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.
What plant protein can replace up to 50% of soybean meal in the diet?
Cottonseed meal.
What are the common sources of animal protein?
- Meat by-product.
- Fish meal.
- Milk by-product.
- Blood meal.
- Feather meal.
- Poultry by-product meal.
Why is fish meal not fed in a large amount despite having a good balance of AAs?
To avoid a fishy flavor in the eggs and poultry meat.
What sources are used to provide calcium to broilers?
- Ground oyster shells.
- Limestone.
- Bone meal.
- Dicalcium phosphate.
What sources are used to provide inorganic phosphate to broilers?
- Bone meal.
- Rock phosphate.
- Dicalcium phosphate.
What form are manganese and zinc provided in?
Mn sulfate and Zn sulfate.
What is used to provide vitamins to poultry?
Vitamin premixes.
What are the 3 forms that commercial feeds for broilers come in?
- Mash.
- Pellets.
- Crumble.
Why are pellets and crumbles the preferred feed types for broilers?
- Less wastage.
- Allows for faster growth by preventing picking.
Why are pellets and crumbles not used in laying hens?
Get fat unless put on a restricted feeding program.
What is the maintenance requirements for hens to be at 2kg of wt.?
220 Kcal.
What is the requirement for 70% production?
130 Kcal.
What is the requirement for 1g gain/day?
3 Kcal.
What is the usual energy concentration in a laying hen diet?
2.8 Mcal ME/kg diet.
What happens when the energy concentration is less than 2.3 Mcal ME/kg diet?
Energy and egg production decrease.
What percentage of a laying hens diet must be protein?
16.5%.
What feed efficiency is needed to maximize economic return in a laying hen flock?
1.6-1.8 kg of feed/dozen eggs.
What percentage protein should a laying ration contain based on 2900 Kcal ME/kg of diet?
2900.
How does the diet of hens change from summer to winter?
Feed intake increases.
What are the 6 essential AAs for laying hens?
- Lysine.
- Leucine.
- Isoleucine.
- Methionine.
- Arginine.
- Tryptophan.
What is the limiting AAs for egg production?
Methionine.
What % of a mash for laying hens should animal mash be no less than?
3-4.
What type of amino acids are feathers high in?
Sulfur-containing amino acids.
What happens as fat is supplemented in the feed?
- Egg yield in cold weather increases.
- Amount of feed/dozen eggs decreases.
Why do laying birds need large amounts of calcium?
Eggshells are composed of entirely CaCO_3.
What happens as Ca in the laying ration decreases?
Egg production decreases and the egg shell weakens.
Where do birds store calcium? When do they start doing this?
- In the marrow of long bones (likely in the form of medullary bone).
- 10-14 days before laying their first egg.
What protein sources are used to supplement phosphorous in poultry?
- Meat meal.
- Tankage.
- Fish meal.
- Dairy by-products.
What happens as manganese decreases in the laying ration?
- Egg production decreases.
- Hatchability decreases.
- The egg shell weakens.
What happens as iodine decreases in the laying ration?
Goiter.
What is used to add iodine to the diet of poultry?
Iodized salt.
What happens when selenium decreases in the laying ration?
Exudative diathesis.
What happens when zinc decreases in the laying ration?
- Skeletal abnormalities.
- Ataxia.
- Necrotic dermatitis.
- Hyperkeratinization of the epidermis.
- Thin shells.
What % of the total ration is salt in laying hens?
0.15-0.25.
Under what circumstances do laying hens require more vitamin A?
In hot weather, due to consuming less food.
What happens as the amount of vitamin A in the laying ration decreases?
Nutritional roup (sticky discharge from eyes and nostrils) occurs.
What is vitamin D necessary for the absorption and utilization of?
Ca and P.
What happens as the vitamin D level in the laying ration decreases?
- Decreased egg production.
- Decreased hatchability.
- Breast bone softens.
- Wing and leg bones become fragile.
- Thin egg shells.
What happens as riboflavin and/or vitamin E decreases in the laying ration?
Low hatchability.
When does phase 1 of laying hen feeding occur?
22-42 W of age.
What happens during Phase 1 of laying hen feeding?
- Egg production increases from zero to peak (85-90% production).
- Increase in body weight from 1300g to 1900g.
- Increase in egg size from 40g/egg at 22W to over 56g/egg at 42W.
When does Phase II of laying hen feeding occur?
42W-72W.
What happens during Phase II of laying hen feeding?
- Egg weight stays the same.
- Mature weight is reached.
When does egg production begin?
20-22 W of age.
When does egg production peak?
28-30W of age.
How long does egg production last?
15 months.
*At 65% productivity at this point.
What happens if the amount of time a hen is exposed to light is increased?
Feed intake is increased, pituitary gland stimulation is increased, and the # of eggs laid is increased.
What are 5 different methods for feeding laying hens?
- Whole grain method.
- Grain and mash method.
- All mash.
- Wet mash feeding (more palatable).
- Pellets.
*Fresh greens are also fed.
When is the all mash diet fed?
At first * weeks.
What must be fed alongside grains and why?
a. Insoluble grit.
b. To allow for the grains to be ground up by mechanical action in the gizzard.
What 5 factors affect egg weight?
- Protein level.
- Genetics/strain.
- Mineral and vitamin levels.
- Energy intake.
- Level of linoleic acid.
What % CP in the ration leads to heavier eggs? Why?
a. 14-20.
b. AAs that are balanced.
*Costs extra to do, so must be done carefully.
What happens to egg weight as Ca increases and vit. D increases in the diet of layers?
Egg weight decreases.
How does linoleic acid impact egg weight?
The more uptake of linoleic acid into the ova, the higher the egg weight.
