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An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of restricted feeding of a commercially available probiotic diet on production/processing performance, Campylobacter jejuni prevalence, and organ weights in broiler chickens. Five hundred forty 1-d-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to a control or a direct-fed microbial (PrimaLac, DFM) diet and subjected to ad libitum full-fed (A), restricted 8-h (R), or skip-a-day (S) feeding regimens. Each of the 6 treatments was replicated 3 times with 15 male and 15 female chicks per pen for 49 d. Significant (P0.05) differences between BW in the control and DFM groups with regard to feed type were found at d 7 (A), female d 21 (R) male and females, and d 49 (A and S) male and females. Body weights of males in the control group were significantly higher than the DFM (A) and differed by regimens (ARS) at d 49, whereas weights of females did not differ in regimens A and S. Body weight in the control females of regimen R was significantly higher than those in regimens A and S. Carcass yield was significantly higher for males in the control regimen A, 78.1 vs. 74.6% for the DFM regimen A; however, females did not differ significantly in this regimen, but did so in regimen S with 72.6 vs. 69.0%. The gizzard weights were significantly higher for broilers exposed to S and R regimens when compared with the A regimen. The prevalence of C. jejuni in the DFM-treated broilers regimen R was lower (33 vs. 60% positive) for the control group at 21 d. The weekly BW throughout the study reflected many variations, but broiler chickens receiving the control feed on regimen A performed better than those receiving the DFM feed. From the present results, it was concluded that supplementation of DFM reduced the presence of C. jejuni but had no significant effect on the growth performance of broilers; however, there were some significant trends regarding sex, feed, and feeding methods on the performance results.

A study was conducted with 13-month-old laying hens to evaluate the net energy (NE) of tallow and energetic efficiency of metabolizable energy (ME) conversion to NE at 18.3 and 35C. Maintenance ME needs were 20.3% less at 35 than at 18.3 C (104 vs. 130 kcal/kg physiological body weight). The stabilized animal tallow used in this study had NE values of 7.7 to 7.8 kcal/g and its utilization was not affected by housing temperature. Dietary energetic efficiency was the same at the two temperatures. Conversion of ME to NE was 78.6% at 18.3 C and 78.5% at 35 C. There was a reduction in voluntary feed intake at the higher temperature. The birds consumed 42.6 to 49.3% less ME at 35 C. This reduction was only partially offset by the reduced maintenance requirement and consequently less energy was available above maintenance for egg production at 35 C.

A multichamber indirect calorimeter was constructed and used to measure energy utilization of laying hens. Four basic diets were formulated by a least cost linear program for use in this study. The first diet was formulated to meet the 1984 National Research Council (NRC) recommendations and contained by analysis 14.5% protein, .58% TSAA, and .68% lysine (designated NRC). The second diet (NRCAA) was formulated to the same amino acid specifications without a protein restriction and contained 12.9% protein, .57% TSAA, and .69% lysine. Another pair of diets was formulated with higher protein (HP) and amino acid restrictions. The HP diet contained 16% protein, .67% TSAA, and .85% lysine; whereas the HPAA diet had 14% protein, .68% TSAA, and .86% lysine. Four additional diets were formulated with the inclusion of 3% animal fat, using the same protein and amino acid restrictions as were used to formulate the first four diets. Animal fat supplementation significantly (P less than .05) improved energy balance (retention) of birds fed all formulations compared with the diets without added fat. Formulation of a diet based on amino acid restrictions significantly increased net energetic efficiency of birds fed amino acid levels higher than those recommended by the NRC (79.2 for HPAA vs. 62.1% for HP), but did not significantly affect net efficiency of birds fed the lower amino acid levels (NRC and NRCAA).

Laying hens were employed to study the effects of carrier on the true metabolizable energy (TME) of tallow using corn, milo, soybean meal, wheat bran, and dehydrated alfalfa meal with tallow at 0, 2, 4, or 6%. In addition to bomb calorimetry measurements on feed and excreta samples, tallow TME values were calculated from absorbability data. Estimates of TME for tallow varied with carrier feedstuff from 7.19 kcal/g in soybean meal to 13.62 kcal/g when wheat bran was fed. For the corn, milo, and soybean meal series only fat retentions were significantly affected by tallow supplementation. Calculated tallow absorbabilities were 101.8% with corn, 95.8% with milo, and 107.3% with soybean meal. Highest tallow TME values were obtained with wheat bran and dehydrated alfalfa meal, apparently due to increased protein retention from wheat bran and to both improved protein retention and starch absorption with dehydrated alfalfa meal.

Five experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the supplemental value of detoxified jojoba meal for broiler chick performance. Meal samples subjected to solvent extraction, heat and chemical treatments, as well as Lactobacilli treatments, were used in these studies. Of the seven samples tested, only the Lactobacillus acidophilus #1911 detoxified meal supported adequate growth when added to the diet at a level of 10%. Compared to the basal diet, feed conversion was poor with 5% supplementation of this meal and was worse at the 10% level. Failure of detoxified jojoba meal to support maximum growth reflects its low nutritive value. This was evidenced by low availabilities of lysine (33.7%) and methionine (43.4%) and by low starch digestibility (21.7%). The true metabolizable energy content of jojoba meal was determined as 1.71 kcal/g on an air-dry basis.

