Determination of the Limiting Amino Acids in Corn-Soybean Oil Meal Diets for Young Turkeys1,2,3

Determination of the Limiting Amino Acids in CornSoybean Oil Meal Diets for Young Turkeys1,2,3 R . C . FlTZSIMMONS AND P . E . WAIBEL Department of Poultry Husbandry, Institute of Agriculture, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 1, Minnesota (Received for publication April 20, 1961)

ETHIONINE and lysine appear to be the most limiting amino acids in corn-soybean oil meal-type diets for turkey poults (Baldini et al., 1954; Waibel, 1959). The requirements of the starting turkey poult for methionine and lysine are 0.87 and 1.50%, respectively, of a diet containing 28% protein, according to the National Research Council (NRC) (1954). A portion, 0.35%, of the methionine need can be met by cystine. Only limited data are available concerning the supplementation of low protein turkey poult diets with methionine and lysine. A 20% protein corn-soybean oil meal diet gave maximum growth and feed efficiency with Jersey Buff poults when supplemented with methionine and lysine (Baldini et al., 1954). In a study by Fisher et al. (1956), the growth obtained when Buff poults were fed diets containing 20% protein with added methionine and lysine was 12.5% better than obtained with a 28% protein diet, although growth with the 20% protein basal diet was only 7.1% under that with the diet containing 28% protein. 1

Published as Paper No. 4581, Scientific Journal Series of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. 2 From a thesis submitted by the senior author to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Minnesota in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the M.S. degree, 1960. 3 These experiments were supported in part by grants-in-aid and supplies from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc., Wilmington, Delaware and Merck and Company, Inc., Rahway, N. J. Appreciation is expressed to these firms.

Both of these studies utilized the smaller-sized Jersey Buff turkeys. Data are lacking showing a similar effect with the faster growing varieties. Early unpublished work in our laboratory indicated that a 20% protein diet could not be successfully supplemented with methionine and lysine to obtain the protein replacement effect noted above. Further, the results of Klain et al. (1954) and Ferguson et al. (1956), while showing excellent amino acid responses to lysine and methionine at approximately 22% protein, did not show complete growth replacement by the amino acid supplementation. In the aforementioned studies, graded levels of methionine and lysine, alone and in combination, were not utilized. It is not fair to say that an amino acid combination is not successful, unless proper levels of each amino acid are employed. This study was begun with the objective to determine whether methionine and lysine alone could remove the growth depression obtained with low protein cornsoybean oil meal diets, or whether additional amino acids are still limiting for large type turkeys. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

All turkey poults were sexed at one day of age and allocated to groups in a random manner. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. The poults were weighed individually at the end of each experiment. Diet composition is given in Table 1. Details for each experiment are pre-

260

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M

261

AMINO ACID STUDIES WITH TURKEYS TABLE 1.—Composition of diets Ingredients 1

A (28P-3F)

B (24P)

C (20P-15C)

D (20P)

E (18P-10C)

F (P-28)

H (P-20)

%

%

%

%

%

Ground yellow corn Tallow, bleachable fancy Glucose-H20 (Cerelose)

38.75 3.00

52.73

44.30

62.00

55.00

Soybean oil meal, dehulled Fish solubles, dried on S B M Dried whole whey Alfalfa meal, 1 7 % dehy.

45.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

34.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

28.30 1.70 1.70 1.70

25.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

12.50 1.80 1.80 1.80

3.00 2.75 0.05 I

3.00 2.75 0.15 I

3.25 2.75 0.25 I

3.25 2.75 0.25 I

3.50 2.60 0.30 I

3.0 2.75 0.05 II

3.0 2.75 0.05 II

3.0 2.75 0.05 II

Calculated nutrient composition: I 27.93 Protein, % Productive energy Cal./lb. 841 30.1 Ratio: C a l . / % protein

