Purdue University Agricultural Extension Service Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo P-70 Revised 1961
FORMULAS FOR POULTRY RATIONS Roy E. Roberts, Extension Poultryman
Poultry nutrition research frequently makes changes in poultry rations possible or even necessary. Formulas for starter, grower and layer or breeder rations for chickens and turkeys are given in table 1, page. These rations have been found satisfactory and efficient and they are economical because they contain a high percentage of feed ingredients produced in Indiana.

Yellow Corn and Soybean Meal
The formulas in table 1 contain from 78 to 93 percent of a combination of yellow corn and soybean meal. No animal products are included except for a small amount of fish meal as a source of unidentified factors in the chick starter and turkey breeder rations. These high levels of soybean meal, when adequately supplemented with minerals and vitamins, have given us satisfactory results as animal products.

All-Mash or Mash and Grain
All of these rations, except the turkey grower, are all-mash rations. If a mash-grain ration is preferred, 1,000 pounds of ground corn can be omitted from the breeder and layer, indoor grower, and turkey breeder rations, and the remainder of each formula fed with an equal amount of grain. Omitting 1, 000 pounds of corn from these formulas will leave mashes containing 21. 7, 25.7, and 25.3 percent protein for the breeder and layer, indoor grower, and turkey breeder rations respectively.
Also, grain can be added to the turkey grower to make an all-mash ration. With
all-mash rations any necessary medication can be administered more uniformly. Adding 900 pounds of ground corn or 500 pounds of ground corn and 500 pounds of whole oats to the 2, 020 pounds of the 20 percent protein mash makes all-mash rations containing 16.5 percent protein. Both of these all-mash rations, fed from 8 weeks to market, with shelled corn fed free-choice in addition to the mashes during the last four weeks, have given practically the same results as the 20 percent protein mash fed with corn and oats free-choice. Whole oats mixed with the other ingredients in all-mash turkey growing rations have proved as satisfactory as ground oats.

When an all-mash turkey grower ration is fed, the protein content of the ration can be reduced as the turkeys become older, by adding more corn. Adding 400, 1,000, or 2, 000 pounds of ground corn to 2,020 pounds of the 20 percent protein mash will lower the protein content of all-mash rations to approximately 18, 16 and 14 percent, respectively.

Breeder and Layer Ration
More riboflavin and pantothenic add arc necessary for high hatchability than for the production of table eggs. However, at present prices, the additional amounts of these two vitamins required for hatchability adds only a few cents to the cost of a ton of ration. Therefore, they have been added to the breeder and layer ration in amounts adequate for the production of hatching eggs as well as table eggs. These additional vitamins increase the
nutritional value of table eggs.
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Indiana, Purdue University U. S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. L. E. Hoffman, Director, Lafayette, Issued in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914