential energy present in feed stuff (Gross Energy)
depends on the composition.
 Amount of energy in different compounds:-
 1-gram carbohydrates 4.2 kcal
 1 gram protein 5.5 kcal;
 1 gram fat 9.5 kcal;
 1 gram water 0 kcal

24. 2.Protein requirement:
 To maintain muscle growth and synthesize egg protein, a sufficient supply
of amino acids is necessary.
 Soybean meal is most commonly plant protein source & has a better
balance of AAs than other plant protein.
 The most commonly animal source are fish meal, meat by-products, milk
by-products, blood meal, feather meal & poultry by-product meal
 The amount of protein required is proportional to the energy level in the
ration.
 Poultry required the 14 essential AAs.
  Temp.   feed intake   protein req.
 Temp.   feed intake   protein req.
o Lysine and methionine are the most limiting in practical poultry diets
o Lean meat deposition – requires high levels of lysine
o Egg output or feather growth – needs high levels of methionine

25. 3.Mineral requirements:
 Formation of the skeletal system and general health,
 As components of metabolic activity, and body’s acid-base
balance
 The major minerals needed in poultry diets are Ca, P, Na & Cl.
 Trace minerals may be added if feeds grown on soil deficient
in them.
 Sources of Ca in poultry diets are ground oystershell,
limestone, bone meal, dicalcium phosphate.etc.
A. Calcium:
 Laying birds need large amounts of Ca because egg shells
composed entirely of CaCo3
 Ca in laying ration   egg production & egg shell weak.
 Bird stored Ca for about 10-14 days before the first egg was
laid in the marrow of long bone

26. 4. Vitamin requirements:
vitamins are critical for maintaining the health, growth, reproduction, and overall
well-being of chickens.
Natural
o Green Forages: Plants like alfalfa, clover, and legumes can provide vitamins,
especially vitamin A and some B vitamins.
o Vegetables and Fruits: Vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes,
as well as fruits like berries and citrus fruits, can be sources of vitamins.
o Fish Oils: Fish oils can provide vitamin A and D, as well as omega-3 fatty acid
o Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight helps chickens synthesize vitamin D in their skin.
Synthetic Sources
o Vitamin Premixes: These are commercially available mixes of vitamins, often in
powdered form, that can be added to feed to ensure adequate vitamin levels.
o Vitamin Supplements: Individual vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E, and various
B vitamins, can be added to feed as supplements.

27. 5.Water requirements
 Plays a vital role in the digestion of feed, absorption of
nutrients, waste excretion, and body temperature regulation.
Factors influence water intake, including environmental
temperature,
o Relative humidity, salt and protein levels of the diet, birds'
productivity (rate of growth or egg production), and
o The individual bird's ability to resorb water in the kidney
o Generally, water intake is assumed to be double the amount
of feed intake.
 It is recommended that drinking water temperature falls
between 10 and 25 °C,
 as temperatures exceeding 30 °C can reduce consumption

28. Water requirements…
o salt and protein levels of the diet
o birds' productivity (rate of growth or egg production), and
o The individual bird's ability to resorb water in the kidney
o Generally, water intake is assumed to be double the amount
of feed intake.
 Water deprivation for > 12 hours has an adverse effect on
growth of young poultry and egg production of layers;
 water deprivation for > 36 hours results in a marked increase
in mortality of both young and mature poultry.
 So ,Cool, clean water, uncontaminated by high levels of
minerals or other potential toxic substances, must be available
at all times.

29. The quantity of feed,
and the
nutritional requirements of the bird,
depends on:
the weight and the age of the poultry as well as the
environment.

30. Factors affecting feed intake:
1-Energy levels in the ration:
 energy level   feed intake
 energy level   feed intake
2-Environmental temperature:(SET, 16-24C)
 Temp.   feed intake
 Temp.   feed intake
3-Health of the bird
4-Genetics
5-Form of the feed
6-Nutritive balance of the diet
7-Stress 8-Body size
9-Rate of growth & egg production

31. Factors affecting the feed formulation
Feed formulation depends on many factors which are:
1. Specification of each feed ingredient
2. Its effects on the final product of the bird (meat and
egg)
3. Rate of the utilization from nutrients included in the
feed ingredient

32. Phase-feeding of laying hens:
To adjust nutrient intake in accordance with the rate of
egg production
A-Phase I (most critical period):
During 20 W period (22-42 W of age) pullet :
1- egg production from zero to peak (85-90%
production).
2-  body weight from 1300 to 1900g.
3-  egg size from 40g/egg at 22W to over 56g/egg at
42W of age

33. B-Phase II :
 Period after 42W of age when the hens attained mature
body weight
 The period ranged from 42-72W of age.
Effect of temp. on egg shell:
 Hot weather   respiration rate   Co2 loss  
blood bicarbonate level   egg shell formation

34. Stage of egg production:
 Egg production hen usually cover a period of 15 months
 Commences at 22W of age  peak at 28-30W of age
gradually decline to 65% after 15 months of lay.
  lighted period   feed intake &  stimulation of pituitary
gland   egg laid

35. A-Egg size (egg weight):
Factors affecting egg size:
1-Level of protein in diet:
 14-20% CP rations balanced AAs heavier eggs
 The choice of protein level in layer diet depend on
accurate evaluation of extra-cost for the additional protein
compare with the income from larger eggs obtained.
Nutrition and egg quality

36. 2-Energy intake
3-Mineral & vitamin levels:
  Ca &  vit.D   egg weight
4-Level of linoleic acid:
 Linoleic acid  formation lipoprotein in liver  ovary
uptake by ova  higher egg weight
 A type of fat known as linoleic acid is known to improve
on the egg size.
 5-Strain