23.53 847 36.0

19.62 862 43.8

19.70 898 45.6

17.66 902 51.0

28.01 796 28.4

23.97 845 35.2

19.93 894 44.8

Methionine,% Cystine, % Lysine, % Arginine, % Tryptophan, % Valine, % Glycine, % Histidine, % Phenylalanine, % Tyrosine, % Threonine, % Leucine, % Isoleucine, %

0.390 0.401 1.692 1.883 0.362 1.423 1.197 0.673 1.386 0.957 1.099 2.198 1.435

— — '

0.338 0.344 1.365 1.545 0.298 1.195 1.001 0.568 1.160 0.826 0.925 1.936 1.175

—

15.00

0.281 0.288 1.139 1.289 0.247 0.996 0.836 0.475 0.969 0.690 0.773 1.617 1.014

— —

0.300 0.301 1.104 1.275 0.246 1.015 0.846 0.487 0.984 0.726 0.789 1.740 0.969

—

10.00

0.262 0.263 0.981 1.130 0.217 0.895 0.747 0.429 0.867 0.635 0.696 1.521 0.893

42.6

— — 43.5 3.0 2.0 2.0

0.422 0.398 1.682 1.877 0.358 1.420 1.209 0.678 1.379 0.954 1.097 2.214 1.468

% 52.1

— — 34.0 3.0 2.0 2.0

0.373 0.346 1.393 1.573 0.299 1.212 1.031 0.583 1.174 0.831 0.939 1.960 1.234

% 61.6

— — 24.5 3.0 2.0 2.0

0.325 0.292 1.104 1.268 0.242 1.003 1.073 0.486 0.969 0.707 0.780 1.706 1.000

1 2

Nutrient composition given in Table 3 of paper by Waibel (1959). Constant ingredients of diets (in percent): Mixture 1. iodized salt 0.5, trace minerals (Delamix with 2% zinc, see Waibel et al. (1960) for composition) 0.15, vitamin mixture C-5 (Waibel et al., 1960) 0.5, vit. A (5,000 ITJ/gm.) 0.10, vit. Ds (3,000 ICU/gm.) 0.05, vit. E acetate (44 IU/gm.) 0.025, vit. Bu (20 mg./lb.) 0.025, and procaine penicillin (4 gm./lb.) 0.10. Mixture 2. iodized salt 0.5, trace minerals (see above) 0.15, vit. A (10,000 IU/gm.) 0.1, vit. Da (3,000 ICU/gm.) 0.075, vit. E acetate (44 IU/gm.) 0.025, menadione sodium bisulfite-63% USP (16 gm./lb.) 0.00625, vit. mixture (4 gm. riboflavin, 4 gm. calcium pantothenate, 24 gm. niacin, 104 gm. choline chloride/lb.) 0.1 vit. En (20 mg./lb.) 0.05, folacin (3%) 0.005, sulfaquinoxalme (25%) 0.05. nithiazide (30%, supplied as Hepzide, Merck & Co., Rahway, N. J.) 0.07.

sented in table footnotes. In experiments 1-4, poults were raised in conventional batteries utilizing raised wire-mesh floors. In experiments 2, 3, and 4, they were held on a 7-day pre-experimental period. The formula of the 28% protein corn-soybean oil meal type turkey starter diet is given by Fitzsimmons (1960). In experiment 5, poults were raised on the floor with wood shavings for litter. Room temperature was 65-70°F. and supplemental heat was supplied with hanging electric infrared lamps. Details of the statistical analysis are presented in the thesis of Fitzsimmons (1960). The data in each experiment were subjected to a multiple range statistical analysis. An analysis of variance was conducted followed by the Student-Newman-

Keuls (SNK) multiple range test for locating differences (Snedecor, 1956). RESULTS

Experiment 1. The effect of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using diets of 20, 24 and 28% protein was studied in experiment 1 (Table 2). The supplementation of methionine to the 28% protein diet (A) improved growth, although not significantly. Methionine appeared to be the principal limiting amino acid in the 24% protein diet (B). Methionine (0.15%) added to this diet produced a growth response which was almost equal to the growth obtained with the 28% protein diet supplemented with 0.15% methionine. Lysine alone gave only a small growth response over the basal 24% protein diet. Further-

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Dicalcium phosphate Calcium carbonate Choline chloride, (25%) Constant ingredients 2

—

%

G (P-24)

262

R . C . FlTZSIMMONS AND P . E . WAIBEL TABLE 2.—Effect

of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using diets of 20, 24 and 28% protein1 Experiment 1

Diet and supplement

Weight at 28 days Feed eff.

