Effects of Feather Meal on the Performance of Turkeys

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding feather meal, alone and in combination with other by-product meals, on the performance of male turkeys. In the first experiment, turkeys from 10 days to 19 wk of age received diets with levels of feather meal ranging from 0-14%. At 19 wk, inclusion of feather meal up to 4% had no effect on body weight, fee/gain, or livability. The second experiment involved diets containing 0-6% feather meal alone and diets containing 6% feather meal plus 4% either blood meal, fish meal, meat and bone meal, or poultry by-product meal. At 19 wk, the turkeys fed the diet that contained feather meal plus blood meal had body weights significantly lower than the turkeys fed 2, 4, and 6% feather meal diets. No differences were found among any of the diets in feed/gain or livability.