Abstract
Commercial food supplements have been a favorite of aviculturists over the years. Most of us feed them by blending the meal base and seed with carrot, hardboiled egg, etc. Recently due to inflation many have sought a cheaper alternative to the expensive commercial mixes. Published reports have advocated ground dry dog food either alone or mixed with the seed base. Some have utilized commercial poultry preparations.
Facing a cost crisis and trying to maintain the quality of nutrition in the aviary, the advice of our State University Department of Poultry Nutrition was sought with what I think are excellent results on three fronts.
First, the participation in formulation of the meal with an experienced expert was stimulating. The aviculturist certainly learns more about nutrition than by opening a bag. Secondly, the savings in cost were substantial. The previous mix (Petamine) cost $12.95/25 lbs. delivered, as opposed to $30.00/100 lbs. for basic mash with a cost of$22.50/100lbs. forthe final product (mash seed mix). Finally, one is able to know the exact nutritional content of the mash so that any additional supplements or changes in the formula itself can be weighed against the effect on your birds. The nutritional content of the entire diet can then be calculated based on the history of the consumption of each of the components.
Preparation of Turkey Starter Super Supplement
The primary ingredient in this supplement was a typical turkey starter ration. Composition of the turkey starter ration used to prepare the supplement evaluated in our study is presented in Table 1. This ration was composed largely of ground yellow corn and soybean meal with appropriate levels of a feed phosphate, ground limestone, salt, a vitamin premix, trace mineral premix, a selenium premix and a methionine supplement.
The calculated composition of this ration is listed immediately below the ingredient levels or formula in Table 1. Also listed are levels of vitamins and trace minerals furnished by the various premixes.
The total calculated vitamin and trace mineral contents of the 28 % turkey starter ration are presented in Table 2. These levels include vitamins and trace minerals provided both in premix form and those furnished by ration ingredients such as ground yellow corn, soybean meal, dehydrated alfalfa, etc.
The following ingredients were used to mix the "Turkey Starter Super Supplement":
Turkey starter ration...