Maximising turkey performance: Physical feed form matters
As genetic advancements push commercial turkey growth rates to new heights, nutritional strategies must evolve beyond raw formulation. Recent empirical trials demonstrate that feed physical form – specifically pellet durability – is a critical driver of feed intake, final body weight, and overall farm profitability.
Over the last 4 decades, genetic selection in commercial turkey strains has drastically increased their metabolic requirements. Today, formulation precision is simply not enough; we must optimise the physical availability of these nutrients. Scientific consensus establishes that feed physical form (pellet versus crumble or mash) directly dictates the bird’s time budget and the energetic cost of prehension. When turkeys consume high levels of fines, they expend significantly more maintenance energy to eat, diverting valuable calories away from muscle accretion.
The industrial challenge: pellet durability Despite advanced milling technologies, pellet durability defects remain a persistent issue. An analysis of internal feed quality data highlights the reality of the field.
Graph 1 – Extralab PDI pellet durability index (PDI) distribution (based on 1,671 commercial feed samples, 2015-2025)
While 80% of the industry achieves excellent physical quality, a critical 20% minority of substandard feed represents a massive potential economic loss for producers.
Experimental validation on zootechnical performance To isolate and quantify the true economic impact of physical presentation, a rigorous 112-day trial was conducted on Aviagen Premium toms (6 replicates, 54 birds/group). Three feed presentations were compared against identical nutritional specifications (iso-caloric, iso-proteic diets): a control pellet (high PDI), a low PDI pellet, and a pure mash diet.
The study rigorously tracked average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and the feed conversion ratio (FCR).
Data analysis and economic impact
As illustrated in the table above, the physical form drastically alters the physiological outcome. The mash diet caused a severe 17% reduction in final body weight compared to high-quality pellets. Furthermore, reducing pellet durability from a standard 90% down to 81% (low PDI) suppresses daily intake, subsequently lowering the ADG. While mash diets can slightly improve litter dryness due to lower associated water intake, the penalty on growth rate makes it economically unviable.
Our recommendation
Investment in the pelleting process is immediately offset by an optimised zootechnical ROI. Maintaining a pellet durability index (PDI) strictly above 88% is non-negotiable to express the full genetic potential of modern toms. Do not sacrifice physical quality for milling throughput.
Securing margins: the Aviance strategy
Even with strict quality control, feed mills inevitably face variability in raw materials that can impact pellet quality. To mitigate the economic risks associated with suboptimal PDI and secure breeder margins, the integration of targeted feed additives is highly recommended.
Incorporating Aviance into the turkey diet serves as a powerful lever. Aviance is formulated to improve nutrient absorption, balance the intestinal flora, and enhance overall gut health. By optimising the intestinal mucosa’s absorptive capacity, Aviance helps to maintain an optimal feed conversion ratio (FCR) and maximise nutrient extraction, even when birds are challenged by degraded feed physical forms. This nutritional strategy directly lowers the production cost per tonne of turkey meat, securing profitability regardless of mechanical milling constraints.
References are available on request.
Join 31,000+ subscribers
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated about all the need-to-know content in the poultry sector, three times a week.