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A.P.F. Supplements in the Chick Ration
A.P.F. Supplements in the Chick Ration JACOB BIELY, B. MARCH, JOAN STEVENS AND R. CASORSO Poultry Nutrition Laboratory, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (Received for publication July 22, 1930)
EXPERIMENTAL Test 1 was conducted with New Hampshire cockerel chicks obtained from a commercial breeding flock. They were fed allvegetable rations containing 16, 18, and 20 percent protein respectively, soybean oil meal being used as the protein supplement. In addition, chicks were fed rations of similar protein content containing 3 per cent fish meal. Vitamin B12 in the form of A.P.F: supplement "A"* was added at the rate of 2.25 mg. B12 per 100 lb. to the various rations as indicated in Table 2. Test 2 was conducted with commer-
HE early studies on the animal protein factor (s) were made with chicks hatched from breeder stock fed allvegetable rations, and later with chicks from depleted breeders kept on wire screen floors. In addition, the rations fed to the chicks themselves were often extremely high in soybean oil meal in order to induce differences in the rates of growth between A.P.F. supplemented and unsupplemented rations. The following tests were conducted to determine the need for animalproteinfactorin the diet of chicks obtained from flocks fed commercial breeder rations containing variable amounts of animal protein concentrates.
* Merck and Co. Ltd.
TABLE 1.—Composition of basal rations
Wheat germ meal Ground oats Ground barley Ground corn Bran Cereal grass Iodized salt Dried butyl fermentation solubles Feeding oil—1,200A, 400D Choline chloride (25% premix) Manganese sulphate Niacin Pantothenic acid Riboflavin D 3 premix (A.O.A.C. units)
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
2.5 20.0 10.0 10.0 5.0 2.5 1.0
2.5 10.0
2.5 10.0
— —
— —
— — * * * * *
— —
18,000
5.0 2.5 1.0 0.2 6gm. 200 mg. 200 mg. 160 mg. 18,000
5.0
—
1.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 6gm. 100 mg. 100 mg.
— —
* Added in the form of commercial premixes to meet the requirements. The above ingredients were made up to 100 lb. with wheat, corn, soybean oil meal, fishmeal, limestone, and bonemeal as shown in Table la. The protein content of the rations was adjusted as indicated in Tables 2, 3, and 4. When the rations contained fishmeal and A.P.F. supplements, this has been indicated also in the tables. 143
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T
144
JACOB BIELY, B. MARCH, JOAN STEVENS AND R. CASORSO TABLE la.—Composition of diets
Pounds/cwt. Test 2
Test 3
Crude protein 16% 18.5% 2 1 %
Crude protein 17% 17% 2 1 %
21.3 15.0 16.9
21.3 21.3 15.0 15.0 24.0 31.2
2.0 1.0 43.8
2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 36.7 29.5
20.2 15.0 19.8 — 2.0 1.0 42.0
Test 1
Basal Ground wheat Soybean oil meal Fish meal Bone meal Limestone Ground corn
16%
Crude protein 16% 18% 18% 20%
20%
54.0 30.0 12.5 — 3.5 —
54.0 54.0 54.0 54.0 32.5 25.0 27.0 17.5 7.5 17.5 13.0 25.0 3.0 — 3.0 — 2.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
54.0 21.0 19.0 3.0 2.0 1.0
* Lederle Laboratories Inc. TABLE 2.—Average weights of chicks* in
test 1 (Nov. 10-Dec. 22,1949) at six weeks of age
%
Ration
protein
1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8
16 16 18 18 20 20 16 16
9 10
18 18
11 12
20 20
Supplement per 100 lb.
Average weights f (grams)
Feed/gain
—. 2.25 — mg. Bi, — 2 . 2 5 mg. B H
483 517 494 535 512 523 514
2.74 2.79 2.80 2.75 2.74 2.70 2.96
487 548
3.08 2.59
533 558 547
2.63 2.70 2.79
2.25 mg. B u t
3% 3% 2.25 3% 3% 2.25 3% 3% 2.25
fishmeal fishmeal mg. Bit fishmeal fishmeal mg. Bis fishmeal fishmeal mg. B H
* Twenty-eight chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-3 chicks, t Minimum significant difference at P =0.05, 26. at P =0.01, 35. t Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A."
