Missouri turkey feed diet may save producers money

Turkeys eat nearly $2 billion in feed each year. Jessica Salmond/MU Cooperative Media Group.

The Missouri Ideal Turkey Protein diet, a formula based on the exact nutrient requirements of turkeys, may save  poultry producers about $30 per ton of feed, according to Jeff Firman, a University of Missouri Extension poultry scientist.
The protein-based diet, which focuses on adjusting the amino acids in the turkeys' diet, helps reduce overfeeding and brings down costs by not wasting nutrients, said Firman. “We use a computer formulation program to adjust the amino acids, which lets us input detailed nutrient requirements and adjust that formula based on the cost of the ingredients relative to those nutrients,” he said.
“The turkey industry feeds about $2 billion of turkey feed each year," said Firman. "There’s potential for almost $100 million in savings annually.”