LPM 221: Commercial Poultry Production and Hatchery Management (1+1)

PROTEINS

• Proteins are considered as the building blocks of the body. They are essential for proper growth and for building health.
• Most materials used as ingredients in poultry feeds contain some protein.
• Grains generally contain 8 - 9 percent of crude protein but cannot meet the bird’s total protein requirement.
• It is therefore necessary to include other ingredients, which contribute higher levels of protein.
• Oil cakes are good sources of vegetable protein, while dried fish and meat meal supply animal protein.
• The amount of protein required by broilers varies considerably according to age and level of performance.
• There is a high demand for protein at the early stages of development.
• Moreover, the energy level of the ration also decides the protein requirement; the higher the energy level, the greater the percentage of protein required.
• Protein is made up of several amino acids and it is necessary to know the composition of any protein-rich ingredient in terms of its constituent amino acids and its requirements.