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A Comparison of Methionine and Two of its Analogues in the Nutrition of the Chick
RESEARCH NOTES
1095
A COMPARISON OF METHIONINE AND TWO OF ITS ANALOGUES IN THE NUTRITION OF THE CHICK FRANCIS H. BIRD
Eastern States Farmers' Exchange, Incorporated, Westbrook Laboratory, RFD 3, Rockville, Connecticut (Received for publication June 30, 1952)
In the course of studies dealing with the use of methionine in the nutrition of the chick, two methionine analogues were made available for evaluation of their ability to substitute for methionine.1 The result of this evaluation is reported in this note. At hatching the chicks used in this experiment were vaccinated with the intranasal Newcastle vaccine. They were fed a commercial starter ration of the high-efficiency type from hatching until they were two weeks of age. At this time the chicks were wing banded, weighed and segregated into experimental groups on the basis of weight and vigor. They were individually weighed and examined periodically during the 21 days of the experimental period. The experimental diets were fed ad libitum, and feed consumption records were kept. At the end of the experimental period the chicks were sacrificed and their sex determined. The methionine-deficient basal ration had the following composition in grams per 100 grams: peanut meal, 43.86; calcium gluconate, 5.0; dicalcium phosphate, 2.52; calcium carbonate, 0.75; choline chloride, 0.065; celluflour (cellulose), 4.0; magnesium sulfate, 0.4; sodium silicate, 0.2; special salt mixture, 0.5; soybean oil, 3.0; fish oil (3,000A-400D), 0.25; cholic acid, 0.1; vitamin mixture, 0.5; L-lysine, 0.4; cerelose (glucose), 38.455. Each 100 grams of the above mixture 1 The methionine analogues were kindly supplied by the Monsanto Chemical Company, Merrimac Division, Everett Station, Boston, Massachusetts.
contained in milligrams: thiamine hydrochloride, 1.0; riboflavin, 1.0; pyridoxine hydrochloride, 1.0; calcium pantothenate, 2.0; vitamin K (Menadione-Merck), 2.0; folic acid, 0.2; biotin, 0.01; niacin, 5.5; dl-alpha-tocopherol, 1.0. The special salt mixture contained in percent: sodium chloride, 92.942; manganese, 0.98; iron, 0.2; copper, 0.1;.zinc, 0.1; aluminum, 0.1; and cobalt, 0.004. The supplements of DL-methionine, dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyramide and the salt of dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid were added to the diet at the expense of cerelose. The levels of methionine and of its analogues which were fed in this experiment and their effects on growth and feed efficiency are indicated in Table 1. It may be noted that in general the growth obTABLE 1.—The effect of supplementing a methioninedeficient ration with DL-methionine, dl-a-hydroxy-ymethylmercaptobutyramide, and dl-a-hydroxy-y-methylmercaptobutyric acid salt on the growth and feed efficiency of Rhode Island Red chicks
Supplement
Percent Per- methionine cent equivain ration lent in ration
Average weight (grams)
Feed efficiency1
0 days
21 days
21 days
None
0
0
117.2
243.1
2.31
DL-Methionihe
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
112.7 117.7 119.0 115.8
383.7 397.6 427.7 397.9
2.11 1.87 1.85 1.77
Methionine2 analogue I
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
116.5 115.2 115.6 115.5
344.0 364.8 404.9 407.3
2.20 1.95 2.03 2.07
Methionine 3 analogue II
0.13 0.26 0.39 0.52
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
113.1 116.1 116.8 116.4
383.6 407.2 416.4 402.8
1.92 1.86 1.70 1.77
1 Feed+Body Weight. dl-«-hydroxy-Y-methylmercaptobutyramide. » Salt of dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid.
2
1096
RESEARCH NOTES
tained from the methionine analogues paralleled that obtained from methionine. An exception was noted at the lower levels of dl-a-hydroxy-y-methylmercaptobutyramide. At levels of 0.1 and 0.2 percent of this added analogue, the growth response was below that obtained with either methionine or the salt of the dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid analogue. At higher levels (0.3 and 0.4%) the growth obtained from the former analogue was equivalent to that obtained from the other supplement. From this one experiment it cannot be stated whether this lack of equivalents, at lower levels is a true response.
