Poultry Nutrition Flashcards
What are the 6 basic nutrients?
- Carbohydrates.
- Fats.
- Protein.
- Minerals.
- Vitamins.
- Water.
What should be kept in mind when formulating a ration for poultry?
- The feed must contain all essential nutrients in the right amounts and proportions required.
- Different standards per age should be followed.
- The form of feed being used (pelleted, mash).
- Inclusion of agro-industrial by-products to minimize cost. ex: Wheat bran.
- Inclusion of essential AAs, vit. B groups, and vit. K.
- Optimizing the level of each ingredient without feeding them at a level that will have deleterious effects.
- Optimizing Ca:P ratio as necessary.
What two basic nutrients is energy a combination of?
Carbohydrates and fats.
What is energy calculated on the basis of?
Metabolizable energy.
What do poultry eat to meet when fed free choice?
Energy needs.
Why do all other nutrients need to be included in proportion to the energy in the ration?
Chickens will stop eating once their energy need is met, which could lead to a deficiency in all the other nutrient if they are not correctly balanced against the energy level.
What is the principal energy source for poultry?
High energy cereal grains.
How can dietary energy concentration in poultry be increased?
Adding fat at a level of 3-8%.
What are the factors that affect feed intake?
- Energy level in the feed (higher energy level=lower feed intake).
- Environmental temperature (increased temp.=decreased feed intake).
- Genetics.
- Health of the bird (sick birds eat less).
- Form of feed (birds have feed preferences).
- Stress (stressed birds eat less).
- Nutritive balance in the diet (imbalance leads to decreased feed intake).
- Body size (larger birds eat more).
- Growth rate (Birds that grow faster eat more).
- Egg production (more eggs produced, more need to consume feed).
What is the temperature range poultry are normally kept at?
60-75 F.
What nutrient requirement is proportional to the energy level in the ration?
Protein.
How many essential AAs do poultry require?
13.
What is the relationship between temp., feed intake, and protein requirement?
As temp. increases, feed intake decreases, and protein requirement increases.
What AA can be fed to meet the requirement for cystine?
Methionine.
What AA can be fed to meet the requirement for tyrosine?
Phenylalanine.
What AAs can be fed to meet the requirement for glycine?
Serine.
What can affect the availability of some amino acids?
Over- or underheating during processing.
What are the 4 major minerals required in the diet of poultry?
- Ca.
- P.
- Na.
- Cl.
Why would trace minerals be added to the diet?
To compensate for feeds grown in deficient soil.
What is the recommended ratio of P:Ca in the diet of poultry?
1:1 to 1:1.5.
What is the ratio of P:Ca in laying hens?
1:4.
*Bone and shell formation.
What happens to the utilization of Mn, Mg, and Zn as the amount of Ca consumed increase?
It decreases.
Which form of phosphorous has a higher availability, organic or inorganic?
Inorganic.
What % of phosphorous of plant origin is available? Animal?
- 40%.
- 100%.
What does the amount of salt added depend upon?
The feed ingredients.
What is the recommended level of salt in a ration?
0.5-1%.
What happens if the level of salt fed is above the recommended amount?
Water consumption will increase.
*Less of a concern in older birds.
What does magnesium deficiency cause?
Perosis (leg deformities) with slipped tendons.
What is Mn needed for?
Egg production and hatchability.
What are sources of Mn besides feed?
- Mn carbonate.
- Mn oxide.
- Mn sulfate.
- Commercial mineral mixture.
How much iodine is included in a poultry ration?
0.5 mg.
*Not necessary if 5-10% fish meal.
What happens to iodine requirement as Ca and P consumption increase?
It increases.
What happens as magnesium consumption increases?
Laxation occurs.
What is vitamin A/carotene needed for?
Normal growth and health.
What does a vitamin A deficiency cause?
Retardation of growth, staggering gait, emaciation, ruffled feathers, and reduced immunity.
What are the main sources of vitamin A?
