The Relationship of Energy and Protein to Reproductive Performance in Turkey Breeders

NUMEROUS experiments (Scott et al., 1947, Leong et al., 1955, Dymsza et al., 1955 and Hill et al., 1954) have shown that efficiency of production in chicks, poults and laying hens is related to the productive energy level of the ration; however, information on the effect of energy content of the ration on the performance of turkey breeders is limited. Dymsza, Boucher and McCartney (1954), in an experiment with White Holland turkeys, fed rations varying in productive energy content from 249 to 888 Calories per pound during the latter part of the breeding season. While no effect on production rate, fertility or body weight was noted, the hatchability of fertile eggs appeared to be directly related to the energy content of the ration. It was reported that efficiency of feed utilization progressively increased with each increase in energy level of the ration although the caloric intake was greater on the …