Factors Affecting Feed Intake in Poultry

The correct daily nutrient intake for poultry depends on whether the birds are being raised for their meat or eggs. Both the composition of the food and the amount eaten affect daily nutrient intake. In the case of turkeys and broilers, which are raised for their meat, the goal is to produce the maximum body weight and to control the percentage of fat. The goal with egg laying breeds is to maximize egg production and to control both the quality and size of the eggs.

  1. Diet Balance

    • The various breeds of poultry need different levels of nutrients, as they absorb and digest nutrients differently. The daily nutrient intake of poultry is managed by adjusting the nutrients in the food and by controlling the amount of food that is consumed by the birds. Poultry raised commercially to produce eggs or flesh are normally not permitted to feed continually or to eat as much as they choose. Poultry breeds which are raised commercially for their meat should not possess excessive amounts of fat and the food that they consume, is limited in amount, but nutritionally balanced.

    Ambient Temperature

    • Feed intake is typically affected by ambient temperature. Poultry invariably need to eat more when the temperature drops and feed less when the temperature increases. According to the Poultry Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), poultry grow quicker as the temperature is increased from 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit to 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit, but that these birds loose body weight when exposed to temperatures above 87.8 Fahrenheit, as they choose to feed far less in these hot conditions. In certain cases, the nutrient composition of diets may require to be adjusted to suit the temperatures in which the birds are housed.

    Health

    • Energy that is required for growth is used to fight infection and other disease conditions in poultry and ill birds therefore do not grow optimally. Those strains of poultry which are kept for eggs production, do not supply eggs of the required size or quantity, if they are in poor condition. Poultry must be fed a nutritionally balanced diet to ensure optimal health and the diet of birds which have become ill, must be amended to assist the bird to regain its health. In select cases, ill poultry may need to be tube fed to ensure that they receive the correct daily food intake.

    Age

    • The amount of food a chicken or turkey requires changes with age. In general, young birds require food for growth and mature birds require food to maintain their adult weight. Poultry of all ages require the energy from food to keep their immune system functional and adults require energy to reproduce. Adult chickens or turkeys that are kept for commercial purposes require diets that have been specially designed to produce either additional body weight or larger and more eggs.