Effects of pelleting, added sodium bentonite and fat in a wheat-based diet on performance and carcass characteristics of small white turkeys

Abstract

Turkeys of a small white strain were fed on diets of constant energy to protein ratio, based on wheat-soya bean meal, with 0, 30, 60 or 90 g added fat kg −1, in mash form or as pellets, with or without the addition of 25 g sodium bentonite kg −1 as a pellet hardener. Pelleted diets resulted in greater liveweights than mash at 84 days of age when the diet included no added fat (4.93 vs. 4.52 kg, mixed sexes) or 30 g fat kg −1 (5.14 vs. 4.91 kg), but not with 60 (5.17 vs. 5.16 kg) or 90 g fat kg −1 (5.27 vs. 5.22 kg). Pelleting did not affect feed efficiency to 84 days, but increased carcass fat scores and grades. Sodium bentonite did not affect liveweight, feed intake or feed efficiency, or pellet durability when the diet contained either 0 or 90 g added fat kg −1, but increased durability of pellets with 30 or 60 g added fat kg −1. Feed efficiency increased by 1.0% for each 10 g kg −1 increase in fat incorporated in the diet. Carcass fat scores and grades and carcass skin yields increased with dietary fat level. Effects of pelleting and added dietary fat on carcass characteristics as well as weight gain and feed efficiency should be considered when establishing practical feeding programmes for turkeys.