What vitamins and minerals does the quality of the eggshell depend upon?
- Vitamin D3.
- Ca.
- P.
- Zn.
What does decreases in vitamin D3, Ca, P, Zn lead to?
- Decreased shell thickness.
- Misshapen eggs.
- Decreased egg production.
What does a decrease in Mn result in?
Thin and brittle-shelled eggs.
How does environmental temperature impact egg shell quality?
Poor egg shell quality.
Why does egg shell quality decrease at the end of the laying period?
- Due to the failure in Ca metabolism.
- Decrease in amount of calcium in the ration.
What kind of drugs result in thin egg shells?
Sulphonamide drugs.
How do insecticides and fungicides in grains impact eggs?
They cause them to malform.
What type of fish oil causes rough shells?
Rancid cod liver oil.
How does disease impact shell quality?
Diseased layers lay thin-shelled eggs.
What does the nutritive content of the egg depend upon?
The level of nutrient in the diet.
What does suitable iodine in the diet result in?
Increased content of eggs.
What color does the albumen turn when the hen is deficient in vitamin B2?
Slightly yellowish-green.
What is yolk color dependent upon?
The presence of carotenoid pigment (xanthophylls) in the diet.
Where are xanthophylls derived from?
- Fresh and good dried green feeds.
- Feed additives.
What yolk color does 30% yellow maize or, 5% good quality alfalfa, or up to 22mg xanthophyll/kg result in?
Deep-yellow yolk.
What yolk color do highly pigmented plants result in?
Undesirable colored yolks.
What yolk color does large amounts of untreated cottonseed meal result in?
Brown mottled yolk with pinkish albumen.
What yolk color do pimento peppers result in?
Orange-red yolk.
What is the main difference between feeding turkeys and broilers?
- Protein level.
- Biotin level.
- Pyridoxine/Vitamin B6 level.
What are poults?
Newborn-10 week old turkeys.
What is one major difference between poults and chicks?
Poults need to be provided with food and water ASAP after hatching.
*After 36 hours, they will struggle to learn to eat and drink.
What is essential in the diet of turkeys for good hatchability?
Vitamin and mineral supplementation.
At what ages are hens and toms separated?
10-12 W.
What % protein do turkeys require during the first three weeks? ME?
a. 30-33%.
b. 2930-3000
What % protein do turkeys require during 0-4 weeks? ME?
a. 28%.
b. 2930-3000.
What % protein do turkeys require during 4-8 weeks? ME?
a. 26%.
b. 2900.
What % protein do turkeys require during 8-12 weeks? ME?
a. 20-22%.
b. 3100.
What % protein do turkeys require during 13-16 weeks? ME?
a. 19%.
b. 3200.
What % protein do turkeys require during 17-20 weeks? ME?
a. 16%.
b. 3275.
What % protein do turkeys require during 21W-Market? ME?
a. 13-14%.
b. 3350.
What % protein do laying turkeys require? ME?
a. 15-18%.
b. 2925.
What % protein do turkeys at peak production need? ME?
a. 19%.
b. 2755.
What are leg weakness disorders in turkeys caused by?
Deficiency in:
a. Ca.
b. P.
c. Vit. D.
d. Biotine.
e. Choline.
f. Folic acid.
g. Mn.
h. Zn.
i. Combination of any of the above.
What is enlargement of the hock joint caused by?
Deficiency of:
a. Niacin.
b. Biotin.
c. Vitamin E.
d. Zinc.
e. Any combination of the above.
What is footpad dermatitis caused by?
Biotin deficiency.
What are the symptoms of footpad dermatitis?
Dermatitis on the footpads due to sticky droppings adhering to the footpad.
What causes pendulous crop?
Yeast proliferation in the crop.
What are the symptoms of a pendulous crop?
- Gas production from fermentation of carbohydrates.
- Inability to pass ingesta from crop to proventriculus.
What is the treatment for pendulous crop?
Fungal inhibiting antibiotics.
What is the cause of ascites?
High salt intake.
What is the symptom of ascites?
Fluid accumulation in body cavities.
What is the cause of aflatoxicosis?
Ingestion of aflatoxin due to eating food contaminated with fungus.
What are symptoms of aflatoxicosis?
- Increased susceptibility to disease.
- Hemorrhaging.
What type of chicken feed cannot be given to ducks and geese?
Chicken feed containing a coccidostat.
When do geese start eating pasture?
When they are a few days old.
*Eat additional grains if pasture is not high quality.
What % protein do geese require during 0-4 weeks? ME?
a. 20%.
b. 2900.
What % protein do geese require after 4 weeks? ME?
a. 15%.
b. 3000.
What % protein do geese require during breeding? ME?
a. 15%.
b. 2900.
What % protein do ducks require during 0-2 weeks? ME?
a. 22%.
b. 2900.
What % protein do ducks require during 2-7 weeks? ME?
a. 16%.
b. 3000.
What % protein do ducks require during breeding? ME?
a. 15-18%.
b. 2900.
What are the energy sources for poultry?
- Corn.
- Wheat.
- Barley.
- Sorghum.
- Rye.
- Millet.
- Rice.
- Corn Offal.
- Wheat Offal.
- Distiller’s Dry Grain Solubles (DDGS).
- Molasses.
- Glycerin.
- Animal Fat.
- Plant Fat.
What 3 things does the addition of fat to the diet help with?
- Dust reduction.
- Shelf life.
- Palatability.
What are the protein sources for poultry?
- Soybean meal (SBM).
- Canola meal.
- Sunflower.
- Cotton.
- Linseed.
- Safflower.
- Fish meal.
- Yeast.
- Blood meal.
- Peanut.
- Sesame.
- Insect meal.
