Abstract:

Meeting the increase in food demand and food security, that is being driven by increased human population growth, severe drought conditions and environmental constraints (heat waves) due to climate changes, combined with limited natural resources (land, water, and energy), is challenging. Broiler (meat-type) chickens play a key role in meat production worldwide and poultry meat is highly regarded globally as one of the most efficient food sources without religious taboos. However poultry production is also facing several challenges including loss of productivity during hot weather and emerging increase of metabolic disorders such as woody breast, white striping, and lameness. It is likely that nutrition plays a major role in mitigating or ameliorating these incidences. Effective dosing of two key nutritional components amongst several others, amino acids and phosphorus (P) (inorganic phosphate and phytase), may provide both economic (low diet cost while improving growth performance) and environmental advantages (decrease of P and nitrogen excretion to manure). This review will summarize recent advances in our understanding of molecular pathways involved in amino acid and phosphorus utilization to further understand nutrient requirements of broiler chickens and to ensure efficient and sustainable poultry production in the future.