Benefit of feeding dietary calcium and nonphytate phosphorus levels above National Research Council recommendations to tom turkeys in the growing-finishing phases. Poult. Sci

ABSTRACT This experiment evaluated the effects of feeding various dietary Ca and nonphytate P (nPP) levels to LargeWhite male turkeys from 3 to 17 wk of age. After consuming a common prestarter diet, poults were fed approximate NRC (1994) levels of dietary Ca and nPP from 3 to 9 wk of age or levels approximately 25 % higher. From 9 to 17wk of age, each starter groupwas fed approx-imately 75 (low P), 100 (medium P), or 145 % (high P) of the NRC (1994) requirements for Ca and nPP. Diets were fed as crumbles to 6 wk of age and as pellets from 6 to 17 wk of age. There were no effects on BW or feed effi-ciency to 9 wk of age. Litter P was increased by 21%whe