A comparison of glandless cottonseed meal (GCSM) with a regular meal (RCSM) was carried out in a 336-day laying hen study using 5, 10, and 15% of each in the diet. Egg production (hen-day) rates obtained with these meals at dietary levels up to 10% were comparable to those of birds fed the soybean meal basal diet. The GCSM caused a decrease in production rate when fed at 15%. Egg mass output (grams egg/bird/day) was not adversely affected by any of the dietary treatments employed. Apparent lysine availabilities, evaluated with laying hens, were 62.1% for GCSM and 49.7% for RCSM, and true availabilities were 81.9 and 71.7%, respectively. Metabolizable energy contents of the two meals were similar with true metabolizable energy values of 3.04 and 2.81 kcal/g, apparent metabolizable energy values of 2.02 and 2.04 kcal/g and free gossypol levels of .012 and .039% GCSM and RCSM, respectively. No yolk discolorations were found in stored eggs from GCSM-fed birds. The 15% RCSM caused yolk discoloration in 72.5% of the stored eggs. The low residual oil in GCSM (.9% as compared to 1.7% for RCSM) was not sufficient to cause significant changes in yolk fatty acids. Total yolk saturated fatty acids increased from 38.43% for the basal diet to 47.49% with the inclusion of 15% RCSM.

An isopropanol (IPA)-extracted cottonseed meal (CSM) was evaluated in comparison with a regular CSM and soybean meal over 12 months with laying hens. Each CSM was fed at 5, 10, and 15% of the diet. Egg production rates comparable to those of birds fed the soybean meal basal diet were obtained with both meals at dietary levels up to 15%. Egg weight was significantly reduced by all regular CSM treatments, but IPA-CSM had no effect on egg weight in comparison with the basal diet. Egg mass (grams of egg/hen per day) was not adversely affected by either CSM. Even though the nitrogen solubility index (NSI) of IPA-CSM (12.88%) was considerably lower than that of regular CSM (51.15%), true lysine availabilities were 87.3% for IPA-CSM and 83.2% for CSM. True dry matter digestibilities (77.9% for IPA-CSM and 73.6% for regular CSM) also suggest that the NSI method underestimated the nutritive value of IPA-CSM. True metabolizable energy content of IPA-CSM determined with laying hens was 3.12 kcal/g and slightly higher than the 2.76 kcal/g determined for regular CSM. Neither CSM produced objectionable yolk discolorations upon storage (56 days at 7.2 C). Although slightly discolored yolks appeared in 28.2% of stored eggs from hens fed 15% regular CSM (101.5 ppm free gossypol) and only 2.6% occurred when 15% IPA-CSM added 3.0 ppm free gossypol to the diet, these were scored less than 2 and would not be objectionable in commerical channels. The proportion of yolk saturated fatty acids increased significantly with 15% regular CSM (.105% dietary residual oil) from 28.6% for the basal diet to 44.0%; whereas 15% IPA-CSM, supplying .023% residual oil, resulted in a nonsignificant increase to 35.1%.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the calcium availability of 5 samples of ground limestone for chicks and laying hens. The first study employed broiler chicks to 4 weeks of age with body weight and bone ash as criteria of calcium availability. Regression analyses of the bone ash data showed a linear relationship between dietary calcium level and percent bone ash (fat-free, dry weight basis). A comparison of the slopes of the calculated regression lines showed that the percent calcium availability of the ground limestone samples varied from 73.3% to 109.4% in comparison with a calcium carbonate A.R. standard; oyster shell flour showed an availability of 107.8% by this method. The second study was carried out with laying hens and employed apparent calcium retention and egg shell thickness as criteria of calcium availability. The ground limestone samples varied from 82.4 to 98.4% calcium availability. Calcium, zinc, manganese, iron, and magnesium levels of twenty-four ground limestone and 5 oyster shell samples are reported.

Six experimental diets varying in protein content from 10.0 to 19.5% were fed to pullets in colony cages for a period of 36 weeks. The data were divided into three phases of 12 weeks for the purpose of evaluating the protein requirements. During each of the three phases a diet containing 14.6% protein was calculated to produce the optimum response in egg production and egg output. The calculated daily protein needs of the laying hens in this study was found to be 17.05, 17.84 and 14.94 gm. per day for the three phases to support egg production levels of 83.6, 78.1 and 69.3%, respectively. For the entire 36 weeks of the experiment 14.6% dietary protein was adequate to support an egg production rate of 77% at an average protein intake of 16.54 gm. per hen per day.

An experiment was done to determine maltase, sucrase, isomaltase, and trehalase activities in mucosa of different segments of small intestines of young turkeys as influenced by age and diet. Two-day-old poults were fed diets containing no added fat [44.6% starch, 2.2% ether extract by weight (HC)], 10% tallow (T), or 10% corn oil [(CO) 29.0% starch, 10.9% ether extract]. Diets HC, T, and CO were calculated to contain 2,705, 3,083, and 3,196 kcal ME/kg, respectively, and constant protein, TSAA, and lysine:ME ratios were maintained. Appreciable maltase and isomaltase specific activities (micromoles of substrate hydrolyzed per milligram protein per hour) were observed in 2-day-old poults, and activities of these enzymes increased in poults fed the HC diet through 7 and 14 days, respectively. At 2 days, specific activity of sucrase was low, and trehalase activity was not detected. Sucrase activity increased steadily through 28 days of age in poults fed the HC diet. Trehalase activity was detected at 7 days of age and reached a maximum by Day 21 after hatch. By Day 28, trehalase activity had disappeared from all segments except for the proximal jejunum. In 28-day-old poults fed the HC diet, specific activities of all disaccharidases were greatest in the jejunal segments; i.e., 21, 1.06, 7.24, and .034 mumol/mg protein/h for maltase, sucrase, isomaltase, and trehalase, respectively, in the proximal jejunum. Poults fed the T or CO diets had significantly lower disaccharidase activities than did those fed the HC diet, beginning at 7 days of age. Changes in specific activities of disaccharidases as related to age or diet or both were not always parallel, suggesting that each enzyme may be regulated by or affected by diet in a partly independent way.

