Nutrient requirements of poultry

The availability of soyabean meal for animal feed use in Asia and the Pacific is low. The potential usefulness of a wide variety of protein-rich plant materials which could replace soyabean meal in...

Feed resources for poultry production in Asia and the Pacific. II. Plant protein sources

These experiments examined the effect in chicks and poults of early posthatch access to water, non-nutrient bulk (sawdust), solid, semi-solid, or liquid nutrient, or feed and water. Ingestion of water immediately posthatch transiently enhanced body weight of birds, but no significant advantage was observed after 8 days. Access to a bulky solid non-nutrient (sawdust) also increased body weight close to hatch, but this effect was apparent only until 14 days. Feeding solid, semi-solid, or liquid nutrient posthatch resulted in increased body weight, which was maintained through marketing in both chicks and poults. Feed efficiency was not changed by early access to feed, but breast percentage was significantly increased by all nutrient supplements. No differences in the performance increment were observed between the different forms of early feeding.

Different Types of Early Feeding and Performance In Chicks and Poults

The weight of hatching eggs can influence broiler live performance regardless of hen age. Egg composition is altered with egg weight, but such alterations do not seem to have major effects on broiler growth and processing yields. The chick hatches with a yolk sac which provides nutrients for the transition to independent feeding. Alterations in egg weight and composition do not affect the proportion of yolk sac to body weight as much as its composition, particularly with eggs from very young hens. The contents of the yolk sac are high in fat and protein but very low in carbohydrate, which could lead to ketosis with prolonged fasting. Enhancing the first feed with either carbohydrate or gluconeogenics such as propionic acid may alleviate this ketosis and help early development. The digestive system of the chick is physically complete at hatching but is not fully competent at nutrient retrieval as many enterocytes are orientated to immunoglobulin uptake. Villi length and enzymatic activity increases with feeding, reaching maturity within a few weeks. Access to food and water after hatching varies, and long delays until placement are common. These delays cause losses in live performance. Loss in body weight due to late placement or undernutrition may also affect early muscle development. These adverse effects extend to marketing age and reduced meat yield. Factors that affect early chick development are gaining interest as the length of time to market progressively decreases and the chick's first days represent an increasing proportion of the total time for production.

Effects of egg of origin and chick post-hatch nutrition on broiler live performance and meat yields

C. M. Hillard

Papers

The Nutritive Value of Yeast Grown on Hydrocarbon Fractions for Broiler Chicks

The Effectiveness of Nutrient Solutions Given to Young Turkey Poults in Drinking Water or by Oral and Parenteral Dosage

Response of Broilers to Moenomycin

Effects of Pelleting and Particle Size on Utilization of Roasted Soybeans by Broilers

Hydrolyzed Leather Meal in Broiler Diets