20.2 15.0 30.8 — 2.0 1.0 31.0
according to Stokstad et al. (1949) contains a chick growth stimulating substance in addition to vitamin B12, was also used in this test. In the present experiment the A.P.F. supplement " B " was incorporated into the all-vegetable rations at levels of 0.3 and 0.5 per cent. It was also added to a 17 percent protein ration in which fish meal was used as the sole protein supplement. The composition of the rations is given in Tables 1 and la. Each ration was fed to duplicate lots of chicks in Tests 1 and 3, and to a cockerel lot and a pullet lot in Test 2. The chicks were reared in electrically heated battery brooders with wire screen floors, and had free access to feed and water throughout the experiment. The number of chicks, mortality, and the average final weights of the different lots of chicks fed the various rations in Tests 1, 2, and 3 are given in Tables 2, 3, and 4 respectively. The experimental results were analyzed statistically and the data are given in the tables. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the results given in Table 2, it can be seen that in the first test, A.P.F. supplement "A" improved the growth rate of chicks fed the all-vegetable rations regardless of the protein content of the ration. The average weight of the chicks on the 16 percent diet supplemented with A.P.F. was nearly the same as the average weight obtained with the 18 or 20 percent
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
dally hatched sexed White Leghorn chicks, each ration being fed to a lot of cockerels and to a lot of pullets. As in the former test, the effect of A.P.F. supplementation was tested with different protein levels, in this case with 16, 18> and 21 per cent protein respectively. All-vegetable rations were again used as the basal diets. Vitamin B J2 at levels of 0.75 and 2.25 mg. per 100 lb. was supplied to the various rations by A.P.F. supplement "A". Test 3 was conducted with White Leghorn cockerel chicks that were fed an allvegetable basal ration at protein levels of 17 and 21 percent. A.P.F. supplement "A" was again used to supply vitamin B i2 at levels of 1.5 and 2.25 mg. per 100 lb. A second A.P.F. supplement " B , " * which
20.2 15.0 — 11.5 1.0 1.0 51.3
A.P.F.
145
SUPPLEMENTS IN CHICK RATIONS
TABLE 3.—Average weights of chicks* in test 2 {Jan. 13-Feb. 18,1950) at jive weeks of age
Ration
% Protein
275 282 306 296 301 294 317 338 326
0.75 mg. B12 2.25 mg. B12 0.75 mg. Bi2 2.25 mg. Bi2 0.75 mg. B12 2.25 mg. B12
242 253 248 268 285 275 290 283 332
Mean of males and females
Feed/gain
258 268 277 282 293 284 304 310 329
1.94 1.72 1.68 1.65 1.43 1.54 1.62 1.42 1.45
* Forty-two chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-6 chicks. t Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A." | The differences in weight were not statistically significant.
protein rations similarly supplemented. The addition of 3 percent of fish meal to the basal ration apparently supplied adequate amounts of the vitamin since growth was not improved by the addition of the A.P.F. supplement. In fact, the addition of the A.P.F. supplement appeared to depress growth somewhat, indicating that an excess may be harmful. It is evident from the increased growth obtained by adding A.P.F. to an all-vegetable
ration that even though the chicks used in the experiment were not depleted, there was not sufficient carry-over from the dams to permit maximum growth rate. In contrast to the results of Test 1, the addition of A.P.F. supplement "A" to the chick rations in Test 2 was not shown to result in any improvement of the growth rate. With the chicks used in this experiment, there was evidently sufficient carryover of the vitamin B12 from the dams to
TABLE 4.—Average weights of chicks* in test 3 {Mar. 10-Apr. 8, 1950) at four weeks of age
protein
Supplement per 100 lb.
Average weights f (grams)
Feed/gain
1 2 3 4 5 6
17 17 17 17 17 17
0.3 lb. DL-methionine 1.5 mg;• B I2 J 2.251 me;. Bi 2 0.3 lb. APF supp. " B " 0.5 lb. APF supp. " B "
225 219 229 232 268 269
2.61 2.54 2.49 2.69 2.49 2.46
7 8 9 10 11 12
21 21 21 21 21 21
0.3 1.5 2.25 0.3 0.5
lb. DL-methionine mg:. B12 mg;. B12 lb. APF supp. " B " lb. APF supp. " B "
267 268 279 274 304 305
2.41 2.34 2.32 2.41 2.17 2.24
13 14
17 17
0.5 lb. APF supp. " B "
266 306
2.54 1.76
Ration
Soya
Soya
Fish meal
%.