Single Comb White Leghorn pullets, housed in colony cages, were employed in this study to investigate the effects of dietary protein and metabolizable energy (ME) levels on performance. The treatments consisted of dietary ME levels of 2.42, 2.64, 2.86, and 3.08 kcal/g of diet with each fed in diets containing 14, 16 and 18% protein to provide a 4 × 3 factorial design. At the 14% protein level, increasing the dietary energy produced a progressive decrease in egg production rate, but an improvement in feed conversion (kg/dozen eggs). The protein intake levels for birds fed these diets varied from 18.3 to 15.0 g/bird/day as the dietary energy was increased. Birds fed 16% protein showed increased egg production as the ME of the diet was increased. Regression analyses suggested a 2.25% increase in egg production for each .22 kcal ME increase/g feed. Protein intakes varied from 19.4 to 17.0 g/bird/day in this series. The 18% protein diet resulted in protein intakes of 19.2 to 22.1 g/bird/day and less response in egg production than was obtained at 16% protein with increased levels of ME from added fat. The calculated protein intake requirement during the first 12 weeks of the study (December to March) was 17.92 g/bird/day to support 84.8% egg production. During the second 12 weeks (March to May) the requirement was estimated at 16.5 g protein/bird/day at 77.2% egg production; while during the last 12 weeks (May to July) a requirement of 13.0 g/bird/day was determined at a 61.7% egg production rate. Calculations of grams of protein needed per egg during each of the three periods yielded values of 21.1 to 21.4 g. Increasing the dietary ME with added fat produced an average decrease of 5.1 to 8.3 g feed/bird/day for each increase of .22 kcal ME/g feed. These dietary changes also resulted in increased ME intakes amounting to 3.4, 10.8, and 9.9 kcal/bird/day for the three protein levels.

White Leghorn pullets housed at either 21 or 32 C were used to investigate the effects of dietary protein level on energy utilization. Protein levels of 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20% were employed in this study with three feeding levels of each (two restricted levels and ad lib.). All diets were isocaloric, and the duration of the study was 21 days. Maintenance metabolizable energy (ME) was estimated as 134 and 121 kcal/kg physiological body weight (BW.75) at 21 and 32 C, respectively. Fasting heat production/BW.75 was 21% higher at the lower temperature (89 vs. 70 kcal). Estimates of energetic efficiencies at 21 C varied from 60.9% for the 12% protein diet to 72.4% for the 18% protein diets. At 32 C, similar diets showed lower energetic efficiencies for ME conversion to net energy (50.6% for the 12% protein diet and 70.6% at 20% protein) due to lower feed intakes. Egg weights were significantly higher at the lower environmental temperature, and at each temperature they were increased with the feeding of the higher protein diets. The average feed efficiency (g egg/g feed) was significantly better at the higher environmental temperature (.46 vs. .53). Calculations of heat increment (HI) plus activity values from a parabolic regression developed in relation to protein intakes showed higher (HI plus activity) values with either low or high protein intakes. Thus, the feeding of dietary protein levels which result in intakes commensurate with needs should result in maximum energetic efficiencies and dietary net energy.

Three feed grade sources of methionine were evaluated with laying hens fed a 14.6% protein basal diet containing .229% methionine and .21% cystine. Supplemental levels of .025, .05, .10, and .15% of each source were fed for 28 weeks to hens in colony cages. The supplements were DL-methionine (DL-Met), methionine hydroxy analogue acid (MHAA), and the calcium salt of methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA-Ca). Each was fed in equimolar amounts using values of 99.0, 88.7, and 82.8%, respectively, for the amount of active ingredient present. Regressions of egg output (g egg/bird/day) on total sulfur amino acid intake (mg TSAA/bird/day) showed significant linear responses to each of the three sources over the supplemental range tested. The slopes (regression coefficients) and intercepts of the three regressions were not statistically different (P>.05). It was concluded that mere were no significant differences in the effectiveness of the three materials for laying hen performance.

A living Lactobacillus acidophilus culture was incorporated into the diets of two commercial strains of laying hens at three geographical locations to study its effect on performance, egg quality, egg weight, and alterations in gut microflora. The Lactobacillus culture was added at the rate of .0125, .0375, or .0625% of the diet. Feeding the Lactobacillus resulted in significantly increased egg production at one location (Arizona), a numerical improvement at the second (Florida), and no difference at die third location (South Dakota). An across-trial analysis of all egg production data provided a statistical advantage to adding Lactobacillus to diets of commercial layers. One location (Arizona) reported a significant response in feed efficiency (kg/doz eggs) at lower Lactobacillus levels. The other locations were unable to statistically demonstrate a similar response. The addition of Lactobacillus did not alter egg quality or egg weights. At two locations, Lactobacillus treated hens consumed more feed than nontreated hens during warmer months. An early increase in Lactobacillus acidophilus organisms accompanied by a drastic reduction in coliforms in selected gastrointestinal sections was measured in one study (Florida). A later measurement of the microflora did not substantiate this observation.