The effect which supplementation of the basal diet with methionine or the methionine analogues had on the efficiency of feed utilization is also shown in Table 1. Here it may be noted that the addition of methionine or of the two analogues improved the utilization of feed. Under the conditions of this experiment the data indicate that the chick has the ability to utilize the two methionine analogues, dl-a-hydroxy-Y-methylmercaptobutyric acid salt and dl-a-hydroxy-7methylmercaptobutyramide, for growth and improvement of feed efficiency. The mechanism by which this utilization takes place is not indicated.
EFFECT OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTATION OF BACITRACIN ON THE GROWTH OF CHICKS H. D. BRANION, D. C. HILL AND I. MOTZOK Department of Nutrition, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Received for publication July 14, 1952)
It has been reported by Groschke and Evans (1950) that the injection of aureomycin, by McGinnis et al. (1950) of aureomycin or streptomycin, by Whitehill et al. (1950) of aureomycin or penicillin, did not result in a growth response in chicks. However, Elam et al. (1951 a, b, c) reported that injection of penicillin or bacitracin, but not aureomycin, stimulated growth in chicks. Dixon and Thayer (1951) reported that injection of penicillin or aureomycin gave a growth response equal to or greater than that resulting from oral administration. Stephenson (1951) found that injected bacitracin gave a growth response in chicks. Coates et al. (1952) also obtained a growth response from injected penicillin as great as obtained by oral administration. Becker et al. (1951) obtained a growth response in pigs by injection of penicillin.
In view of the finding of Noland et al. (1952) that subcutaneous implantation into pigs, at the age of 2 to 5 days, of a pellet containing 1.000 units of bacitracin, gave a growth response, it was decided to check the effect of subcutaneous implantation of the antibiotic with chicks. Accordingly, a pellet containing 1000 units of bacitracin 1 was implanted subcutaneously in the neck of each of 50 newly-hatched Barred Plymouth Rock chicks, 25 males and 25 females. The pellet was implanted in the position commonly employed for the implanting of female sex hormone pellets. A second, similar group was maintained as a control. Both groups were kept in wire-floored battery brooders and were fed the O.A.C. 1 These pellets were supplied by Commercial Solvents Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana.
1095
A COMPARISON OF METHIONINE AND TWO OF ITS ANALOGUES IN THE NUTRITION OF THE CHICK FRANCIS H. BIRD
Eastern States Farmers' Exchange, Incorporated, Westbrook Laboratory, RFD 3, Rockville, Connecticut (Received for publication June 30, 1952)
In the course of studies dealing with the use of methionine in the nutrition of the chick, two methionine analogues were made available for evaluation of their ability to substitute for methionine.1 The result of this evaluation is reported in this note. At hatching the chicks used in this experiment were vaccinated with the intranasal Newcastle vaccine. They were fed a commercial starter ration of the high-efficiency type from hatching until they were two weeks of age. At this time the chicks were wing banded, weighed and segregated into experimental groups on the basis of weight and vigor. They were individually weighed and examined periodically during the 21 days of the experimental period. The experimental diets were fed ad libitum, and feed consumption records were kept. At the end of the experimental period the chicks were sacrificed and their sex determined. The methionine-deficient basal ration had the following composition in grams per 100 grams: peanut meal, 43.86; calcium gluconate, 5.0; dicalcium phosphate, 2.52; calcium carbonate, 0.75; choline chloride, 0.065; celluflour (cellulose), 4.0; magnesium sulfate, 0.4; sodium silicate, 0.2; special salt mixture, 0.5; soybean oil, 3.0; fish oil (3,000A-400D), 0.25; cholic acid, 0.1; vitamin mixture, 0.5; L-lysine, 0.4; cerelose (glucose), 38.455. Each 100 grams of the above mixture 1 The methionine analogues were kindly supplied by the Monsanto Chemical Company, Merrimac Division, Everett Station, Boston, Massachusetts.
