Organic poultry production has increased significantly in recent years to keep up with increasing consumer demand for organic eggs and meat. There are many guidelines and restrictions on what should go into the feedstuffs of organically farmed poultry, from which difficulties arise when trying to ensure a well-balanced nutritious diet without the use of any unapproved supplements. This, the second edition of Robert Blair's classic and bestselling book on the nutrition and feeding of organic poultry, presents advice for organic producers, and the agencies and organizations serving them. It covers: - selecting suitable ingredients; - preparing appropriate feed mixtures and integrating them into organic poultry production systems; - international standards of organic feeding; - breeds that are most suitable for organic farming; - examples of diets formulated to organic standards. Completely updated and revised to address how to formulate organic diets in situations where there is a declining supply of organic feed, this new edition also includes up-to-date information on the nutritional requirements of poultry and feed-related disease incidence in organic flocks. Also including the feasibility of utilizing novel feedstuffs, such as insect meal, and their acceptability by consumers of organic meat products, this book forms a comprehensive reference for students and researchers of poultry science, organic farmers and veterinarians.

Organic cattle farming is on the increase, with consumer demand for organic milk and meat growing yearly. Beginning with an overview of the aims and principles behind organic cattle production, this book presents extensive information about how to feed cattle so that the milk and meat produced meet organic standards, and provides a comprehensive summary of ruminant digestive processes and nutrition. Since the publication of the first edition, global consumers have increasingly become concerned with the sustainability of meat production. Here, Robert Blair considers the interrelationships of sustainable practices and profitability of organic herds, reviewing how to improve forage production and quality, and minimizing the need for supplementary feeding using off-farm ingredients.

Authored by a renowned animal scientist with a peerless reputation in organic livestock nutrition, A Practical Guide to the Feeding of Organic Farm Animals aims to translate the science of feeding organic livestock and distil it into practical guidance for farmers and producers. The latest research is broken down into a practical approach to on-the-farm feeding, providing applied methodology backed up by scientific research. There is also advice on making the transition from conventional to organic farming systems regarding feeding. There are sections covering poultry, pigs, cattle, sheep and goats, reviewing the nutritional requirements of the species, identifying suitable ingredients and feeds, overviewing husbandry techniques and system approaches, providing advice on selecting suitable breeds, and advising on nutrition and its relationship to health with a preventative approach. The final section provides advice on organic nutritional regimes under integrated farming operations making this book an ideal resource for the smallholder farmer as well as traditional and aspiring organic livestock farmers.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish high quality papers concerning poultry nutrition and the interrelations between nutrition, metabolism, microbiota and the health of poultry. Therefore, I invite submissions of recent findings, as original research or reviews, on poultry nutrition, including, but not limited to, the following areas: the effect of feeding on poultry meat end egg quality; nutrient requirements of poultry; the use of functional feed additives to improve gut health and immune status; microbiota; nutraceuticals; soybean meal replacers as alternative sources of protein for poultry; the effects of feeding poultry on environmental impacts; the use of feed/food by-products in poultry diet; and feed technology.

Covering a variety of essential topics relating to commercial poultry nutrition and production—including feeding systems and poultry diets—this complete reference is ideal for professionals in the poultry-feed industries, veterinarians, nutritionists, and farm managers. Detailed and accessible, the guide analyzes commercial poultry production at a worldwide level and outlines the importance it holds for maintaining essential food supplies. With ingredient evaluations and diet formulations, the study's compressive models for feeding programs target a wide range of commercially prominent poultry, including laying hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and game birds, among others.

Today, due to the high population of human beings, scientists are increasingly concerned with food shortages and searching for alternative sources of dietary protein, such as algae, insects, and worms. Spirulina represents a superior alternative source, as it has a high nutrient content without toxicity, and can be reared in many countries worldwide. Given the limited amount of studies on the advantages and disadvantages of using Spirulina in birds’ diets, this book fills an important research gap. It highlights the nutritional aspects of using Spirulina in poultry diets, and will appeal to animal husbandry and veterinary students, professors, feed formulators, poultry production consultants and farmers.