37. B-Shell quality:
 The quality of egg shells depend on the presence of
adequate levels of vit.D3 & certain minerals including Ca,
P & Zn.
 Def. or imbalance of vit,D3 , Ca & P   shell thickness
& misshapen eggs   egg production
  Mn  thin & brittle-shelled eggs
 The blood carbonate is the source of carbonate in the shell
formation

38.  Very hot weather  Poor quality egg shells
 End of laying period falls egg shell quality due to
failure in Ca metabolism &  Ca of ration
 Insecticides & fungicides in grains malformed
eggs
 Rancid cod liver oil in diet rough shells
 Diseases poor shell quality

39. C.Internal egg quality:
 The nutritive content of the egg depends upon the
level of these nutrients in the diet of laying hen
 Suitable iodine in diet   I content of eggs
 Def. of vit.B2 slight yellowish-green tinge in
albumin

40. D-Yolk colour:
 The colour of egg yolk depend upon the presence of
carotenoid pigment (xanthophylls) in the ration
(fresh & good dried green feeds & feed additives)
 When 30% yellow maize or 5% good quality alfalfa or up to
22mg xanthophyll/kg  deep-yellow yolks
 Highly pigmented plants undesirable coloured yolks
 pepper in diet  orange-red yolks
 Use of yellow maize /replacing white maize

41. Heat stress coping mechanism
o Increase the concentration of dietary energy
o Control protein content and improve protein quality
o Implement methods to stimulate feed intake
o Supplement Vitamin C at a total content of 200 mg/kg feed
o Calculate the designed formula for mineral elements and vitamins based
on actual feed intake.
o Lower the drinking water temperature
o Solve D3 deficiency by adding VD3 to drinking water, which is the most
effective method.
o Increase Feeding Frequency: Increase the number of feedings during the day to
help the birds generate more body heat through digestion.
Weather/season effects and coping mechanism

42. Cold stress coping mechanism
o Adjust Feed Composition: Increase the energy content of the feed by including
ingredients with higher fat content. This helps chickens maintain body
temperature in cold weather.
o Increase Protein Levels: Cold weather can increase the birds' protein
requirements for maintenance and growth. Ensure that the feed contains adequate
levels of high-quality protein sources.
o Provide Adequate Nutrition: Ensure the birds have access to clean water and a
balanced diet. Consider adding vitamin supplements, particularly vitamins A, D,
and E, which are important for immune function and overall health.
o Offer Warm Water: Providing warm water can help maintain the birds' body
temperature. However, ensure it is not too hot, as this can cause burns.

43. Art of feed mixing
o Feed mixing refers to the process of combining various feed ingredients in the
correct proportions to create a uniform and balanced feed ration for poultry.
o The quality of feed mixing directly impacts the nutritional value and palatability
of the feed, as well as the performance and health of the birds.
o It is advisable to mix the macronutrients (amino acids, salt, and premixes) first
key considerations in the art of feed mixing
o Ingredient Selection: Choose high-quality feed ingredients that meet the
nutritional requirements of the birds and are free from contaminants or spoilage.
o Proper Equipment: Use appropriate mixing equipment, such as vertical or
horizontal mixers, that can thoroughly blend the ingredients to achieve
uniformity.

44. Art of feed mixing…
oMixing Time and Speed: Mix ingredients for an adequate duration and at the
appropriate speed to ensure thorough distribution of nutrients and
additives throughout the feed.
 Particle Size: Consider the particle size of feed ingredients, as it can affect
digestibility and feed intake. Grinding or processing certain ingredients may
be necessary to achieve the desired particle size.
 Additives and Supplements: Incorporate additives and supplements, such as
vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and probiotics, into the feed mixture at the
recommended levels to enhance nutrient utilization and overall
performance.
 Quality Control: Implement quality control measures to monitor the
consistency and quality of feed mixing, including sampling and analysis of
finished feeds for nutrient content and uniformity

45. Art of feed mixing…
oMixing Time and Speed: Mix ingredients for an adequate duration and at the
appropriate speed to ensure thorough distribution of nutrients and additives
throughout the feed.
 Particle Size: Consider the particle size of feed ingredients, as it can affect digestibility
and feed intake.
 Grinding or processing certain ingredients may be necessary to achieve the desired
particle size.
 Additives and Supplements: Incorporate additives and supplements, such as vitamins,
minerals, enzymes, and probiotics, into the feed mixture at the recommended levels
to enhance nutrient utilization and overall performance.
 Quality Control: Implement quality control measures to monitor the consistency and
quality of feed mixing, including sampling and analysis of finished feeds for nutrient
content and uniformity
Vitamin and
minerals
Protein
Energy

46. Physical Form of Diet
o The physical form of feed refers to its presentation or texture, which can
influence feed intake, digestion, and nutrient utilization in poultry
o Common physical forms of feed include mash, pellets, and crumbles.
o Mash:-
o Ground and completely homogenously mixed
o It is suitable for all categories of birds.
o The preparation cost is less and loss of nutrient during processing is also less
o but the major disadvantage of feeding mash feed is that there is wastage of
feed during handling and consumption by birds.

47. Pellet: -
o is formed by compacting and extruding mash feed through a
pellet mill, resulting in uniform pellets of consistent size and
shape.
o Pelleting improves feed efficiency, reduces feed wastage, and
may enhance nutrient utilization by reducing feed sorting
and selective feeding.
o It is suitable for all categories of birds more than age of 2 -3
weeks.
o The preparation cost is more as compared to mash feed.

48. Crumble:-
o is similar to pellets but broken into smaller particles.
o This feed is more suitable for birds of 0 -3 weeks of age
because of smaller particle size of feed and easier to
consume and digest compared to pellets or mash.
o The preparation cost is more as compared to mash feed.
o The wastage of feed is less and selective feeding is also
prevented similar to pelleted feed.

50. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!