Mechanistic modeling of turkey growth response to genotype and nutrition

Along with the fast genetic improvement, nutritional and environmental effects on poultry growth performance have made it necessary to develop growth models that have the flexibility to adapt to different genotypes and growing conditions. A mechanistic simulation model of energy and nutrient utilization in growing turkeys is presented herein. The model consists of simulating the average homeorhetic and homeostatic regulations associated with the utilization of circulating glucose, fatty acid, AA, and acetyl-CoA for protein and lipid retention in carcass, viscera, and feathers in a turkey population. Homeorhesis plays a major role in the control of protein and lipid turnover for the definition of genetic potential and feed intake, whereas homeostasis adjusts growth rate through protein and lipid turnover rates and, therefore, BW gain and feed intake to the growing conditions. Also, homeostasis enables the maintenance of a dynamic balance state during all the growing period through the control of circulating nutrient concentration. The model was developed and calibrated with experimental data that described energy utilization in male and female growing turkeys. Then, the ability of the model to adapt to genotypes and to predict the average response of a turkey population to dietary energy was evaluated. Model calibration showed simulations of energy and nutrient utilization that fitted well with the experimental data because ME was satisfyingly partitioned into heat production and energy retention as protein and lipid, and nutrient intake accurately partitioned BW gain into carcass, viscera, and feathers. The evaluation of the model was also satisfactory because BW gain and feed-to-gain ratio were globally in accordance with the observations in different male and female genotypes, in spite of an overestimation of the feed-to-gain ratio during the first weeks of age. Model evaluation showed that the BW gain and feed intake response of growing turkeys to dietary energy was accurately predicted. The model can therefore be used in different growing conditions as it is capable of simulating the growth of different turkey genotypes fed under changing environmental and nutritional contexts.