THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 79

Nutritional requirements for chickens
Poultry have more specific nutritional requirements than ruminants or pigs, because they do not
manufacture many amino acids, the building blocks of protein, in their gut. So, more amino acids are
needed in the feed. The most limiting amino acid is methionine.
Poultry nutrition is more than just giving any available feed to the birds. Market poultry-broilers and
turkeys - require proper nutrition to grow and finish out. Breeding poultry require correct nutrition
to reproduce. Laying flocks require correct nutrition to be productive. As humans, we need the right
balance of nutrients supplied by the food pyramid (meats, vegetables, dairy products, and fruits) on a
daily basis. Similarly, poultry require the correct balance of about five classes of nutrients
(proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals, and water) for optimum growth,
maintenance, finishing, work, reproduction, and production.
As a poultry farmer, know the nutritional requirements of the bird’s function; either egg
production or meat production.
After determining the nutritional requirements, the poultry
producer should look into the availability and cost of appropriate feedstuffs. It is also critical
that the poultry nutritionist know the limitations associated with each ingredient. Some ingredients
may have anti-nutritional properties which limit their usage in poultry diets.
All foods that sustain life contain nutrients. Poultry convert the nutrients into useful forms via the
digestive system. Blood then carries the nutrients throughout the body. Nutrients pass through
capillary walls and enter body cells to provide nourishment and energy for life processes.
Nutrients can be either dietary essential or non-dietary essential.
Poultry feeds must supply the
dietary essential nutrients because the body cannot produce them on its own. The body can
synthesize the non-dietary essential nutrients for growth and maintenance.
Poultry diets must
supply daily nutrient requirements from the five classes of nutrients.
Classes of Nutrients
Carbohydrates
Normally, at least ¾ of a poultry diet consists of energy feeds. Energy feeds are the most important
nutrient to maintain body temperature and exercise levels of the birds. Cereals, grain, roots, and
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