Energy and Protein Requirements for Turkey Starting Diets

THE relation of energy to the protein level of the diet and its effect on the growth rate of poults has been the subject of numerous investigations in recent years. Atkinson et al. (1957) reported a 28 percent protein diet with a “CP ratio” (productive Calories per pound per 1 percent protein) of 30 to 1 was required for optimum growth and feed efficiency to eight weeks. Their data indicate that practically all of the variability due to treatment was accounted for by the simple protein and energy effects. Day and Hill (1957) reported best results with a 30 percent protein diet having a CP ratio of 28. Since their diets were isocaloric, it is not possible to evaluate the protein-energy interaction from their data. Previous work from this station (Heady Balloun and Dean, 1956; and Balloun and Phillips, 1957) indicates a protein level of 26 to 27 percent as …