Tailor made precision feeding

Feeding a bird is more than just supplying day after day the same ration over a certain period of time. It will thrive and perform only at optimum level if the diet provided, is based on the birds’ physical and behavioural characteristics. This demands specific management and tailor made feed rationing.

In short this is Nutreco’s new precision feeding approach in poultry nutrition, named “NutriOpt”. Scientists and customers from around the world recently gathered in Madrid, Spain to hear about this future vision. Choosing Madrid for this conference was not without reason, as the poultry research centre of Nutreco is based here. All the knowledge in this field is collected through extensive and in-depth tests at the this centre.

The philosophy behind NutriOpt precision feeding is based on optimisation of all the feed related parameters throughout the production cycle of a flock. It is a fully integrated approach. Purely a package of services and tools designed to help optimise nutrition through precise real-time analysis, modelling and calculation. And all this highly anchored on special software.

Accurate interpretations

NutriOpt starts with measuring the nutritional value of raw feedstuffs by NIR analysis and making accurate interpretations, using the “Nutrix” digestibility matrices of Nutreco. This is based on detailed feed evaluations and raw material comparisons backed by over 50 years of research experience.

The system moreover employs a wealth of data from a range of sources, including market prices, livestock models and environmental factors. This information is instantaneously converted into highly-accurate recommendations for nutritional strategy, based on modelling algorithms that have been fine-tuned over decades.

Each of these individual elements of the NutriOpt programme, will lead to major cost-savings. Recent Nutreco trials indicated that total savings may count up to €10-20 per tonne of feed.

Split feeding

The challenge for the NutriOpt approach in the daily practice, is to not just formulate specific diets, but also find smart solutions to feed a flock according to all the variables.

In this context Nutreco recommends to feed layers differently in the morning than in the afternoon. This is based on the fact that ovulation, egg formation throughout the day and eventually oviposition demands different feed rations. As a result, NutriOpt advises to apply the split feeding regime, meaning two different types of feed. By opting for this split feeding regime, improved eggshell quality will be achieved and laying persistency on a reduced nutrients intake, compared to a single feed approach. The morning feed will deliver nutrition for energy, protein and phosphorous for egg lay production. The afternoon feed meets the requirements for eggshell formation.

Improved transit

On the broiler side, NutriOpt aims to find the balance to optimise feed efficiencies through improved transit times and digestibility of nutrients. Accurately pinpointing the optimum quality and quantity of structural components in the feed can reduce production costs and increase profitability, thanks to a well-functioning proventriculus and gizzard of the broiler bird. Theoretically this should also be applied in breeder feeding, but logically that again demands a different approach. At least NutriOpt casts a new light on poultry nutrition. Apart from formulation matters, it is likely that additional technical solutions will be needed to make it even more effective.

For more information see www.Nutreco.com