Feeding and nutrition of turkey hybrids

Question 1

BW at hatching

Answer 1

60g

Question 2

BW and age at slaughter

Answer 2

20wks

21.5kg

Question 3

Timeline and weight of turkeys

Answer 3

• 0 days: 60g
• 5-6wks: broiler chicks, 2.7kg
• 20 wks: 21.5kg- toms are slaughtered at this time

** note at 15 wks hens are fully grown at 10.5 kg- their growth capacity is lost earlier than turkeys

Question 4

Sexual dimorphism

Answer 4

Males are 2x biggers than females (different to broilers where they are both pretty much the same)

Question 5

Comparing the ages of the stages in toms and hens

Answer 5

Tom vs hen!

• Starter 1: both 0-4 wks
• Starter 2: both 5-8wks
• Grower 1: 9-12wks vs 9-11wks
• Grower 2: 13-16wks vs 12-15wks
• Fattener: 17-20wks

Question 6

Changes in the protein requirements and E density

Answer 6

Comparing ME (MK/kg) and CP% for starter 1 vs starter 2 vs grower 1 vs grower 2 vs fattener

ME: 12.2 vs 12.8 vs 13.4 vs 13.6 vs 14.0

CP: 28 vs 26 vs 22 vs 20 vs 17

Question 7

Explaination of the changes in protein and E, lysine and aims of feeding

Answer 7

• ME: incr with age so that the turkeys remain large. Also incr for fat inbuilding (but not in the stomach)
• CP: require a much larger amount than hens, it decr because the growth capacity decr with age (why hens have less protein)
• Lysine: for good meat prod and good proportions of breast and ham
• Aim of feeding: good quality of breast and ham, the breast should be 35% of the carcass

Question 8

Feed efficiency

Answer 8

2.5 kg/kg

Question 9

Phys forms of the diets

Answer 9

Same as for broilers

Crumbles for younger— move to pellets when they get older

Question 10

Supplements: (3)

Answer 10

• Lysine
• Vit D3- becasue very intensive bone development
• Biotin: otherwise would have legs probs