Trusted information & resources for animal nutrition.

Technical Resources

The effect of dietary glycerol in the starter phase on turkey hen production

Opoku, E.Y., H.L. Classen and T.A. Scott
2012

Glycerol, a co-product from bio-diesel production, is a potential energy source for turkey production. This research was undertaken to build a scientific basis for the acceptability of glycerol in turkey feeding. The researchers fed a total of 96 Hybrid Converter female turkey poults a wheat and soybean meal basal diet containing different levels of glycerol (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5%) from 7 to 21 days of age. Diets in mash form were balanced with different levels of canola oil, to maintain a similar energy content for all diets. The four diets were randomly assigned to six cages (4 poults per cage). Feed and water were available on an ad libitum basis. There were no adverse effects of glycerol inclusion on growth performance, mortality, 21-day body weight, feed intake, empty gizzard and proventriculus weight, or duodenal, jejunal, ileal and ceca length at 21 days of age. However, there was a significant linear effect of glycerol level on feed conversion and nitrogen retention. The researchers concluded that glycerol can be incorporated in the diet of hen turkeys as high as 7.5% without detrimental effect on growth performance.

Opoku, E.Y., H.L. Classen and T.A. Scott. 2012. The effect of dietary glycerol in the starter phase on turkey hen production. Poultry Sci. 91(Suppl. 1), P406, page 137.