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of ammonium sulfate and sodium sulfate additions to low-methionine diets for laying hens. In the first series, a 14% protein diet was fed at 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60% total dietary sulfur amino acid levels. There were no significant differences in egg production rates, egg weight or feed conversions which could be attributed to the sulfate supplements. Regression analyses of methionine plus cystine intakes vs. egg yields produced highly significant correlation coefficients. Slope-ratio analyses of the two series indicated that the effect of methionine supplementation on egg yield was reduced by 12% in the presence of dietary ammonium sulfate. Similar analyses of plasma levels of sulfur amino acids suggest that the methionine supplements were 11% less effective for this criterion in the presence of dietary ammonium sulfate. The feeding of sodium sulfate did not reduce the dietary levels of sulfur amino acids required for optimum performance.

Research was conducted to determine the differences between the egg consumption habits and attitudes of the general population and those of business and professional women. As more women enter the labor force, egg consumption may be affected as habits and attitudes change. Chi-square analysis was used to test the degree of significance between the two groups. It was found that households of working women eat eggs less frequently than households in the general population. Business and professional women are more inclined to postpone egg consumption to lunch and dinner. Working women are not well informed of the advantages of eggs over convenience breakfast foods and they are more critical of the economic value of the egg than the general population of women.

LAYING rations of high energy content were reported to support higher rates of egg production as early as 1945 by Heuser et al., and an inverse relationship between dietary fiber level and egg production efficiency was observed by Bird and Whitson (1946). Lillie et al. (1952) noted that the feeding of a laying diet supplemented with lard produced a marked improvement in feed conversion of layers. McDaniel et al. (1957) reported a 12.2% improvement in feed conversion through an increase in productive energy level from 962–1,050 Calories per pound in a 17% protein diet. During the cold weather months only, Hill, Anderson and Dansky (1956) noted an improvement in the rate of egg production at the higher energy levels studied. No difference in rate of production was obtained during the other portions of the year. Feed requirement per dozen eggs was lowered 12% by a 100 Calorie increase in…

IN RECENT years several ingredients have been reported to contain one or more unidentified factors necessary for maximum hatchability of eggs and maximum growth of chicks and poults. These findings give rise to the question of the need for such unidentified factors for egg production. Beneficial effects of unidentified factors on egg production have been reported by Wiese et al. (1948), Petersen et al. (1948), Schlamb and Winter (1948), Couch et al. (1950), Patterson and Blaylock (1953), Kurnick et al. (1955), Jensen and McGinnis (1957) and others. However, most of these were hatchability experiments with breeding hens, in many cases using heavy breeds. Skinner et al. (1951) showed that animal protein factor and fish meal increased egg production in caged White Leghorn hens. The need for zinc and molybdenum in poultry diets has received considerable attention in the work of Dannenburg et al. (1955), Morrison et al. (1955), Reid et …

AN UNIDENTIFIED growth factor in dried whey which has been termed the “whey factor” has been reported by Berry et al. (1943), Hill et al. (1944), Hill (1948) and Reed et al. (1951). Other work on unidentified growth factors required by the chick and poult (Carlson et al., 1949; Heuser and Norris, 1951; Couch et al., 1952; Fuller et al., 1952; and Sunde et al., 1952) has established the presence of a growth factor or factors in fish meal and fish solubles which has been designated as the “fish factor.” The existence of different factors in dried whey and fish products which are additive in the effect on growth has been reported by Couch et al. (1952) and Camp et al. (1955). Menge and associates (1952) reported the need for two distinct unidentified growth factors in the diet of the chick. One factor was found in liver preparations and dried …

PRICE et al. (1959) suggested that dietary calcium was responsible for lowering serum antibiotic levels in chickens. Increasing serum antibiotic levels by feeding compounds having a greater affinity for calcium than the antibiotic has been termed potentiation. At least four methods for increasing antibiotic levels in chickens have been published since potentiation of chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline was first reported. These methods involve the use of: (1) terephthalic acid (Price et al., 1959; Yates and Stephenson, 1959; Slinger et al., 1962; Harms et al., 1964); (2) low dietary calcium levels for a short period of time (Price et al., 1959; Patterson et al., 1960; Harms et al., 1964); (3) different calcium sources such as calcium sulfate (Donovan et al., 1962; Robblee and Clandinin, 1964); and (4) sodium sulfate (Pensack, 1963; Nelson et al., 1964; Gale and Baughn, 1965). Scott (1965) listed a number of common biological chelates for seven divalent cations… .

SINCE the introduction of variance component analysis (Crump, 1946), investigations have been conducted in many fields to evaluate existing sampling procedures and study allocations of resources to provide the greatest precision in the sample estimates. Principal attention in poultry sciences has been given to sampling for production and general egg quality. This study was designed to determine the direct effects of various dietary treatments and housing arrangements on external and internal characteristics of eggs and to determine what sampling structure would be best for measuring these characteristics in future studies of this type. Evaluation of the effects of treatments was made in an analysis of variance and these results are presented elsewhere (Kurnick et al., 1960). This paper is directed at the study of sampling procedures used and the relative efficiency of using other sampling schemes in estimating these egg characteristics. PROCEDURE The information was obtained from data collected on …