contained in milligrams: thiamine hydrochloride, 1.0; riboflavin, 1.0; pyridoxine hydrochloride, 1.0; calcium pantothenate, 2.0; vitamin K (Menadione-Merck), 2.0; folic acid, 0.2; biotin, 0.01; niacin, 5.5; dl-alpha-tocopherol, 1.0. The special salt mixture contained in percent: sodium chloride, 92.942; manganese, 0.98; iron, 0.2; copper, 0.1;.zinc, 0.1; aluminum, 0.1; and cobalt, 0.004. The supplements of DL-methionine, dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyramide and the salt of dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid were added to the diet at the expense of cerelose. The levels of methionine and of its analogues which were fed in this experiment and their effects on growth and feed efficiency are indicated in Table 1. It may be noted that in general the growth obTABLE 1.—The effect of supplementing a methioninedeficient ration with DL-methionine, dl-a-hydroxy-ymethylmercaptobutyramide, and dl-a-hydroxy-y-methylmercaptobutyric acid salt on the growth and feed efficiency of Rhode Island Red chicks
Supplement
Percent Per- methionine cent equivain ration lent in ration
Average weight (grams)
Feed efficiency1
0 days
21 days
21 days
None
0
0
117.2
243.1
2.31
DL-Methionihe
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
112.7 117.7 119.0 115.8
383.7 397.6 427.7 397.9
2.11 1.87 1.85 1.77
Methionine2 analogue I
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
116.5 115.2 115.6 115.5
344.0 364.8 404.9 407.3
2.20 1.95 2.03 2.07
Methionine 3 analogue II
0.13 0.26 0.39 0.52
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
113.1 116.1 116.8 116.4
383.6 407.2 416.4 402.8
1.92 1.86 1.70 1.77
1 Feed+Body Weight. dl-«-hydroxy-Y-methylmercaptobutyramide. » Salt of dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid.
2
1096
RESEARCH NOTES
tained from the methionine analogues paralleled that obtained from methionine. An exception was noted at the lower levels of dl-a-hydroxy-y-methylmercaptobutyramide. At levels of 0.1 and 0.2 percent of this added analogue, the growth response was below that obtained with either methionine or the salt of the dl-a-hydroxy-7-methylmercaptobutyric acid analogue. At higher levels (0.3 and 0.4%) the growth obtained from the former analogue was equivalent to that obtained from the other supplement. From this one experiment it cannot be stated whether this lack of equivalents, at lower levels is a true response.
The effect which supplementation of the basal diet with methionine or the methionine analogues had on the efficiency of feed utilization is also shown in Table 1. Here it may be noted that the addition of methionine or of the two analogues improved the utilization of feed. Under the conditions of this experiment the data indicate that the chick has the ability to utilize the two methionine analogues, dl-a-hydroxy-Y-methylmercaptobutyric acid salt and dl-a-hydroxy-7methylmercaptobutyramide, for growth and improvement of feed efficiency. The mechanism by which this utilization takes place is not indicated.
EFFECT OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTATION OF BACITRACIN ON THE GROWTH OF CHICKS H. D. BRANION, D. C. HILL AND I. MOTZOK Department of Nutrition, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (Received for publication July 14, 1952)
It has been reported by Groschke and Evans (1950) that the injection of aureomycin, by McGinnis et al. (1950) of aureomycin or streptomycin, by Whitehill et al. (1950) of aureomycin or penicillin, did not result in a growth response in chicks. However, Elam et al. (1951 a, b, c) reported that injection of penicillin or bacitracin, but not aureomycin, stimulated growth in chicks. Dixon and Thayer (1951) reported that injection of penicillin or aureomycin gave a growth response equal to or greater than that resulting from oral administration. Stephenson (1951) found that injected bacitracin gave a growth response in chicks. Coates et al. (1952) also obtained a growth response from injected penicillin as great as obtained by oral administration. Becker et al. (1951) obtained a growth response in pigs by injection of penicillin.
In view of the finding of Noland et al. (1952) that subcutaneous implantation into pigs, at the age of 2 to 5 days, of a pellet containing 1.000 units of bacitracin, gave a growth response, it was decided to check the effect of subcutaneous implantation of the antibiotic with chicks. Accordingly, a pellet containing 1000 units of bacitracin 1 was implanted subcutaneously in the neck of each of 50 newly-hatched Barred Plymouth Rock chicks, 25 males and 25 females. The pellet was implanted in the position commonly employed for the implanting of female sex hormone pellets. A second, similar group was maintained as a control. Both groups were kept in wire-floored battery brooders and were fed the O.A.C. 1 These pellets were supplied by Commercial Solvents Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana.