The science of poultry nutrition involves providing a balance of nutrients that best meet the bird's needs for growth and development, maintenance, and production. The supply of nutrients should be refined to preclude over and under supply of nutrients while considering economic and environmental implications. It is elusive and expensive to simultaneously supply all nutrients to meet the exact nutrient requirement of the birds. Therefore, an ideal protein concept is generally exercised. The ideal protein can be defined as one that provides the exact balance of amino acids needed for optimum performance and maximum growth of chickens. It is essential amino acids in dietary protein that a bird requires and not the protein per se. In poultry diets, first and second limiting amino acids include methionine and lysine, respectively. In formulating diets the following nutrients are considered: With the exception of water, these nutrients are provided by the ingredients that make up the diet. Ingredients are classified as:
- Grain; Animal Proteins; Plant Proteins; Fats; Micro and Macro Minerals; Vitamin Premixes and Amino acids premixes
Each of these separate types of ingredient provides a specific quantity and quality of nutrients to the diet. Balancing these ingredients to produce the diet formulation relies on the skill of the nutritionist. In order to produce a diet, the nutritionist must know the birds' needs and the composition of the ingredients. Formulation = Balance needs vs ingredients vs costs.
Why Poultry?Poultry meat and eggs are primary sources of quality animal protein. Poultry is affordable meat with a large customer demand. Broiler chickens are marketable in a short space of time (5 to 6 weeks). Today layers will provide an egg almost every day and after a year they can be marketed as spent hens to pay for replacement hens plus a small profit. Broiler and layer accommodation requires less space than ruminant animal production systems. Poultry production provides a constant source of income for entrepreneurs and related processing industries. Poultry production has the potential to expand from a small to medium scale enterprise as and when money becomes available.
The main service providers involved in the poultry industry are:
The Poultry Nutrition section is involved in:
Conducting research that investigates the impact of poultry production factors and nutrition on bird health, performance and food safety Promoting healthy and safer production of poultry meat and eggs through adequate feeding and nutrition Conducting research with partners and stakeholder including producers, processors, communities, universities, and public agencies Providing demonstrations and regular poultry production and nutrition advisory services Participating in information dissemination activities aimed at informing the poultry industry Conducting accredited training courses in poultry production for poultry farmers as mandated by AGRISETA
Poultry training courses (accredited and non-accredited options) include the following topics:
South African Poultry Industry Farming Systems Record Keeping Poultry Housing and Basic Equipment Care and Rearing of Chicks Care and Rearing of Pullets Care of Laying Hens Quality of Eggs Poultry Nutrition Health Management Litter Management Manure Handling Fly control and Biosecurity Financial Management and Marketing
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Broiler chick
Layer chickens
Poultry Feed
 Dr X.P Nduku – Researcher – Poultry Nutrition
 Dr C.N Ncobela – Researcher Poultry
Environmentally controlled broiler house
 Feeding trial conducted at ARC- AP
Poultry Nutrition Facility
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