Interactions of diet and circadian rhythm to achieve precision nutrition of poultry

Abstract

Precision nutrition regimes currently rely on the assumption that broilers will grow in a steady and predictable way on a daily basis, with the continuous deposition of nutrients into muscle or, in the case of laying hens, into an egg. However, it has been observed that this is not the case for egg production, with Ca requirements being aligned with eggshell formation. Recent research has suggested that muscle is also deposited at differing rates over a 24-h cycle. The circadian rhythm synchronises various biological processes to oscillate within a 24-h cycle. Thus, the cyclic nature of body systems should be explored, to determine whether consideration of the circadian rhythm is required for precision nutrition programs, achieving peak efficiency of performance and accurate nutrient requirement recommendations. Recent advances in nutrition have demonstrated the powerful effect of the circadian rhythm on human health and animal growth and production. Therefore, this review discusses recent circadian-rhythm research with relevance to poultry. Specific focus is given to the interaction of the circadian rhythm with diet and dietary nutrients, for the precision nutrition of poultry and optimising production.