Avian Nutrition

CVM 6880 May 2001

Flock/Bird Nutrition Considerations Environment Management Ingredients -Composition -Variability Nutrition

Assessment

Bird

Bird Characteristics Clients Food

Nutrients -Availability Requirements

Feed Manufacturing -Quality

Diet Formulation

Nutrients
Protein (Amino Acids) Fats Minerals Vitamins Water

Nutrients - Contd
Energy - metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates

Amino Acids
Essential (EAAs)
Lysine and methionine - most limiting Threonine, tryptophan Arginine, isoleucine, valine Phenylalanine, leucine

Semi - essential
histidine, glycine, proline

Amino Acid Nutrition Unique to Aves

Arginine (no urea synthesis) Glycine (uric acid synthesis) Met to Cys (keratin protein - feathers)

Lipids
Essential fatty acid(s)
linoleic and linolenic (?)

Diet fatty acid profile reflected in egg and carcass

Minerals
Macro or Major (concentration -%)
Calcium - bone; egg shell Phosphorus Sodium, potassium, chloride Magnesium, sulfur

Trace minerals (ppm or mg/kg)

Copper, iron, manganese, selenium, iodine

Vitamins
Vitamin D (Vitamin D3 activity) Some synthesis of:
Vitamin C Choline Niacin

Nutrient Adequacy
Requirement Deficiency Excess Toxicity

Bird Response to Nutrient Level

120 Relative Response (%) 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Nutrient Level as Percentage of Requirement

Requirement Toxicity Deficiency

Nutrient Interrelationships
Balance
Ca:Pav (growing birds 2:1) nutrient/energy

Imbalance
branched chain amino acids

Antagonism
lysine:arginine

Nutrient Requirements
Identification of dietary essentials Physiological status
growth, egg production parental feeding maintenance, geriatric

Quantification
Poultry - NRC Nutrient Requirements

Nutrient Requirements of Turkeys (NRC)

Nutrient Male, 0 to Male, 16 to Breeder 4 wks 20 wks Hen 28 1.6 1.2 .6 16.5 .8 .65 .32 14 .6 2.25 .35

Protein,% Lysine, % Calcium,% Phos. Av,%

Cockatiel Nutrition Research (Roudybush, UC-Davis)

Protein (%) Hatchling Growing Maintenance Breeding 10-12 18-20 .9-1 .1-.5 1.0 Calcium (%)

Sources of nutrients
Seed based diets Table foods Supplements Commercially manufactured diets

Seeds
Oil and non-oil seeds - fat (energy) content Limiting in many nutrients
amino acids (lys, met) vitamins (A, D, B12, riboflavin, niacin, folic) minerals (calcium, manganese, sodium) ratio of Ca:P poor

Nutrient Content of Seeds (%) Comparison

Seed Millet Oats Protein Fat 14 11 4.3 9.6 49 Calcium Phos Av .05 .06 .17 .12 .05 .28

Sunflower 27 no hull

Table foods
Water content Energy content Spoilage

Supplements/Concentrates
Vitamins/minerals
powders, liquids granules, nuggets

Concentrates
seeds, vitamins, minerals

Commercial Foods
Homogenous mix (complete diet)
ingredients - protein, energy, vitamins, minerals

Heat processing - pelleting/extrusion

less microbial/pest contamination

Success - knowledge of specific requirements

Food Sources
Area of controversy - complete feed? Recommendation that commercial diet form majority of birds food source up to 100% Client attitude, knowledge base, research base

Diet Labeling
Product name and purpose Feeding directions Ingredients (in order of magnitude of use) Guaranteed Analyses
Protein and Fat (min) Fiber and Moisture (max)

Feeding Issues Companion Birds

Seed junkies Diet Change Strategies Color/Pigmentation Feed storage/stability Water sanitation

Nutritional Disorders
Iron storage disease Vitamin A deficiency Vitamin D deficiency/toxicity Goiter Gout

Iron Storage Disease

Hemosiderosis (excess iron in tissues) Hemochromatosis ( excess iron causing toxicity) Primary - genetic predisposition Secondary high dietary level (water?) chronic stress fasting/refeeding

Vitamin A Deficiency
Unsupplemented seed diets Symptoms
swollen foot pads (bumblefoot) feather picking and dry skin susceptibility to respiratory infections submandibular swelling

Vitamin D
Deficiency
Insufficent diet or sunlight (UVB) exposure Metabolic disruption

Deficiency symptoms
bone; egg shell deformations rickets bones; beak rubbery

Vitamin D
Toxicity
Diet excess Supplements in addition to diet supplement Species differences (macaws sensitive)

Toxicity symptoms
soft tissue calcification-kidneys

Resources/Reference
Comparative Avian Nutrition, K. Klasing, CAB International 1998 Nutrient Requirements of Poultry, 1994. National Research Council, 9th Rev. Ed., National Academy Press Nutrition of the Chicken, 1982. M. Scott, M. Nesheim, R. Young, 3rd Edition 1st Intl Symp on Pet Bird Nutrition, 1997.