OSBORNE and Mendel (1913) were the first to suggest that vitamin A was stored in the body. Davies and Moore (1934) and Guilbert and Hart (1935) have shown that the major portion of the vitamin A stored in the body is concentrated in the liver. Marcus (1931) noted an 85% loss of vitamin A from cod liver oil when added to a vitamin A free rat diet. Fraps and Kemmerer (1937) found that alfalfa leaf meal was a more stable source of vitamin A activity in stored feeds than was cod liver oil. Bethke et al. (1939) in a similar study could not differentiate between the stability of the two vitamin A sources. Baird (1939) found that vitamin A from cod liver oil did not undergo complete destruction when mixed in the diet and the latter stored at summer temperatures for 25 weeks; progressive destruction did occur as the period …

REID et al. (1964) showed that acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) fed at dietary levels of from 0.005 to 0.08% for four weeks or at levels up to 0.075% for eight weeks failed to significantly effect growth or feed utilization of broiler chicks. They also showed that significantly increased egg production resulted when this drug was fed to laying hens. Thomas (1966) confirmed this observation and could not replicate any antibiotic property of ASA as an explanation for the observed increased egg production. Subsequently, Thomas (1966) studied various biochemical parameters in an attempt to explain the productive effects observed. These workers demonstrated several parametric differences, but could not correlate the biochemical results with reproductive observations. These studies were initiated to evaluate some of the biochemical effects of antipyretic drugs in broiler chicks, and to evaluate possible growth promoting properties of chemical analogs of ASA. EXPERIMENTAL Two experiments were conducted with New Hampshire . . .

SEVERAL sources of unidentified growth factor activity for the chick have been reported—dried whey by Menge et al. (1949) and Reed et al. (1951); fish meal and dried brewers yeast by Carlson et al. (1949); liver by Savage et al. (1950), Sunde et al. (1950), and Combs et al. (1954); fish solubles by Fuller et al. (1952), Heuser and Norris (1951); and distillers dried solubles by Couch et al. (1951, 1952, 1954), Norris (1954) and Rasmussen et al. (1954). The variation in responses obtained with the various sources of the unidentified factors has been explained on the basis of carry over from the maternal diet as well as the variability which occurs in the sample. The use of hens depleted in the various unidentified factors as a source of the chicks for unidentified factor studies was reported by Welch (1954). It was also found that extraction of the isolated …

SIEDLER et al. (1956) found that the addition of 0.1 percent ethoxyquin to animal fat increased vitamin A and betacarotene stability in chick diets. Romoser et al. (1959) noted that ethoxyquin stabilized the xanthophylls in poultry feed and enhanced xanthophyll utilization by the chick. Anjaneyalu (1962) added 0.0125 percent ethoxyquin to a laying diet with different levels of alfalfa meal and found a significant increase in egg yolk pigmentation. He concluded that ethoxyquin exhibited in vivo protection of xanthophylls in addition to its action in the feed. Madiedo et al. (1964) stated that the addition of ethoxyquin at levels of 0.01, 0.02 and 0.1 percent in a laying hen diet increased pigmentation values in egg yolk from 55 mcg. per gram of egg yolk on the untreated diets to 85, 90 and 104 mcg./gm., respectively, for the three ethoxyquin diets. Numerous studies have been reported on the utilization of xanthophylls …

THE successful utilization of animal and vegetable fats in the diet of growing chickens has prompted studies as to the possible use of these fats in the diet of the laying hen. Several workers have reported increased egg production and improved feed efficiency through the use of high energy (low fiber) type diets (Quisenberry et al., 1949; Skinner et al., 1951). The amount of protein required in such high energy diets has not been clearly established. Heuser (1941) reported that the protein required for optimum production was at least 15%. Hill and Anderson (1955) reported that the protein requirement of White Leghorn hens (average mature body weight five pounds) was 15% in a ration containing approximately 960 Calories of productive energy per pound (Calorie-protein ratio 1 of 64/1). Other workers have indicated that a higher level of protein (18%) may be required (Reid et al., 1951; Quisenberry, 1955; and Williams, 1951).

HARMS et al. (1956) reported that a factor in condensed fish solubles would produce an increase in the amount of vitamin A stored in the chick liver when added to a diet in which the source of vitamin A was either cod liver oil or a stabilized concentrate. The factor was found to be water soluble. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of the factor in fish solubles responsible for the increased vitamin A storage. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Straight-run New Hampshire chicks were used in these experiments and were obtained from hens fed a complete breeder diet. The chicks were vaccinated intraocularly for Newcastle disease at one day of age, wingbanded and randomly distributed into groups of 20 birds each. The treatments of the individual experiments are shown in the respective tables. The birds were maintained in electrically heated batteries with raised screen …

HILL and co-workers (1954) reported that high energy diets fed to laying hens produced a marked reduction in the amount of feed required per dozen eggs produced over a range of 740 to 930 Calories per pound of diet. It was reported by Thayer (1953) that niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folic acid levels should be increased in high energy laying diets to obtain maximum egg production and feed utilization. However, Berg and Bearse (1956) were unable to demonstrate a beneficial effect from added levels of these vitamins to either low or high energy laying diets (1,148 and 1,331 Calories of metabolizable energy per pound). It was noted that the higher energy diets promoted weight gains which were proportionately greater than produced at the lower energy level with both New Hampshire and White Leghorn hens. Walker et al. (1951) reported the plasma lipid values of laying hens fed a low-energy . . .

