Commercial Poultry Nutrition

Poultry meat is usually the least expensive meat source in most countries and consequently it is the first or second in per capita consumption. Eggs are also relatively inexpensive sources of highly digestible protein and energy. Therefore it is not surprising that over the last 50 years there has been an enormous increase in poultry meat and egg production worldwide. The growth in poultry production has of necessity been accompanied by a large increase in the volume of poultry feed such that the modern poultry industry now accounts for 20-40% of animal feed in most countries. Consequently a knowledge and understanding of poultry nutrition is indispensable for efficient operation of large scale poultry enterprises. Commercial Poultry Nutrition provides extensive information on the nutrient requirements, ingredient evaluation and diet formulation for poultry of all types. This includes layer pullets, laying hens, broilers and broiler breeders, turkeys, ducks, geese. game birds, ratites and pet birds. Feeding programs and examples of diet formulations are clearly presented. Professors Steven Leeson and John Summers from the Department of Animal and Poultry Science of the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, have international reputations in poultry science. They have made many contributions to poultry science and to poultry production as demonstrated in this 3rd Edition of Commercial Poultry Nutrition.