* Forty chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-3 chicks, t Minimum significant difference a t P = 0.05, 21 a t P = 0.01, 28 % Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A."
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16 16 16 18 18 18 21 21 21
Ave. Wt.J (grams) M. F.
Supplementf per 100 lb.
146
JACOB BIELY, B. MARCH, JOAN STEVENS AND R. CASORSO
factor(s) in addition to vitamin Bi2 which stimulates chick growth on rations complete in the known growth essentials. Since the completion of these tests it has been reported by Matterson and Singsen (1950) that there is a difference in the growth promoting ability of different commercial A.P.F. supplements and that certain of the supplements may increase growth with undepleted chicks fed a starter containing a certain amount of animal protein concentrates. Our data are also in agreement with those of Hill and Branion (1950) who found that A.P. F. supplements fed to undepleted chicks improved growth and feed efficiency. SUMMARY A study was carried out on the requirements of growing chicks obtained from breeding flocks fed commercial breeder rations. Day-old chicks were fed allvegetable rations and rations containing fish meal at different protein levels. Supplementation of the all-vegetable rations with an A.P.F. supplement improved growth and feed efficiency with some lots of chicks, thus indicating the advisability of including a source of the animal protein factor in the chick ration, since the carryover of the factor (s) from the breeder ration may vary. In the case of an all-mash chick starting ration containing 3 percent of fish meal, the addition of A.P.F. supplement "A" appeared to depress the growth rate. The addition of the A.P.F. supplement " B " caused a marked increase in the growth rate of chicks fed either all-vegetable rations or a ration containing fish meal, while A.P.F. supplement "A" fed in similar rations had no effect on the growth response of the chick. It would appear that A.P.F. supplement " B " contained a growth stimulating substance distinct from vitamin B12 and lacking in both the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
meet the growth requirement. Feed efficiency, on the other hand, was improved by the addition of the A.P.F. supplement. This is in accordance with the results obtained previously by Stevens et al. (1949) with undepleted chicks. Test 3, in which a comparison was made of two A.P.F. supplements, demonstrated that, even though chicks-may not respond to added vitamin B12 in the diet, there is an additional factor(s) which results in increased growth beyond that attainable with vitamin B y This increased response was apparent both with the all-vegetable diet and with the diet containing fish meal as the protein supplement. Feed efficiency appeared to be improved slightly by the addition either of A.P.F. supplement "A" to supply 1.5 mg. vitamin B12 or of 0.3 per cent DL-methionine to the ration. The improvement of the feed efficiency with the addition of either methionine or small amounts of vitamin B12 would indicate that the vitamin B12 relieved the need for supplementary methyl groups. Gillis and Norris (1949) have demonstrated that under certain conditions vitamin B12 may function in this way. When the amount of vitamin B12 added to the rations in A.P.F. supplement "A" was increased to 2.25 mg per 100 lb., however, the feed efficiency again dropped. The addition of the A.P.F. supplement " B " resulted in a marked increase in the efficiency of the rations which was especially notable in the case of the 17 percent diet containing fish meal. In the case of the latter ration, feed efficiency was improved until it was better than that of the 21 percent protein all-vegetable rations containing the A.P.F. supplement " B . " The findings with regard to the growth promoting value of this A.P.F. supplement are thus in agreement with those obtained by Stokstad et al. Evidently A.P.F. supplement " B " contains a
147
NEWS AND NOTES
corn-soybean and the corn-fishmeal rations. ADDENDUM Since the completion of the present experiment, it has been established that the growth stimulating factor in the A.P.F. supplement " B " is the antiobiotic aureomycin. (Stokstad, E. L. R. and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 73:523.)
Gillis, M. B., and L. C. Norris, 194?. Effect of the animal protein factor on the requirement for methylating compounds. J. Biol. Chem. 179: 487-488. Hill, D. C , and H. D. Branion, 1950. The use of an animal protein factor supplement in a practical poultry ration. Poultry Sci. 29: 405-408. Matterson, L. D., and E. P. Singsen, 1950. Commercial APF concentrates in poultry rations. Poultry Sci. 29: 466-467. Stevens, Joan, Jacob Biely and B. March, 1949. A note on the "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Stokstad, E. L. R., T. H. Jukes, J. Pierce, A. C. Page, Jr. and A. L. Franklin, 1949. The multiple nature of the animal protein factor. J. Biol. Chem. 180: 647-654.