THE hatchability of turkey eggs has been reported by numerous workers to exhibit a marked decline under practical conditions in a period from about the 8th week to the 12th week. Earlier reports have indicated that the decline in hatchability can be delayed by supplementing the diet with sources of unidentified factors. Some of the supplements reported to increase hatchability are pork liver meal, desiccated meat meal, fish meal, dried buttermilk, dried skimmilk, meat scraps, dehydrated alfalfa meal, distillers dried solubles, dried whey, and liver “L” (Nestler et al., 1936; Dickens et al., 1941; Atkinson et al., 1951, 1953, 1955b; Couch et al., 1954; and Ferguson et al., 1956). The fat soluble vitamins E and D, as well as pantothenic acid, have been shown to be necessary in the maintenance of hatchability (Stadelman et al., 1950; Jensen et al., 1953; Jensen, 1953; Jensen et al., 1956; Atkinson and Couch, 1954; . . .

INTRODUCTION AN earlier report from this station, Reid et al. (1964), showed that when 0.05% acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA) was fed White Leghorn pullets either alone or in combination with 27.5 mg. oxytetracycline per kg., a significant increase in egg production resulted. The improvement was independent of periods of high ambient temperature and thus the action of the drug was assumed to be exclusive of its antipyretic properties. Since both drugs allowed increased production, alone or in combination, a possible antimicrobial action for ASA could be inferred. Investigation of this point and the effect of possible toxic dietary levels in birds housed in range shelters or individual wire cages was the objective of these studies. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Two experiments were conducted using commercial strain Single Comb White Leghorn pullets. In the first study, two randomly selected pens (40 birds/pen) were fed each experimental diet while four replicate groups of 5 birds …

HEYWANG and Kemmerer (1955) reported that supplementing an all-mash laying diet with 454 mg. per pound of ascorbic acid did not improve shell quality, as measured by the ratio of dried shell weight to whole egg weight. The data were obtained during two summers under uncontrolled ambient temperatures with average maximums of 101 and 104 and average means of 90 and 91 degrees F. Thornton and Moreng (1958), however, reported that ascorbic acid at levels of 5, 10, and 20 mg. and sodium ascorbate at a level of 20 mg. per pound of diet had a favorable influence on shell thickness and strength under both “moderate” and “high” environmental temperatures. In another study, Thornton and Moreng (1959) found that shell thickness and strength were improved during “cool” and “warm” ambient temperatures when the diet was supplemented with 10 mg. ascorbic acid per pound of diet. In their 1958 report, Thornton…

NON-PROTEIN nitrogen (N.P.N.) is known to be a good source of protein for ruminant animals where the rumen bacteria are able to convert the nitrogen to protein. However, little work has been done to study the possibilities of using N.P.N. sources as a partial protein substitute for the laying hen. Under specific conditions, it has been shown that some monogastric animals are able to utilize the nitrogen from N.P.N. sources to a limited extent. Rose et al. (1949) were the first to show that N.P.N. could be utilized by the rat by feeding a diet containing all the essential amino acids supplemented with ammonium salts, glycine, l -glutamic acid or urea. l -glutamic acid, diammonium citrate (D.A.C.) and ammonium acetate were utilized under these conditions. Lardy and Feldott (1949) and Frost and Sandy (1951) were able to confirm the findings of Rose et al. (1949). Birnbaum et al. (1957) and Rechcigl et al. …

INTRODUCTION FEW studies of the amino acid requirements of Japanese quail have been reported. Donaldson (1967) found the requirements for the total sulfur amino acid to be 0.78% in a practical diet containing 25% protein, the glycine requirement to be 1.28% in a purified diet containing 29% protein, and the lysine requirement was met at 1.35% of a practical diet containing 25% protein. Amino acid requirements of Bobwhite quail and Ringneck pheasants, members of the same family as Coturnix, have been reported; Baldini et al. (1953) suggested a lysine requirement for young Bobwhite quail of 1.3% of the diet when the protein level was 20–24%. Scott et al. (1963) showed the total sulfur amino acid requirements of Bobwhite quail and Ringneck pheasants to be 3.66% of the protein in a practical corn-soybean meal diet. Scott and Reynolds (1949) found in studies with pheasant chicks that the glycine requirement was…

STUDIES on the effect of different dietary energy, protein and fat levels in the nutrition of laying hens, particularly caged layers, have been limited. Heuser and co-workers (1945) were among the first to show that rations low in fiber supported a higher rate of egg production compared to similar rations of high fiber content. Bird and Whitson (1946) have shown that the productive efficiency of laying rations was related inversely to fiber content. Following the work of Scott et al. (1947) it was demonstrated that high energy rations tended to promote more rapid growth and better feed conversion in broilers. Quisenberry (1950) reported an increase in egg production and body weight with less feed consumed by birds on a low fiber-high productive energy ration and confined to laying cages. Singsen et al. (1952) and Gerry (1954) reported higher egg production efficiency, measured as feed requirement per dozen eggs, with rations …

ANTIOXIDANTS and synergists which retard the destruction of vitamin A have been used with varying degrees of success in stabilizing oils (Buxton, 1947). Wall and Kelley (1951) reported that temperature, concentration, type of carrier and the source of vitamin A had a marked effect on the stability of a number of carotene and vitamin A concentrates. Burns and Quackenbush (1951) studied the effect of several feed ingredients on the stability of vitamin A supplied by several types of commercial concentrates, and reported that stability was enhanced by mixing with soybean oil meal and to a lesser degree by corn meal, while the addition of the concentrate to glucose (cerelose) diminished the stability of vitamin A. Miller et al. (1942), Halpern et al. (1949), and Halverson and Hart (1950) have demonstrated the destructive effect of trace minerals upon the vitamin A of cod liver oil in mixed feeds. Holder and Ford …

