Animal Molecular Breeding, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 29-38 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 30 the most critical dietary nutrients involved in poultry development and growth and considers feed formulation strategies that improve health, performance, and sustainability. It covers stage-specific nutrient requirements, disease protection, and quality of product and also incorporates emerging areas like other sources of protein, precision technology in feeding, and sustainable nutritional strategies. Amidst mounting environmental pressure and pressure on antibiotic resistance, poultry nutrition improvement is now more important than ever before to develop long-term sustainability into the business. Through the integration of new studies and new practice, this paper presents beneficial information on poultry nutrition that could guide farmers, scientists, and industry stakeholders on how to utilize more sustainable and efficient feeding systems. 2 Basic Nutritional Requirements of Chickens 2.1 Energy requirements and energy sources Energy is an important constituent of a chicken’s diet which affects growth rate and overall efficiency of production. Although chickens have the capacity to automatically regulate feed consumption in relation to energy needs, commercial strains of the bird at present may not always react maximally to varying dietary energy levels. There is thus a need to design balanced diets with sufficient energy to meet maintenance needs and allow for growth in muscle and production. Grain cereals such as wheat and maize are the primary providers of energy, yet as they contain relatively small amounts of protein, they are supplemented with high-protein feed to produce a well-balanced diet (Goluch et al., 2023). 2.2 Protein and amino acid requirements and their role in growth Amino acids and proteins are the most important feed nutrients for chicken muscle development, hormone synthesis, and enzyme activity. Broilers particularly require more protein consumption through feeding in the form of diets to maintain high growth rates and optimal feed efficiency. Optimum performance is on the basis of sharp protein formulation in feedingstuffs. Growth-promoting essential amino acids including lysine, methionine, cysteine, threonine, and tryptophan are required but normally deficient in nature-based feedingstuff components. In return, broiler producers integrate proprietary protein sources—animal and plant—to facilitate immune performance and reverse the outcome of anti-nutritional elements that lead to digestion interference as well as nutrient absorption (Elwinger et al., 2016; Xu, 2024). 2.3 Impact of minerals and trace elements on health Trace minerals and trace elements are involved in poultry health in the formation of bones, enzyme function, and overall metabolic equilibrium. Phosphorus and calcium are particularly crucial for broiler chickens and layers, whose eggshell quality and bone development rely on these minerals. Dietary ratios must be well balanced to avoid deficiency and imbalance that will impede growth and productivity. Besides, trace minerals like iron, copper, and manganese are credited with immune function and metabolic activity. Since natural feed sources could be poorly mineralized, supplementation is necessary in order to achieve optimal poultry health and performance (Ameen et al., 2023). 2.4 Role of vitamins in growth and immune regulation Although they are required in small quantities, vitamins are required for disease resistance and poultry development. Their identification changed poultry nutrition because it brought to light their functions in metabolism, immune protection, and overall health. Water-soluble vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin are important in energy metabolism, whereas fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D are essential for phosphorus and calcium absorption, which has a direct effect on bone strength and eggshell quality. Supplement vitamins are needed by the chickens to prevent nutrient deficiencies that could suppress growth and lower immunity (Barszcz et al., 2022). 2.5 Importance of water in nutrient metabolism and health maintenance Water is not always considered a nutrient but is perhaps the most critical part of poultry diets. It facilitates digestion, assists in the transportation of nutrients, assists in the regulation of body temperature, and assists in the elimination of waste. Dehydration or restricted water consumption will cause metabolic upset, reduced feed
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==