Feeding the br oiler chicken

Part 1 - The nutritional requirements of today’s broiler

To reach the genetic potential of today’s broiler chicken - 2.5 kg liveweight
with feed conversion of 1.72 at 42 days of age, and this potential increases
by around 50 grams growth each year - they must be fed close to their
nutritional requirements. In a five-part series DAVID CRESWELL* explains
how Asian producers can maximise potential.

Table 1: Performance objectives (Ross 308, as hatched).

Age, Liveweight, Daily gain, Average Daily feed Cumulative Feed:

days g g daily gain, intake, feed gain
g g intake, g

0 42 –

T he genetic potential of today’s

broiler chicken is great, with
7
14
21
167
429
820
27
46
63
17.86
27.64
37.05
63
102
147
471
1069
0.880
1.098
1.304
continuous improvements provided 28 1316 76 45.50 135 1921 1.460
by the major breeding companies. 35 1882 84 52.57 166 2992 1.590
Readers are reminded of what this 42 2474 84 57.90 190 4248 1.721
potential is by reference to the 49 3052 80 61.43 204 5646 1.850
standards provided by the breeder 56 3579 71 63.16 204 7083 1.979

Table 2: Ratios of digestible lysine to energy for broilers. companies. For example
Item Starter Grower Finisher 1 Finisher 2 achievement of 2.5 kg liveweight
with feed conversion of 1.72 at 42
Dietary ME, kcal/kg 3000 3100 3200 3200 days of age for as-hatched flocks
Grams digestible lysine/ 3.83 3.29 2.75 2.475 (see table 1). This potential
1000 kcal ME increases by around 50 grams
Dietary digestible lysine, % 1.15 1.02 0.88 0.792 growth each year.
Starter, 1-18 days; grower, 19-35 days; finisher 1, 36-45 days; finisher 2, 45-56 days To achieve this potential
performance, broiler chickens must
Table 3: Ideal protein ratios for broilers1. be fed close to their nutritional
requirements. These requirements
Amino acid Starter Grower Finisher are discussed in part 1 of this series.
Lysine 100 100 100 In many situations a decision is
Methionine 37 38 40 made not to feed to nutritional
M+C 72 75 78 requirements, and rather, to feed
Tryptophan 16 17 18 lower density diets. In part 2 of this
Threonine 62 64 68 series, the best way to feed broilers
Arginine2 105 108 110 in these situations is discussed.
Isoleucine 65 67 69 Part 3 will provide information on
Valine 77 79 81 ingredients, ingredient composition,
1
and how to use ingredients to meet
Based largely on the work of Dr David Baker, University of Illinois, USA the birds’ nutrient requirements.
2
Suggestion of a higher ratio during heat stress, of around 115
And finally parts 4 and 5 will

18 ASIAN POULTRY MAGAZINE – May 2005

 Table 4: Meat type strain requirements for major nutrients (as-hatched flocks).

Starter Grower Finisher 1 Finisher 2

ME, kcal/kg 2,900-3,050 3,100-3,150 3,100-3,250 3,100-3,250

Digestible Lysine, % 1.150 1.02 0.880 0.792

Digestible Methionine, % 0.426 0.389 0.352 0.317
Digestible M+C, % 0.828 0.765 0.686 0.618