Two experiments were carried out with laying hens in order to evaluate the effects of environmental temperature on methionine requirements and total protein needs. In the first study, birds were housed at either 21.1 or 32.2°C. and fed diets containing 15.6% protein with methionine plus cystine levels of 0.5, 0.55, 0.59 or 20% protein with 0.59% sulfur amino acids. Birds housed at the lower environmental temperature consumed protein in amounts which varied from 12.5 to 14.0 gm./day when fed the 15.6% protein diet, while those on the 20% protein diet consumed 17.3 gm. protein/day. At the higher temperature feed consumption was reduced. Methionine supplementation significantly increased egg production and egg weight at both temperatures. No improvements in performance were obtained above 0.289% methionine or 0.549% methionine plus cystine at 21.1°C. At this level, the birds consumed an average of 211 mg. methionine or 494 mg. methionine plus cystine/day. The maximum egg production obtained at 32.2°C. was 51.8%; the birds in this treatment consumed an average of 63 gm. feed/day. No additional response was obtained at this higher protein level. Multiple regression analyses yielded prediction equations which estimated the sulfur amino acid requirements for 70% production at 497.7 and 514.1 mg./day for birds housed at 21.1 and 32.2°C., respectively. In a second experiment, protein intakes were equalized for birds housed at 21 and 35°C. over a range of 12.7 to 20.5 gm./day. Significant improvements in egg production were obtained with increased protein consumption at 21°C.; while no increase in production was obtained with increased protein intake at 35°C. Multiple regression analyses on these data suggested that energy intake was the limiting factor for egg production at 35°C.; however, the possibility exists of a number of other factors adversely affecting egg production at higher temperatures.

THE relationship of minerals to toxic levels of fluoride has been studied largely with the rat. Lawrenz and Mitchell (1941) and Weddle and Muhler (1954) demonstrated that an increase in calcium content of the diet at a constant phosphorus level produced a depression in total retention of fluoride in growing rats. With chicks, Bixler and Muhler (1960) found that an increase in dietary fat enhanced fluoride retention. Borgotti (1947) reported that daily administration of 140 mg. of sodium bromide per kg. body weight subcutaneously had no effect on body weight gain of chicks; however, arrested testes development was noted with no modification of the secondary sex characteristics. In this report, some effects of dietary fat, calcium, and bromide on fluoride toxicity in chicks are represented. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES Four experiments were conducted using New Hampshire × Delaware chicks for an experimental period of four weeks. Two to four lots of 10…

COTTONSEED and its by-products are implicated in the discoloration of eggs in two ways: (1) gossypol produced olive or chocolate-brown yolks described by Schaible, Moore and Moore (1934) and Swensen, Fieger and Upp (1942); and (2) salmon colored yolks and pink whites associated with cottonseed meal feeding as reported by Sherwood (1928, 1931). Discoloration of egg albumin with the feeding of cottonseed meal to hens has been thought to be due to the passage of iron from the yolk into the white, followed by a reaction with conalbumin causing a pink discoloration of the albumin. Passage of conalbumin into the yolk also appears to cause the salmon yolk color (Schaible and Bandemer, 1946a, b). A weakened vitelline membrane may be the fundamental defect in eggs associated with cottonseed meal feeding (Sherwood, 1928; Almquist and Lorenz, 1932; Schaible, Bandemer and Davidson, 1946). The effect of pH on the development of “cottonseed…

THE need for phosphorus supplements in poultry rations, especially in diets low in animal protein sources, has been recognized for a long time by poultry nutritionists. A considerable amount of research has been carried out in recent years to determine which products are suitable as phosphorus supplements for poultry. Among the recent sources of phosphorus available for poultry feeding is colloidal phosphate, which is also called soft phosphate with colloidal clay and is obtained as a by-product during the mining of rock phosphate. Representative samples of this product contain 18.1% calcium, 9.1% phosphorus, 1.4% fluorine and 33% clay, which consists mainly of silicon, aluminum, iron and other trace minerals. Colloidal phosphate is an inexpensive source of supplemental phosphorus. The use of such a supplement in poultry rations would be of great importance from a commercial point of view. Motzok et al. (1956) reported that when half of the supplemental phosphorus …

METHIONINE supplements to the diet of turkey poults have been found to improve growth and feed efficiency by Bird et al. (1948), Atkinson et al. (1953), Pepper and Slinger (1955), Donovan et al. (1955), Lockhart and Thayer (1955), Ferguson et al. (1956a), and many others. Johnson (1950) and Saxena and McGinnis (1952) reported an improvement in feed efficiency with turkey poults due to methionine supplements. The relationship of energy, fiber, protein, and the physical form of the diet to the growth of turkeys has been reported by Scott et al. (1948), Blaylock et al. (1954), Dymsza et al. (1955), Lockhart and Thayer (1955), and Ferguson et al. (1956a, b). The purpose of the present experiment was to determine the relationship between productive energy and methionine supplementation to the diet of turkey poults fed different levels of protein. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Straight run Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults were fed diets containing …

The feeding of dietary levels of 1.5 and 3.0% strontium to laying hens produced zero hatchability of fertile eggs. Apparently stable strontium was deposited in egg shells by replacement of an equal quantity of calcium. Ash content of egg shells was increased as the dietary strontium level was increased. Embryo ash, calcium and phosphorus contents were reduced with increasing dietary strontium level. Skeletal calcification in chick embryos appeared to be inhibited by retained transferred strontium. Stable strontium was deposited in tibiae of laying birds without changing ash, calcium or phosphorus contents of the bone. Strontium deposited in bone was readily removed upon withdrawal of high dietary levels of strontium from the diet.

