Feeding animal protein to your flock

[WhiteAfrican923]

I have noticed that every brand that I look at is only plant protein which includes Nutrena and Purina. One brand that does use animal protein is Armada. Does anyone notice a difference when they feed animal vs. plant protein? Also I think it's a load of crap that people feed plant only diets to their flock. They are omnivores that require animal protein.

 

[Pork Pie]

Some people do notice a difference in flavour if they use feed that has dried fish as the main source of protein (as is the case here in Kenya), but not sure about how other animal sources affects flavour.

CT

 

[WhiteAfrican923]

The feed that I use has pork protein.

 

[Chris09]

I have noticed that every brand that I look at is only plant protein which includes Nutrena and Purina. One brand that does use animal protein is Armada. Does anyone notice a difference when they feed animal vs. plant protein? Also I think it's a load of crap that people feed plant only diets to their flock. They are omnivores that require animal protein.

I see a big difference between the two types of feed and poultry do so much better on a feed that contains animal proteins and fats.

If your wanting a good feed that contains animal proteins and fats look into Purina Wildlife feeds.
You'll want to check the tag because I have seen it with and without animal proteins.

If you don't mind supplementing, you can also try mixing some Purina High Octane Champion Drive into your feed.

http://www.purinamills.com/purinami...nts/High-Octane-Champion-Drive-sell-sheet.pdf

I breed and show poultry and I just mix my own feed now. My feed contains fish meal (menhaden), porcine meat meal, sprayed animal blood cells, and egg products.

 

[WhiteAfrican923]

Can I use that product with show geese? I have White Africans.

 

[Chris09]

Can I use that product with show geese? I have White Africans.

I don't see why not.

Purina High Octane Champion Drive is a show supplement for most livestock including poultry.
The Purina Wildlife Game Bird is a good feed for all forms of fowl. I used it for a wile before I started mixing my own.

http://www.purinamills.com/game-feed/products/?specie=GameBird

 

[MeepBeep]

For basics, not all proteins are the same, and this is an important thing to remember...

Also remember that correlation does not equate to causation... In this case just because you see a difference in your birds when switching from a plant to animal or animal to plant protein based food, it doesn't necessary mean the protein source was the reason.. There are great vegetable based feeds and horrible animal based protein feeds and vice versa, its not always about the protein source it likely a combination of many factors...

With the right combination of plant proteins and a few supplements (generally specific amino acids) omnivorous can be fed a balanced 'vegetarian' diet and do just fine... But, on the other end it's generally easier to formulate a balanced diet for omnivorous if you include animal proteins and plant proteins...

Most commercial chicken feed has plant proteins for three reasons...

1. There was and still are some concerns that 'disease' might be transferred by animal proteins in feeds (this has been proven to be false in most cases but still the concerns lingers)... For this reason some areas have outlawed and prohibited animal proteins in livestock feeds at times, thus as a proactive measure many feed companies switched over to all vegetarian feeds so they didn't have to worry about losing a market where animal proteins were outlawed...

2. Plant proteins and the necessary supplements in many regions are cheaper then animal proteins, so when profits are the goal the feed companies go to vegitarian diets, and the reverse might hold true in regions where cheap animal proteins are available....

3. Like many 'eating' trends, alternative diets like vegetarian are trending right now so some companies push that market...

I personally believe that a varied diet that best mimics what the animal would consume in nature is best, and with that I believe that omnivorous should have both animal and plant proteins in their diets and I strive to achieve a mix of both for my flock... This is why I rotate through multiple brands of poultry and even hog feeds containing both plant and animal proteins and also heavily supplement with fresh foods...

In the end there is no one right or wrong way, most commercial feeds be plant or animal protein are formulated to provide what chickens need...

 

[WhiteAfrican923]

This is my current formula:

Armada Duck and Goose Pellet
Armada Scratch Grain
Armada Race Horse Oats
Armada Cracked Corn

(30 x .16)+(10 x .085)+(.11 x 10)+(10 x .08) = 60 lbs / 7.55 lbs of protein = 12.6 % protein

If I add the Champion Drive it would up the protein by ,9 of a %.

I might try it.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

In this case just because you see a difference in your birds when switching from a plant to animal or animal to plant protein based food, it doesn't necessary mean the protein source was the reason.

I was using Kent Highflyer back sometime ago, it contained animal proteins and fats, birds did great on it, I had no problems with it.
I went and picked up my order of feed, started feeding it and I could tell within the week that they had changed there feed formula. Chickens where laying less, starting to feather pick, eating feathers, eggs marked within that time had poor hatch. I compared the new feed tag with a feed tag from the last batch I picked up and the only thing different was they took out the animal products.. I sent what was left of the feed back to the mill (over a ton) and they sent it back to Kent feeds. When I switched to Purina Wildlife Game Bird feed which has animal, birds began performing normal, stopped feather picking/ eating, hatch rate was back up where it was etc.. Now since the only thing that was changed was that the feed mfg. went from having animal proteins in there feed to a vegetarian feed (all other ingredients where the same) I will say that it was the absents of animal proteins in there feed that was causing the problem...

There are great vegetable based feeds and horrible animal based protein feeds and vice versa, its not always about the protein source it likely a combination of many factors...

To be honest I have yet seen a great vegetable based feed. Good maybe but not great.

With the right combination of plant proteins and a few supplements (generally specific amino acids) omnivorous can be fed a balanced 'vegetarian' diet and do just fine... But, on the other end it's generally easier to formulate a balanced diet for omnivorous if you include animal proteins and plant proteins...

There is a difference between, doing just fine and performing at best.
The average poultry raiser may not see or even care about the difference/s but most good breeders that shows there birds does.
Most if not all the people that I know that show there birds want the best for there birds, and every one of them either feed a feed that contains animal products or they supplement with animal products because they have seen the difference between a vegetarian fed bird and a bird that fed a feed that contains animal products.

 

[WhiteAfrican923]

I've read old poultry breeders back in the 1960's and 70's who used to go around and pick up road kill and through in their pens and the chickens would pick through. Hell, my dad is an avid deer hunter and every time he hangs up a deer, there a chunks of fat that drop out and the chickens pick at them. Animal based protein diets are far superior than plant based.