Thoughts on corn in poultry feeds.

[ChickenCanoe]

X2 what the heck is this all vegetarian feed all about?? Only my guess but I suspect nutrients from corn or other plant based product is less expensive compared to fish/animal nutrients. Also I would think more spoilage of feed with fish/animal base. Again just a guess so take it for what its worth. In the mean time I'll keep sharing my seafood with the chooks. Last night leftover flounder fillets for them.

Vegetarian feeds are required by law some places due to the possibility of cross species diseases making their way into humans. Mad Cow disease was one concern.
You can read much more about it here.
http://www.poultryhub.org/nutrition/feed-ingredients/

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Hello GreenMountainEric.
A bit off topic but while you're here....
I used to be able to buy a fishmeal based feed here produced by a local supplier.
I can't find such a feed here now and what I use is entirely grain and vegetable based.
Fish provides all 8 of the essential amino acids that make a complete protein suitable for chickens. This feed also contained corn which I understand is most useful for providing kerotin which is required for nail, spur and feather growth, apart from it's protein and carbohydrate content.
I'm keen on the chickens here remaining omnivorous so I feed them fish or meat three times a week.
My question is, why don't feed producers make feeds with fishmeal?

All good points.
However one correction. Adult humans can synthesize several amino acids and only count 8 as essential. Prior to teen years though, there are 12 amino acids essential for children.
Poultry require 12 essential amino acids.
The essential amino acids for poultry are : arginine, glycine, histidine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, cystine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
Lysine, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan and arginine are critical. Normal vegetable based diets must have lysine and methionine added in synthetic form to compensate even in a grain/legume based feed.

 

[Shadrach]

All good points.
However one correction. Adult humans can synthesize several amino acids and only count 8 as essential. Prior to teen years, there are 12 amino acids essential for children.
Poultry and 12 essential amino acids.
The essential amino acids for poultry are : arginine, glycine, histidine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, cystine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
Lysine, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan and arginine are critical.

Great, thanks. I've been under the impression that it took 9 amino acids to make a complete protein for a human and I recall reading it only took 8 for a chicken, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for the information.

 

[Shadrach]

Normal vegetable based diets must have lysine and methionine added in synthetic form to compensate even in a grain/legume based feed.

Yes, this makes sense. Both these are added to the gain and vegetable feeds I've been using. The fish based feed I was able to get had different additives but I can't remeber what they were.

 

[centrarchid]

PVT TIM HALL

I can make in my body much of the amino acids I need to make proteins for for growth and maintenance. Most of the 10 exogenously essential (must come at least in part from the diet) I can not make. Some I can make, but not at rates sufficient for normal sustained protein synthesis. It is an animal thing.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Great, thanks. I've been under the impression that it took 9 amino acids to make a complete protein for a human and I recall reading it only took 8 for a chicken, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for the information.

At any rate, as you said fish meal, porcine meal or any other animal protein will supply the essentials.

 

[Shadrach]

Well at least I haven't forgotten all I learnt regarding proteins for humans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_amino_acid

 

[jvls1942]

I have nothing against corn for chickens and livestock. the only down side is that for laying hens, it lowers the protein level, but that can be made back up by adding other grains etc..
just a fyi. did you know that the French did not eat corn because they considered it animal food ?
I imagine that they are over that by now

I am curious. the people who are afraid of GMO and corn ? what about all the other grains and GMO ?

 

[Shadrach]

@ChickenCanoe
Am I right in believing chickens only require 8 essential amino acids and if so I wondered if you knew why?

 

[Shadrach]

I have nothing against corn for chickens and livestock. the only down side is that for laying hens, it lowers the protein level, but that can be made back up by adding other grains etc..
just a fyi. did you know that the French did not eat corn because they considered it animal food ?
I imagine that they are over that by now

I am curious. the people who are afraid of GMO and corn ? what about all the other grains and GMO ?

I thought it was because humans don't have the correct enzymes to digest it.
There was a joke about Cornflakes when I was a child and it was you got more nutrition from eating the box.