Dietary Chloride Requirement of Starting Turkeys

Four experiments of 28 days duration were conducted to determine the dietary chloride requirement and study the effects of chloride deficiency in starting turkeys. A basal diet composed largely of dextrose and isolated soybean protein was utilized. The chloride content of this diet was 0.005 percent as determined by chemical analysis. Distilled water and experimental diets were supplied ad libitum to poults in all experiments. Maximum body weight gain was obtained with 0.145 percent of dietary chloride. Therefore, the minimum dietary requirement for growth was greater than 0.125 percent but apparently no more than 0.145 percent. A salt (NaCl) level of 0.24 percent in turkey starter diets will provide the minimum chloride requirement. Survival rate or livability was slightly improved with chloride levels higher than 0.145 percent. Chloride deficient poults exhibited extremely poor growth, high mortality, dehydration and nervous symptoms. After a period of over-excitement, deficient poults would recline, extend their legs to the rear and hold their wings rigid. These tetanic seizures would last from one to three minutes and were often followed by death. A nervous or over-excited condition would also occur in deficient birds during handling or following a loud, sharp noise.