DL-Meth. %

A (28P-3F):

Males

Females

Average2

%

gm.

gm.

gm.

613

563

—

628

Response %

636

588 632

cd de

100

.57 .59

93

B (24P): .15 .30 —. —

— —

568 616 574

546 622 622

557 bed 619 de 598 cde

88 97 94

.54 .57 .54

.15 .30

599 521

569 551

584 cd 536 abed

92 84

.54 .50

.15 .15

.15 .30

652 615

592 602

622 609

de cde

98 96

.57 .56

.30 .30

.15 .30

548 668

614 653

581 660

cd e

91 104

.52 .57

.20 .40

— —

459 565 490

473 547 538

466 a 556 bed 514 abc

73 87 81

.49 .55 .52

—

.25 .50

486 491

503 497

494 ab 494 ab

78 78

.49 .51

.20 .20

.25 .50

629 614

588 612

609 613

cde de

96 97

.55 .54

.40 .40

.25 .50

602 586

575 613

588 608

cd cde

93 96

.57 .54

C(20P-15C):

1 Growth study with Broad Breasted Bronze poults from 0-28 days of age. Data shown are averages of two replicates at 28 days of age. Each group contains 7 males and 7 females. 2 Values not followed by a common letter are significantly different at the .05 level of probability.

more, the combination of methionine and lysine did not generally give a response above that due to methionine alone. Methionine (0.20%) produced a significant growth response when added to the 20% protein diet (diet C, energy dilution of diet B), while lysine alone produced a smaller non-significant response. The combination of methionine and lysine yielded a greater growth response than that with methionine alone. The four methionine-lysine combinations yielded 93-97% of the growth level attained by the 28% protein control group.

Experiment 2. The design of this experiment follows closely to a portion of experiment 1 and the results are similar (Table 3). Inspection of both experiments allows one to conclude that with the 20% protein diet C methionine is the first limiting amino acid and that lysine produces an added response over methionine. It may be observed that the percentage growth response levels in both experiments are in good agreement, even though the growth rates were quite different, i.e. growth was quite poor in experiment 2. It is not possible to list math-

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.15

L-Lys-HCl

AMINO ACID STUDIES WITH TURKEYS TABLE 3.—Effect

263

of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using a 20% protein diet1 Experiment 2

Diet and supplement

Weight at 28 days Feed eff.

DL-Meth.

L-Lys-HCl

Males

Females

Average2

Response

% A (28P-3F):

%

gm.

gm.

gm.

%

477

408

442

b

100

.65

.15 .30

— —

381 448 429

270 347 380

325 a 398 b 405 b

73 89 91

.63 .65 .65

—

.15 .30

364 366

323 309

344 a 338 a

77 76

.62 .64

.15 .15

.15 .30

452 437

363 390

408 413

b b

92 93

.64 .63

.30 .30

.15 .30

441 458

390 382

415 420

b b

93 94

.65 .64

1 Each treatment consisted of quadruplicate groups, each member of which consisted factorially of Broad Breasted Bronze or White poults and larger or smaller poults. Experiment conducted from 7-28 days of age. Ration during pre-experimental period (0-7 days of age) was 20% protein depletion diet (diet C). 2 See Table 2, footnote 2.

