The impact of climate on sorghum utilisation in poultry diets

Variable climatic conditions in Australia has meant that drought has become a reoccuring feature. Sorghum is often used in broiler diets in Australia, however the previous drought recorded higher sorghum inclusion rates due to the shortage and high price of wheat, however reduced performance was recorded in flocks fed drought stressed sorghum.

The aim of this project is to measure the influence that drought has on the nutrient profile of the grain and to understand how it might affect the nutrient utilisation, growth performance and carcass yields in meat chickens offered sorghum grains planted under different weather conditions.