- Fish liver oil.
- Other animal sources.
What is vitamin D required for?
- Bone formation.
- Egg production.
- Reproduction.
- Rickets prevention.
What does vitamin D deficiency cause?
- Poor growth.
- Lameness.
- Rickets.
In what situation must poultry be supplemented with vitamin D?
When they are not exposed to sunlight.
What is vitamin E essential for?
Prevention of encephalomalacia or crazy chick disease.
Where is vitamin E found?
In vegetables, but it is not readily available, unlike in oil concentrates.
What is caused by a deficiency in vitamin K?
- Delayed clotting time.
- Serious hemorrhaging.
What drug increases the requirement for vitamin K?
Sulfonamides/sulfur-containing drugs.
What does a deficiency of riboflavin/vitamin B2 cause?
- Curled-toe paralysis.
- Dwarfism.
- Nerve trunk degeneration.
How many mg of riboflavin/kg of feed do broilers and breeders need?
4.4.
How many mg of riboflavin/kg of feed do layers need?
2.5.
What does a deficiency in thiamin cause?
- Nerve degeneration.
- Heart abnormalities.
- Convulsions.
What does a deficiency in niacin cause?
- Inflammation of the tongue.
- Inflammation of the oral cavity.
*Collectively called black tongue.
Which age group requires more niacin: Young chicks or adults? Why?
- Young chicks.
- Have less bacteria in their intestine synthesizing niacin.
What is a good source of vitamin B12?
Animal protein.
What does a vitamin B12 deficiency cause?
- Poor feathering.
- Irritability.
- Poor hatchability.
How much feeder space should each chick be given from 1 day old to 2 weeks old?
1 inch. 2 inches after 2 weeks.
What is the ratio of water consumption to weight of feed consumed?
2x as much water as feed.
*Also used, in some situations, to medicate birds.
What 2 factors influence water consumption?
- Salt content of feed.
- Environmental temperature.
What are the 2 methods of feeding broilers?
- Phase feeding.
- Keeping them at 20% protein or 3000 Kcal/kg for 7 weeks.
What % protein is fed during the starter ration phase?
22-24.
How many Kcal/kg are fed during the starter ration phase?
2800.
What % protein is fed during the grower ration phase?
20-22.
How many Kcal/kg are fed during the grower ration phase?
3000.
What % protein is fed during the finisher ration phase?
18-20.
How many Kcal/kg are fed during the finisher ration phase?
3200.
What factors affect feed conversion?
- Type of feed fed.
- Strain of birds.
- Environmental temperature.
- Age and weight of the birds.
- Diseases.
- Rodent and flying bird control in feeding area.
- Antibiotics and medications.
- Debeaking and size of chicks.
- Feed wastage.
- Form of feed.
What is an issue that occurs with broiler breed pullets?
They grow rapidly, leading them to reach sexual maturity at an early age. This causes them to lay small eggs that have poor hatchability.
*If kept for breeding, it is necessary to slow their development.
What are the methods used to slow growth/development?
- Restricting feed intake to approximately 70% from week 7-9 to week 23.
- Full feeding every other day.
- Feeding a diet containing 10% protein.
What are the sources of energy for feeding broilers?
- Grain.
- Grain by-products.
- Animal fats and oils.
- Vegetable fats and oils.
What 2 grains can be substituted for corn?
- Wheat.
- Sorghum.
Which grain is most commonly used in formulating poultry diet?
Corn.
*Fluctuations in corn affect feed prices.
At what % can animal and vegetable fats be added to the diet?
5-10% of the diet.
What is used to achieve a better balance of the needed AAs?
Several protein sources.
Which protein source are more variable in their amino acids, animal proteins or plant proteins?
Animal proteins.
What two amino acids are required in poultry that are NOT required in other animals?
- Serine.
- Glycine (For uric acid formation).
What is the most common plant protein source?
Soybean meal.
*Has the best balance of AAs than other plant protein.