Protein and Lysine Requirements of Developing Turkeys as Influenced by Pelleting

INCREASING the density of a feed by pelleting increased productive energy of a ration for chicks without changing metabolizable energy (Reddy et al., 1962). One explanation proposed for this increase was reduced expenditure of energy in consuming the feed (Jensen et al., 1962). Requirement for nutrients per unit of feed is related to energy available for growth (productive energy). Therefore, the level of protein and other nutrients in a pelleted feed may need to be higher than in a feed in mash form. Studies on the protein and lysine requirement for growth of turkeys at various ages were reported by Kratzer et al. (1956). They found that protein requirement decreased from approximately 20% of the diet at 8 weeks of age and 15% at 16 weeks of age, to 13.5% at 20 weeks of age. They also concluded that the lysine requirement was approximately 4% of the protein after 4…