“The search for precision feeding in poultry”

Content available at: العربية (Arabic)Chickens are usually kept in flocks or group housing cage systems, not as individual birds. Yet, […]

Split feeding in place

Another good example is separate feeding of males and females on breeder farms. Simply, males are completely different from females. Because of their different sizes, it is not too difficult to feed them separately. Usually a chain feeder with a device, such as a grill or a tube on top of the gutter, is used to only feed the females and to prevent the males from reaching the feed of the females. The bigger males only have access to higher positioned pan feeders.

Back to layer feeding. Hendrix Genetics measured feed intake of individual layers in their breeding stock. From the results it became clear that there was a wide range among the intake of individual birds. On average, daily intake accounted 106 grams per bird, with a variability ranging from 50 – 140 grams. With precision feeding, a bird with too low intake might benefit from a more concentrated feed with a higher nutrient level, whereas heavy birds might be fed a ration with a lower nutrient level. Prerequisite of course is that a lower nutrient level does not affect egg production.”

Buffet feeding

To what extent all this is practically feasible is another question. But the idea is clear: to every bird a ration at its own requirement. An option could be the availability of various feed resources in the house, allowing the birds to select what fits them. Compare this with a buffet in a restaurant, from which one can select their food of choice.

“The idea is clear: to every bird a ration at its own requirement. An option could be the availability of various feed resources in the house, allowing the birds to select what fits them. Compare this with a buffet in a restaurant, from which one can select their food of choice”

Another option in group housed poultry is feeding the birds individually. Research among broiler breeder pullets, carried out by Dr. Martin Zuidhof at the University of Alberta in Canada, made clear that achieving a high uniformity among the birds is possible. Zuidhof created a system during rearing, in which the pullet hens are carrying a chip through which they are recognized by the feeding system. Once they enter a precision feeding station, they receive the feed volume which they deserve. Thus, it is possible to achieve a flock uniformity of 97-98 percent. Through this, it is possible to feed a uniform flock during the productive period. On the other hand, it is to be questioned if it is a natural way to “create” birds of the same size in one flock. After all, in every population of a species, there are differences in size and shape of the individuals.

In broiler flocks it is more complicated to individually feed the birds. After all, their life span is quite short. An idea could be to monitor a number of individual birds and thus, based on the average of these findings, provide a ration to the entire flock. Another option could be to provide different kinds of feed, like in group housed layers. ”

All in all, many questions on precision feeding in poultry are still open. Laura Star and her team will gradually move on, however, to eventually develop systems which are practically feasible. The aim remains to improve the efficiency of nutrition in poultry.