Calcium, Phosphorus and Nopgro as Variables in Diets of Breeder Turkeys

Abstract

Two 20-week experiments were conducted to determine the effects of 0.99, 1.77, 2.55 and 3.33 percent calcium, 0.64 and 0.82 percent total phosphorus and 0 and 0.25 percent Nopgro in diets of breeder turkeys on egg production, fertility, hatchability, egg weight, shell thickness and calcium content of blood serum. Each experiment contained 272 female and 32 male Beltsville White turkeys. Turkeys fed diets containing the lowest level of calcium produced significantly fewer eggs, lower hatchability of fertile eggs and of all eggs set, lower shell weight as percentage of egg weight, thinner egg shells and less egg shell color. Varying the phosphorus level in the diets as indicated above and adding a commercial fermentation product, Nopgro, which is a blend of dried residues produced from Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis grown on a wheat bran base, to the diets failed to influence these measurements, except for an increased shell thickness in one experiment from the added phosphorus. Based upon a review of the literature and data collected in this study, the calcium requirement of breeder turkey hens is in excess of 2.0 percent and perhaps as much as 2.5 percent to obtain optimum egg production, and levels of calcium in excess of 2.5 percent are believed not detrimental to hatchability.