Fats also aid in the absorption of important fat-soluble vitamins, as well as improve the handling qualities, palatability, and pellet quality of a feed. Getting that many calories is not feasible without the addition of a fat source. Diets for meat-type birds, for example, will contain over 3,000 kcal per kilogram (1,364 kcal per pound). ![]() The fatty acids are essentially a long chain of carbon and hydrogen that have a high energy density per unit weight and make up the body's long-term storage of calories (think hydrocarbon fuels like propane, ethanol, or gasoline).įat, in the form of animal fats or vegetable oils, is used as a concentrated source of calories in a diet. Fatĭietary fats come in the form of triglycerides, which are made up of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. Cellulose and other complex, indigestible carbohydrates are classified on a feed label under the term "crude fiber." These molecules may have important roles in intestinal health, but too much of them can reduce a bird's growth and give them a higher susceptibility to intestinal problems. They come from the cereal grains (corn, wheat, sorghum, barley, rye, millet, etc.) and include digestible carbohydrates like starch, as well as ones that are non-digestible (such as cellulose). Carbohydrates are used as a quick source of energy and are a required fuel source in all cells.Ĭarbohydrates make up the biggest component of a poultry diet. Carbohydratesĭietary carbohydrates can come alone (glucose or fructose), in pairs like sucrose (table sugar) or lactose (dairy sugar), or can come in larger forms like plant starch or cellulose. Calories come from three major nutrient classes: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. ![]() Without the calories necessary to fuel all of the chemical reactions going on, we needn't ever worry about the individual building blocks that are used (the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other things). The first need of all life is for energy. ![]() Providing the right nutrition for your chickens means ensuring that what they eat supplies all of the essential amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water that they will need to produce the meat or eggs you hope to collect. The study of nutrition is about understanding that there is no "perfect" food, or no one ingredient that contains every nutrient an animal needs in the exact concentrations it needs it. This is because no animal is capable of producing every one of the necessary components on its own. For any animal to carry on its necessary life functions, as well as to grow and be able to produce food for humans, there are specific chemical compounds that must be in their diet in the right amounts. Fowler, UGA Cooperative Extension Poultry ScientistĮverything that an animal or plant does to take in and use its food is what we term nutrition.
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