ematical requirements for each amino acid in view of insufficient groups for plotting of adequate semi-logarithmic line response curves; however, it is evident that 0.15% each of DL-methionine and L-lysine • HC1 yielded apparently maximum responses. Experiment 3. In this experiment, five diet types were employed in order to survey growth levels as affected by variations in protein level (Table 4). Thus, it was not possible to utilize graded levels of methionine and lysine. With diets C, D and E, sufficient methionine and lysine were added to satisfy NRC (1954) suggested requirements. At 24% protein, methionine and lysine supplementation produced 97% of the control growth level. At 20% protein, growth was improved markedly by the amino acid combination, so that 9 1 % and 87% of control growth was achieved with diets C and D, respectively. At 18% protein (diet E), 85% of control growth was

obtained. In view of the inability of 18 and 20% protein diets supplemented with methionine and lysine to achieve the control level of growth, additional amino acid supplementation (most limiting by calculation) was applied to diets D and E. Growth was improved (not significantly) by about 4% in each case, to reach about 90% of the controls. Thus it appeared that the proper combination of amino acids was not realized. Experiment 4. This experiment was designed to determine the levels of methionine and lysine necessary for optimum poult growth on the 18% protein diet, an energy dilution of 20% protein diet D (Table 5). The supplementation of three levels of methionine and of lysine in various combinations to diet E resulted in a significant growth response over the basal and 0.20% methionine and 0.28% lysine appeared to be adequate. No further significant growth response was obtained

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C(20P-15C):

264

R . C. FlTZSIMMONS AND P . E . WAIBEL TABLE 4.—Effect

of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using diets of 18, 20, 24 and 28% protein1 Experiment 3 Weight at 28 days

Diet and sv.ipplement .DL-Meth.

L-Lys-HCl

Males

Females

Average4

%

%

gm.

gm.

gm.

559

456

507

449 536 547

416 417 441

432 476 494

344 476 378 510

303 407 310 420

399 443 396 490 495

332 470 494

% h

100

.71

fgh gh

85 93 97

.65 .68 .68

323 ab 441 def 344 b 465 efg

63 86 67 91

.66 .68 .62 .68

347 382 368 398 432

373 412 382 444 464

def efg

73 81 75 87 91

.60 .64 .62 .66 .66

285 394 413

308 a 432 454

de def

60 85 89

.60 .64 .66

B {24P): .15 .30

.15 .30

de

C (20P-15Q: .30

—.

.30

—

.36 .36

D (20P): .27

—

.40 — .27 .40 .27 .40 plus amino acids2

c d c

E {18P-10Q: .35 .52 .35 .52 3 plus amino acids

1 Each treatment contained quadruplicate groups (2 in space and 2 in time) of 8 Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults (4 males and 4 females). A 7-day pre-experimental period was employed using station 28% turkey starter. 2 Additional amino acids in % of diet were L-arginine • HC1-0.10, DL-valine-0.10, glycine-0.10, DL-phenylalanine-0.10. 3 Additional amino acids in % of diet were L-arginine-HC1-0.20, DL-valine-0.10, gIycine-0.10, DL-phenylalanine-0.15, DL-tryptophan-0.03, DL-threonine-0.05, DL-leucine-0.10. 4 See Table 2, footnote, 2.

over that due to supplemental methionine and lysine when the additional amino acids (arginine, valine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine and leucine) were added to diet E in the presence of 0.50% methionine and 0.52% lysine. However, the 4% response obtained at the lower amino acid levels is similar to that obtained in experiment 3 when diets D (20% protein) and E (18% protein10% glucose) were similarly supplemented. Experiment 5. Experiment 5 was a practical study using larger groups of poults in floor pens (Table 6). Studied were the

effects on poult growth of supplementary methionine using diets of 20, 24 and 28% protein and of lysine using the 20% protein diet. The 24% protein diet supplemented with 0.15% methionine produced growth equivalent to that obtained with the 28% protein diet containing 0.075% added methionine. The growth obtained with diet P-20 (20% protein) was improved significantly with the addition of 0.10 and 0.20% methionine, the best growth resulting from 0.20% added methionine. The supplementation of 0.10% lysine to diet P-20 gave a further response over that due to

