"Evaluation of Using Low Cost Turkey Diets and Their Impact on Performance"

Abstract

This study was carried out in two studies. In the first an experiment was conducted to investigate the Impact of 1 and 2% reduced CP% levels with balanced amino acid on growth, serum parameters, immune response and carcass traits and litter quality of male BUT Big 6 heavy white Turkey from 4-24 weeks of age. A total of ninety 4 weeks old male Turkey were assigned to three treatments, the first (G1) was fed on diets formulated to cover the CP requirements as recommended by the management guide and served as control. (G2) was fed on reduced CP diet by (1% CP) in each stage but AA were balanced. (G3) was fed on reduced CP diet by (2% CP) with adjusted AA profile in the same manner. Results revealed that birds in (G2) numerically surpassed the other groups in most of the growth performance parameters. However no significant differences were detected among the different groups.None of serum parameters were significantly affected except significant increase of Total triglycerides in G3, however numerically lower levels of serum urea, uric acid and creatinine were observed. The antibodies titer against NDV didn’t significantly affected (P < 0.05). Numerical increase in the (BMY%) and numerical decrease in (Ly%) were recorded in the birds of (G2 and G3). Litter was significantly dryer in pens of groups (G2 and G3) in comparison to (G1) and thereby reduce the litter score. It could be concluded that The CP% in this Turkey breed could be reduced by 1 and 2% without adverse effects on growth, serum parameters, Immune status, carcass characteristics and litter quality if provided levels of ideal essential amino acids profile.