provide formulation examples using Digestible Tryptophan, % 0.184 0.173 0.158 0.143
these ingredients with current Digestible Threonine, % 0.713 0.653 0.598 0.539
availability and prices. Digestible Arginine, % 1.208 1.102 0.968 0.871
In this 5 part series, we will Digestible Isoleucine, % 0.748 0.683 0.607 0.547
examine the following aspects of Digestible Valine, % 0.886 0.806 0.713 0.642
broiler feeding: Calcium, % 0.88 0.72 0.64 0.56
1. What are the nutritional Available Phosphorus, % 0.44 0.36 0.32 0.28
requirements of today’s broiler? Sodium, % 0.26 0.16 0.16 0.16
2. How to feed lower energy diets Linoleic acid, % 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
3. Ingredient specifications Choline, mg/kg 1850 1350 1200 1200
4. Formulation examples, high Notes:
energy diets 1. starter 1-18 days, grower 19-35 days, finisher 1 36-45 days, finisher 2 45-56 days
5. Formulation examples, diets of 2. for separate sex feeding, lower levels of protein/amino acids may be fed to females, or
differing energy move to the next phase feed at younger ages
3. energy level used depends on economics. In general the higher the ME, the better the FCR.
Current broiler performance However, note that high energy levels (over 3200 kcal/kg) may be associated with
standards increased mortality from heat stress, ascites and heart attack
4. the relationship between energy level and protein/amino acids affects leanness (carcass
Table 1 shows the performance fat). For example a high energy/protein ratio will increase carcass fatness
objectives for the Ross 308 5. notice that all amino acids are calculated in ratio to lysine. Therefore if the lysine level in
the feed is changed, the levels for other amino acids should be changed to maintain these
commercial broiler, obtained from
ratios. Notice the ratios are different for the different phase feeds. For example,
the Aviagen website methionine is 39, 40 and 42% of lysine for the starter, grower and finisher stages
(www.aviagen.com). respectively. See separate table for the ratios used
These performance objectives 6. these are digestible amino acid requirements. Digestible amino acids rather than total
represent performance achievable amino acids should be used in order to take account of the variable levels of digestibility in
many ingredients
under good management conditions
7. there is some evidence that there are different requirements for different broiler strains.
and appropriate nutrition. Aviagen Certainly high breast meat yield strains (for example Cobb and Ross) will have higher
suggests these performance levels amino acid requirements than the Arbor Acres type of bird
are achieved by 25% of their 8. if the last stage feed is fed for only 3-5 days it is commonly referred to as a withdrawal
customer flocks worldwide. We feed. For this feed, the protein/amino acids are quite low, and drugs etc may be removed
9. feed these diets in crumble or pellet form for best performance. Crumbles to 18 days
could also look at the performance
followed by pellets. Grind the grain with a medium texture for best development of digestive
standards of the other major tract
strains, such as Arbor Acres, Cobb
and Hybro, and would find
reasonably similar performance Table 5: Meat type strain requirements for male broilers.
standards. Starter Grower Finisher 1 Finisher 2
This first part examines the
nutritional requirements of the ME, kcal/kg 2,900-3,050 3,100-3,150 3,100-3,250 3,100-3,250
modern broiler. Digestible Lysine, % 1.208 1.071 0.924 0.832
Energy and amino acid standards Digestible Methionine, % 0.447 0.407 0.370 0.333
Digestible M+C, % 0.870 0.803 0.721 0.649
Establishing the nutrient Digestible Tryptophan, % 0.193 0.182 0.166 0.150
requirement for broilers involves Digestible Threonine, % 0.749 0.685 0.628 0.566
firstly determining the energy levels Digestible Arginine, % 1.268 1.157 1.016 0.915
which you want to feed for the Digestible Isoleucine, % 0.785 0.718 0.638 0.574
different growth periods. From this, Digestible Valine, % 0.930 0.846 0.748 0.674
the digestible lysine levels for these Calcium, % 0.88 0.72 0.64 0.56
periods may be established. Available Phosphorus, % 0.44 0.36 0.32 0.28
These may be established from Sodium, % 0.26 0.16 0.16 0.16
ratios of digestible lysine to energy, Linoleic acid, % 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
in which case lysine (and other Choline, mg/kg 1850 1350 1200 1200
amino acids) will change as the
dietary energy level changes.
Dietary energy level (ME) will be which is known to give best feed by economic analysis which
normally in the range of 2900- conversion efficiency. includes costs of energy, so that
3200 kcal/kg, as this is the range Energy level may be determined with high energy costs, a lower

20 ASIAN POULTRY MAGAZINE – May 2005

 Table 6: Meat type strain requirements for female broilers.

Starter Grower Finisher 1 Finisher 2

ME, kcal/kg 2,900-3,050 3,100-3,150 3,100-3,250 3,100-3,250

Digestible Lysine, % 1.093 0.969 0.836 0.752
Digestible Methionine, % 0.404 0.368 0.334 0.301
Digestible M+C, % 0.787 0.727 0.509 0.587
Digestible Tryptophan, % 0.175 0.165 0.150 0.135
Digestible Threonine, % 0.678 0.620 0.568 0.511 values are shown in table 4. Note
Digestible Arginine, % 1.148 1.047 0.920 0.827 should be made of the lower
Digestible Isoleucine, % 0.710 0.649 0.577 0.519 requirements for calcium and
Digestible Valine, % 0.842 0.766 0.677 0.609 phosphorus, and the higher
Calcium, % 0.88 0.72 0.64 0.56 requirement of sodium in the
Available Phosphorus, % 0.44 0.36 0.32 0.28 starter period than have been
Sodium, % 0.26 0.16 0.16 0.16 recommended in the past.
Linoleic acid, % 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Choline, mg/kg 1850 1350 1200 1200 Separate sex requirements
Nutrient requirements for males
energy level may be chosen and arginine, isoleucine and valine, as and females are different due to the
vice versa. these are essential amino acids that faster growth and higher meat yield
Suggested ratios of digestible may be “limiting” in some of males. Suggested nutrient
lysine to energy are shown in table situations, when formulating requirements for males and females
2. without a minimum protein level. are shown in tables 5 and 6 for use
Once the energy level and In table 4 the energy and when raising sex-separate birds.
digestible lysine levels have been digestible amino acid requirements Part 2 of this series will discuss
established, other essential amino are shown for meat yield strains, the feeding of broilers with lower
acids may be calculated by use of such as Cobb and Ross. density (lower energy) diets.

the “ideal protein ratios” (see table
Calcium, phosphorus, sodium
3).
and choline standards
Requirements should be * Dr David Creswell (creswell@zip.com.au) is
established for levels of digestible Requirements for these 4 Director of Creswell Nutrition and Technical Editor
lysine, methionine, methionine nutrients are generally formulated of Asian Poultry Magazine.
+cysteine, tryptophan, threonine, into diets. Suggested requirement

ASIAN POULTRY MAGAZINE – May 2005 21