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A {28P-3F): .15

Feed eff. Response

265

AMINO ACID STUDIES WITH TURKEYS TABLE 5.—Effect

of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using diets of 18 and 28% protein1 Experiment 4 Weight at 28 days

Diet and supplement DL-Meth. % A (28P-3F): .15

L-Lys-HCl

Males

Females

Average4

Response

%

gm.

gm.

gm

%

556

510

553

c

100

.70

.20 .35 .50

.35 .35 .35

330 475 482 470

310 416 432 428

320 445 457 449

b b b

60 83 85 84

.61 .64 .65 .62

.20 .35 .50

.50 .50 .50

442 471 494

427 406 421

434 b 438 b 458 b

81 82 85

.63 .64 .65

.20 .35 .50

.65 .65 .65

463 479 477

428 388 414

446 b 434 b 446 b

83 81 83

.64 .63 .57

.65 .50 plus amino acids2

495

440

467 b

87

.65

.65 .50 plus amino acids3

463

435

449 b

84

.66

a

1 Each treatment contained triplicate groups of 8 Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults (4 males and 4 females). A 7-day pre-experimental period was employed using station 28% turkey starter. 2 Additional amino acids in % of diet were L-arginine • HC1 0.20, DL-valine 0.10, glycine 0.10, DL-phenylalanine 0.15, DL-tryptophan 0.03, DL-threonine 0.05, DL-leucine 0.10. 3 Additional amino acids in % of diet were L-arginine-HC1 0.40, DL-valine 0.20, glycine 0.20, DL-phenylalanine 0.30, DL-tryptophan 0.06, DL-threonine 0.10, DL-leucine 0.20. 4 See Table 2, footnote 2.

TABLE 6.—Effect of supplementary methionine and lysine on turkey growth using diets of 20,24 and 28% protein1 Experiment 5 Weight at 6 weeks

Diet and supplement DL-Meth. % P-28:

L-Lys-HCl

Males

Females

Average2

%

gm.

gm.

gm.

1,015 1,058

893 921

954 990

833 987 1,051

745 801 916

789 894 983

0.075 P-24:

—

0.075 0.150

Feed eff. Response %

d d

96 100

.46 .46

cd d

79 90 99

.43 .46 .49

b

P-20: 0.10 0.20

—

766 863 913

619 726 776

661 a 795 be 844 bed

66 80 85

.41 .46 .46

0.10 0.20

0.10 0.10

876 946

726 804

801 875

80 88

.44 .47

be bed

1 Each treatment contained duplicate groups of 73 Broad Breasted White turkey poults (38 males and 35 females). 2 See Table 2, footnote 2.

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E (18P-10C):

266

R . C . FlTZSIMMONS AND P . E . WAIBEL

methionine only when added with the higher level of methionine. Furthermore, the best growth obtained on diet P-20 was lower than that obtained with the control diet, although not significantly. DISCUSSION

While adequacy of growth was related to the 28% control diet in each experiment, it is conceivable that growth at the lower protein levels might surpass "control" growth with proper amino acid supplementation. Such increased growth

Assuming that 0.15% methionine was needed to produce normal growth, it would appear that 0.83% methionine (and cystine) and 1.36% lysine satisfied the requirements. Since dilution of this 24% protein diet with energy (glucose) (diet C containing 20% protein) resulted in a depressed growth rate which was still correctable by methionine and lysine supplementation, it seems reasonable to assume that no other amino acid beyond methionine and lysine is marginal at 24% protein. Of Results Using Diets Containing 20% Protein. Notwithstanding the fact that methionine and lysine produced excellent growth responses at 20% protein (diets C,

