Protein and Energy Levels for Turkey Starting Diets

THE relationship of protein to energy and fiber and its effect on the growth rate of chicks has been of interest for many years. Robertson et al. (1948) observes satisfactory growth of Leghorn chicks fed a diet containing 800 Calories of productive energy per pound. A similar energy level (850 Calories) was subsequently reported by Panda and Combs (1950) to be required by New Hampshire chicks for rapid growth. Stabilized white grease did not affect the growth of New Hampshire chicks when fed at levels of 2, 4, and 8% of the diet, even though Calories derived from fat were observed to be efficiently utilized at the 2 and 4% levels (Seidler and Schweigert, 1953). White, yellow and brown grease may efficiently be utilized by the chick when fed at the 3% level, whereas a reduction in caloric efficiency has been noted when the same substances were fed at the . . .