Method for feeding poultry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for feeding poultry during breeding, keeping or fattening of poultry, in which guanidinoacetic acid or a salt thereof is administered as a feed additive.

Claims

1. Method for feeding poultry during breeding, keeping or fattening of poultry comprising the method steps: a. providing a feed composition having a caloric value of from 10 to 15 MJ per 1 kg feed composition; and b. providing an aqueous solution comprising at least one feed additive, wherein the feed composition and the aqueous solution are each provided ad-libitum for feeding the poultry; and administering the feed composition and the aqueous solution comprising at least one feed additive to poultry; wherein the aqueous solution comprises guanidinoacetic acid and/or a salt thereof as a feed additive, and the aqueous solution has a concentration of guanidinoacetic acid in water of from 100 to 300 mg/l.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feed composition and the aqueous solution are provided separately or spatially separated from each other.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution is provided in bell machines and/or the feed composition is provided in open feed troughs.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solution comprises water selected from the group consisting of drinking water, spring water, well water and tap water.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the poultry is selected from the group consisting of ducks, geese, hens, chickens, laying hens, broilers, turkeys, quails, ostriches and turkey hens.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution comprises guanidinoacetic acid and/or a salt of guanidinoacetic acid selected from the group of alkaline or alkaline earth salts of guanidinoacetic acid.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the aqueous solution comprises sodium guanidinoacetate, potassium guanidinoacetate, magnesium guanidinoacetate or calcium guanidinoacetate.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feed composition comprises at least one grain, a grain flour, a grain meal or an extract thereof.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the feed composition is selected from one of the groups a. to e., a. corn, corn flour, corn meal or an extract thereof, b. millet, millet flour, millet meal or an extract thereof, c. soy, soy flour, soy meal or an extract thereof, d. wheat, wheat flour, wheat meal or an extract thereof, and/or e. barley, barley flour, barley meal or an extract thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feed composition comprises at least one further feed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the feed composition comprises a further feed additive from the group of minerals, amino acids and vitamins.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the feed composition comprises a further feed additive selected from the group of calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, lysine, methionine, threonine, thryptophan, valine, arginine and mixtures thereof.

Description

EXAMPLES

(1) 483 one-day-old chicks (Cobb 400 type, male) are distributed in 21 units (replicates) of 23 chicks each. The feed used is that recommended by the supplier for Cobb 400 chicks (according to Table 1a and 1b), wherein 3 growth phases (pre-starter: age 1 to 14 days; starter: age 15 to 28 days; finisher: age 29 to 42 days) are distinguished.

(2) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1a Composition of the feed (depending on age) Pre-Starter Starter Finisher Component g g g Corn 568.1 591.8 630.8 Vegetable oil 25.5 38.1 40.1 Soy (DOC 45%) 365.4 329.1 290.7 Salt (sodium chloride) 3.718 3.715 3.705 Dicalcium phosphate 16.434 16.914 15.587 Calcium carbonate 11.483 11.479 11.164 DL-methionine 2.823 2.478 2.221 L-lysine HCl 2.118 1.977 1.333 L-threonine 0.328 0.348 0.360 L-tryptophan 0.016 0.000 0.000 Choline chloride, 60% feed grade 1.000 1.000 1.000 Na-Ca-Al silicate (toxin binder) 1.000 1.000 1.000 Mineral premix 1.000 1.000 1.000 Coccidiostat (dinitro-o-toluamide) 0.500 0.500 0.500 Bacitracin Methylene disalicylate 0.500 0.500 0.500 Vitamine premix 0.500 0.500 0.500

(3) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1b Nutrient composition of the feed Nutrient component Pre-Starter Starter Finisher Energy (MJ/kg) 12.56 12.98 13.19 Proteins (%) 22 21 19 Dig. lysine (%) 1.250 1.150 1.000 Dig. methionine (%) 0.570 0.520 0.480 Calcium (%) 0.850 0.850 0.800 available phosphorus (%) 0.430 0.430 0.400 Sodium (%) 0.160 0.160 0.160 Dig. tryptophan (%) 0.220 0.201 0.184 Dig. threonine (%) 0.770 0.720 0.670

(4) The feed was given in coarse meal form (mash) ad libitum, during the experiment the feed was stored in a cool and dry place.

(5) The water or the aqueous solution of guanidinoacetic acid in water was also offered ad libitum through bell watering places.

(6) For better comparability, comparative experiment A and the following two experiments according to the invention (B and C) were carried out simultaneously side by side with the same feed and the same number of chicks. The temperature during the experiment was between 23° C. (at night) and 31° C. (during the day), the relative humidity was between 52 and 86%. The total duration of the experiment was 6 weeks (42 days).

(7) After the 1st week, after the 4th week and after the 6th week (end of experiment), the body weights (BWG in g) and the amount of feed consumed (FI in g) were determined per unit (replicate), respectively, and from this the feed conversion rate (FCR) was determined. The lower the FCR, the less feed the chicken consumes for growth, the more efficient the feed input.

(8) At the end of the experiment, 20 chickens corresponding to the average in terms of weight were selected from the experimental groups and the slaughter parameters RTC (ready to cook yield in g) and breast meat percentage (in g) were determined.

(9) Experiment A: Normal drinking water was used here

(10) Experiment B: The drinking water contained 200 mg/l guanidinoacetic acid

(11) Experiment C: The drinking water contained 267 mg/l guanidinoacetic acid

(12) The drinking water containing GAA was prepared fresh daily in barrels and was then transferred to the bell watering places as required; the consumption of drinking water was determined daily to determine the intake of GAA and make adjustments as necessary.

(13) Results:

(14) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2 Weight gain and feed conversion rate Week 1 Week 4 Week 6 Experiment GAA BWG, g FI, g FCR BWG, g FI, g FCR BWG, g FI, g FCR A 0 144.4 155.2 1.075 1329 1922 1.446 2593 4295 1.657 B 200 mg/l 143.8 152.5 1.061 1311 1886 1.439 2588 4272 1.651 C 267 mg/l 145.2 152.9 1.054 1324 1905 1.439 2604 4277 1.643

(15) The feed conversion rate (FCR) improves significantly when GAA is added to the drinking water. a) Slaughter result

(16) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 2 Slaughter weight and breast weight Experiment Concentration GAA RTC Breast weight A 0 754 g 257 g B 200 mg/l 766 g 263 g C 267 mg/l 787 g 266 g

(17) At a comparable body weight, the usable carcass has a significant increase when GAA is added to the drinking water, also the weight of the higher priced breast meat increases.