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A 28% protein level, considered adequate with a corn-soybean type diet, was used in the control groups of this study. Even with this level of protein, a growth response to methionine is usually obtained. Amino acid composition calculations indicate that methionine is .06% deficient in this diet, based on NRC (1954) requirements. Thus, methionine was usually included in this diet. None of the other essential amino acids were deficient in this diet by calculation. NRC requirement values are given for diets containing 28% protein, and the question arises as to the validity of using these values as guides for amino acid supplementation of lower protein levels. Amino acid requirements are somewhat proportional to dietary protein level (Grau and Kamei, 1950) and have also been shown to be proportional to dietary energy level (Baldini et al., 1957). Thus, where protein level is reduced by increasing dietary corn and decreasing soybean oil meal as in this study, amino acid requirements may be decreasing because of decreased protein level and may be increasing because of a concomitant increase in energy level. Therefore, the requirements as given by the NRC for a 28% protein diet have been used as the guide for determining amino acid deficiencies.

would presumably be caused by a greater diet energy level in view of proportionally more corn and less soybean oil meal in lower protein diets. Of Results Using Diets of 24% Protein. The results of experiments 1 and 5 indicate that methionine is the first and possibly the only limiting amino acid in the two 24% protein corn-soybean oil meal diets fed to turkey poults under the conditions of the study. The sole addition of methionine to these diets resulted in growth of turkey poults comparable to the growth obtained with the 28% protein control diets. The small response due to lysine supplementation of diet B together with the need for lysine using the energy dilution of diet B (diet C-20% protein) suggests that lysine is marginal at 24% protein. These results agree with those of Ferguson et al. (1956) that methionine is the principal limiting amino acid in 24% protein corn-soybean oil meal type diets. The finding of Balloun and Phillips (1957) that lysine supplementation improved growth at 24% protein is not at variance with the data presented herein.

A M I N O A C I D STUDIES WITH T U R K E Y S

267

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to determine the amino acid deficiencies in 20 and 2 4 % protein corn-soybean oil mealtype turkey starting diets, using a 2 8 % protein diet as the control. With a 2 4 % protein diet, methionine was the principal limiting amino acid. Other amino acids were present in adequate amounts, although the level of lysine appeared to be marginal. With a 2 0 % protein diet, methionine and lysine were the first and probably second limiting amino acids, respectively. Since it was not possible to attain control growth rate b y supplementation with these two amino acids, it appears t h a t additional amino acid deficiencies exist at this protein level.

Thus, the results do not confirm those of earlier workers (Baldini et al., 1954; Fisher et al., 1956) t h a t methionine and lysine are able to reduce the protein requirement from 28 to 2 0 % protein. This difference is thought to be related to variations in effective protein requirement of larger vs. smaller type turkeys. Energy Dilution of 20% Protein Diet. The data in experiment 4, utilizing diet E, indicate t h a t 0.20 and 0 . 3 5 % of DLmethionine and L-lysine • HC1, respectively, brought growth to approximately as good a level as higher amounts of methionine and lysine, b u t still only in the range of 8 3 - 8 5 % of control growth. To be sure, the combination of methionine and lysine produced a very excellent growth response, confirming its deficiency. T h e minimum acceptable levels in this experiment were 0.72% methionine (and cystine) and 1.26% lysine, although here again maximum growth was not obtained and the requirements m a y have been higher if the other limiting components were supplied.

Baldini, J. T., J. P. Marvel and H. R. Rosenberg, 1957. The effect of the productive energy level of the diet on the methionine requirement of the poult. Poultry Sci. 36: 1031-1035. Baldini, J. T., H. R. Rosenberg and J. Waddell, 1954. The protein requirement of the turkey poult. Poultry Sci. 33: 539-543. Balloun, S. L., and R. E. Phillips, 1957. Lysine and protein requirements of Bronze turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 884-891. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1956. The effect of amino acid supplements to the diet of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults fed various levels of protein and productive energy. Poultry Sci. 35: 1069-1073. Fisher, H., J. Dowling, Jr. and K. H. Maddy, 1956. Low protein diets for turkeys raised under practical conditions. Poultry Sci. 35: 239-241. Fitzsimmons, R. C, 1960. Determination of the limiting amino acids in low protein diets for young turkeys. M. S. Thesis, University of Minnesota Library, Minneapolis. Grau, C. R., and M. Kamei, 1950. Amino acid imbalance and the growth requirements for lysine and methionine. J. Nutrition, 41: 89-101. Klain, G. J., D. C. Hill and S. J. Slinger, 1954. Supplementation of poult diets with lysine. Poultry Sci. 33: 1280-1282. National Research Council, 1954. Nutrient re-