SCOTT et al. (1948) showed that growth increases in turkey poults could be obtained by increasing the energy, protein and unidentified vitamin contents of the diet. The relation of growth in turkey poults to the physical form of the diet involving mash, grain, pellets, crumbles, concentrates, fiber content and combinations of these factors has been reported by many investigators (Goff, 1932–34; Goodearl and Moore, 1941; Berg and Bearse, 1947; Ziegenhagen et al., 1947; Robertson, 1950; and Bragg, 1953). Blaylock et al. (1954) fed Bronze poults high and low energy pellets with grain. These workers found no difference in average weights of the birds but feed efficiency of both males and females was improved when high energy, low fiber diets were fed, compared to low energy, high fiber rations. Dymsza et al. (1955) fed poults a 28% protein diet with energy levels of 744, 539 and 341 Calories per pound …

PENDULOUS crop in poultry is characterized by temporary or permanent distention of the crop with a stagnant liquid or semi-liquid content. The semi-liquid or liquid may constitute as much as 30% of the weight of the bird (Hinshaw and Asmundson, 1936). The incidence of the pendulous condition may range as high as 10% of the flock and the mortality of affected birds may exceed 50%. Death may occur as a result of rupture of the crop or from malnutrition as a result of improper digestion and assimilation of food. Cline (1933) suggested that the amount of protein present in the ration might be a factor in the occurrence of pendulous crop. Hinshaw and Asmundson (1936) reported heredity to be the most important factor in the production of the abnormality. Asmundson and Hinshaw (1938) reported that the condition was an inherited abnormality observed in Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys reared where the …

THE phosphorus needs of the laying hen for optimum performance have been the subject of investigation for a number of years. Rather high phosphorus requirements were reported in some of the early literature. A level of 0.8% phosphorus was found by Miller and Bearse (1934) to be required at either 2.23 or 3.0% calcium. Norris et al. (1934) found that 0.5% total dietary phosphorus was inadequate for egg production while 0.75% appeared to be sufficient. Schaible (1941) concluded in a review of mineral needs of laying hens that 0.4% phosphorus was required for egg production and recommended the feeding of 0.5% to allow a margin of safety. The occurrence of phosphorus in the form of phytic acid in vegetable feedstuffs has been one source of trouble in estimating the phosphorus needs of laying hens. It was suggested by Gillis et al. (1953) that the utilization of phytic acid phosphorus by…

IN THE experiments of Heywang (1956), supplemental dl -methionine at the .05, .075 and .085% levels in a corn-soybean laying diet had no effect on egg production, diet consumption per dozen eggs laid, egg weight, hatchability or layer weight. There were also no effects from including it at the .025 and .050% levels when 31/2 parts soybean oil meal were replaced by 21/2 parts fish meal. According to calculations made from the values given by Titus (1957), the diets noted above should have contained from 1300 to 1325 Calories of metabolizable energy (ME), and from 920 to 940 Calories of productive energy (PE) per pound. However, data obtained subsequently by Rosenberg (1958) indicated that the addition of .05% dl -methionine improved the efficiency of feed conversion when a laying mash contained 1100 or 1200 Cal. PE/lb., but not when it contained 1000. The supplement apparently did not increase egg production or egg …

THE economic advantages of the grain sorghums over corn in the Southwest and West have led to the extensive use of these grains in poultry rations in these sections of the country. In recent years, the nutritional value of the grain sorghums (compared with corn) has become the subject of studies with both chicks and laying hens. Some of these studies tend to indicate that inferior performance may be encountered under some conditions with grain sorghum diets; while other reports show the grains to be of equal value for poultry. Holst and Newton (1927), Payne (1926), Sherwood (1926) and Hammond (1942), all agreed that grain sorghum could be substituted in part for white or yellow corn in diets for laying hens. Adolph and Grau (1956) and Berry (1958) observed no significant differences between the two grains when compared in laying hen diets. In the last few years, some workers have …

IT HAS been shown that the liver is the major storehouse of vitamin A in the body (Davies and Moore, 1934; Guilbert and Hart, 1935). Lowered vitamin A storages have been observed in the presence of disease (Moore, 1937; and Ellison and Moore, 1937) in studies with children and adults. Rubin and Bird (1941) showed that pullorum disease produced a slight depression of vitamin A storage in the chick liver. Davies (1952) noted that birds suffering from natural infections of coccidiosis had lower storages of vitamin A per liver than normal birds fed the same diet. Masi (1950) found that tuberculosis caused a depression of vitamin A storage in pig livers. Sellers and Eden (1949) reported that calves suffering from scours had only one-third as much vitamin A stored in the liver as did normal calves. Russell et al. (1942) found that a normal amount of fat was necessary in …

THIS study of the metabolic uptake of stable strontium in chicks had its origins in the need for more knowledge concerning the amounts of this element that can be absorbed by living animals. There were two reasons for the investigation. On the one hand it is of practical importance for a better understanding of the relation of strontium to dietary calcium levels in geographic areas where the uptake of strontium may be high. It is also important for its bearing on the interpretation that can be given to the high strontium contents of many fossil bones and teeth (Wyckoff and Doberenz, 1967). In this work we have sought, using chicks, (a) to evaluate the utilization of large amounts of strontium in relation to the dietary calcium level, (b) to determine the maximum amounts of strontium that can be incorporated into the growing chicks without seriously impairing their health and (c) . . .