REFERENCES

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D and H), in no case was it possible to achieve a growth rate comparable to t h a t produced b y the 2 8 % protein diets (A and F). In experiment 3, levels of methionine and lysine which satisfied N R C requirement estimates were employed, and in experiment 5 lower levels thought to be adequate on the basis of earlier results were used. I n consideration of the various levels of methionine and lysine employed, it appears t h a t one or more other amino acids are limiting a t 2 0 % protein (diets D and H ) . This is supported b y 4 % growth responses attributable to a mixture of other amino acids (deficient b y calculation) in three separate instances (Tables 4 and 5). Further work is required to elucidate this area.

268

R . C. FlTZSIMMONS AND P . E . WAIBEL

quirements for domestic animals. No. 1 Nutrient requirements for poultry. Snedecor, G. W., 1956. Statistical Methods, 5th ed., Iowa State College Press, Ames. Waibel, P. E., 1959. Methionine and lysine in rations for turkey poults under various dietary conditions. Poultry Sci. 38: 712-721.

Waibel, P. E., R. E. Burger, R. A. Ball, J. H. Sautter, I. E. Liener and B. S. Pomeroy, 1960. Effect of triparanol on beta-aminopropionitrileinduced dissecting aneurysm and blood lipid levels in the turkey. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 104: 673-676.

R. P. PRINCE, 2 L. M. POTTER, 3 R. E. LTJGINBTJHL4 AND T. CHOMIAK4 Storrs (Connecticut) Agricultural Experiment Station, Storrs (Received for publication April 24, 1961)

S

PECIFIC references as to quantitative measures of the effect of infectious bronchitis on chick performance are unavailable. The common recommendation and practice for flocks with infectious bronchitis are to increase air temperature and provide additional ventilation. In an experiment involving infectious bronchitis virus and environmental temperatures, Hudson (1931) found that mortality among chicks exposed to 66°F. was 60 percent as compared to 32 percent for those groups exposed to 100°F. Prince et al. (1961), in an experiment with healthy chicks four to eight weeks of age, found a highly significant linear decrease in feed consumption with environmental temperatures from 45°F. to 75°F. Feed consumption increased significantly when ventilation rate was increased from f to 2 cfm. per bird. Feed efficiency increased 1 This study was conducted as part of a contributing project to Regional Research Project, NE-8 entitled, "Essentials of Poultry Housing in the Northeast." 2 Department of Agricultural Engineering. 3 Department of Poultry Science, formerly of the University of Connecticut, presently, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Va. 4 Department of Animal Diseases.

significantly in a linear manner with environmental temperature between 45°F. and 75°F. Differences in weight gain due to temperature or ventilation rate were not significant. The experiment discussed in this paper was designed to measure quantiatively the performance of chicks, four to eight weeks of age, as affected by infectious bronchitis virus and ventilation rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four environmental cabinets, measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 4 feet high, were used for this experiment. Two cabinets were located in each of two temperature controlled rooms. The cabinets were constructed of plywood and insulated such that the floor space allocation for 20 birds per cabinet was about 1.1 square feet per bird. The schematic diagram in Figure 1 shows the arrangement of control devices and pattern of air flow for each cabinet. An electronic thermostat (Prince and Barber, 1960) using a thermistor sensing element, controlled the heaters to maintain cabinet temperature. Air flow measurements were made at the intake of each plenum chamber and the flow rate was

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Effect of Ventilation Rate on the Performance of Chicks Inoculated with Infectious Bronchitis Virus1