News and Notes (Continued from page 142)
basis. The recipient of an award may be eligible for appointment not to exceed a tenure of three years. Not more than 7 fellowships are awarded annually, as follows: not more than two each in dairy husbandry, animal husbandry, and poultry husbandry; and not more than one in the field of veterinary science. The selection of the recipients, as well as the rules governing the awards, is made by a committee of an officially appointed representative of each of the following organizations: Poultry Science Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Production, Association of Land-Grant Colleges and the Ralston Purina Company. Application blanks for these Fellowship Awards may be obtained from the Ralston Purina Research Awards Committee, c/o Mr. J. D. Sykes, Ralston Purina Company, St. Louis 2, Missouri.
OHIO NOTES
Dean N. Paul Hudson has announced that the Ohio State University administration has authorized the establishment of an Institute of Genetics. Among its activities this new organization will coordinate current research programs in genetics and will foster new studies in several departments and colleges of theUniversity. It will also coordinate instructional programs in this science, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. The inauguration of the Institute is an outgrowth of many years of research and teaching on the Ohio State campus at Columbus and at the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station at Wooster. In a more limited way, it represents a culmination of extensive group interest which dates back to 1934. Since then, a weekly seminar in genetics has been conducted by the Department of Zoology and Entomology which has been attended by faculty mem-
(Continued cm page 158)
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are greatly indebted to Merck and Company, and to Lederle Laboratories, for their generous supply of A.P.F. preparations.
REFERENCES
EXPERIMENTAL Test 1 was conducted with New Hampshire cockerel chicks obtained from a commercial breeding flock. They were fed allvegetable rations containing 16, 18, and 20 percent protein respectively, soybean oil meal being used as the protein supplement. In addition, chicks were fed rations of similar protein content containing 3 per cent fish meal. Vitamin B12 in the form of A.P.F: supplement "A"* was added at the rate of 2.25 mg. B12 per 100 lb. to the various rations as indicated in Table 2. Test 2 was conducted with commer-
HE early studies on the animal protein factor (s) were made with chicks hatched from breeder stock fed allvegetable rations, and later with chicks from depleted breeders kept on wire screen floors. In addition, the rations fed to the chicks themselves were often extremely high in soybean oil meal in order to induce differences in the rates of growth between A.P.F. supplemented and unsupplemented rations. The following tests were conducted to determine the need for animalproteinfactorin the diet of chicks obtained from flocks fed commercial breeder rations containing variable amounts of animal protein concentrates.
* Merck and Co. Ltd.
TABLE 1.—Composition of basal rations
Wheat germ meal Ground oats Ground barley Ground corn Bran Cereal grass Iodized salt Dried butyl fermentation solubles Feeding oil—1,200A, 400D Choline chloride (25% premix) Manganese sulphate Niacin Pantothenic acid Riboflavin D 3 premix (A.O.A.C. units)
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
2.5 20.0 10.0 10.0 5.0 2.5 1.0
2.5 10.0
2.5 10.0
— —
— —
— — * * * * *
— —
18,000
5.0 2.5 1.0 0.2 6gm. 200 mg. 200 mg. 160 mg. 18,000
5.0
—
1.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 6gm. 100 mg. 100 mg.
— —
* Added in the form of commercial premixes to meet the requirements. The above ingredients were made up to 100 lb. with wheat, corn, soybean oil meal, fishmeal, limestone, and bonemeal as shown in Table la. The protein content of the rations was adjusted as indicated in Tables 2, 3, and 4. When the rations contained fishmeal and A.P.F. supplements, this has been indicated also in the tables. 143
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
T
144
JACOB BIELY, B. MARCH, JOAN STEVENS AND R. CASORSO TABLE la.—Composition of diets
Pounds/cwt. Test 2
Test 3
Crude protein 16% 18.5% 2 1 %
Crude protein 17% 17% 2 1 %
21.3 15.0 16.9
21.3 21.3 15.0 15.0 24.0 31.2
2.0 1.0 43.8
2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 36.7 29.5
20.2 15.0 19.8 — 2.0 1.0 42.0
Test 1
Basal Ground wheat Soybean oil meal Fish meal Bone meal Limestone Ground corn
16%
Crude protein 16% 18% 18% 20%
20%
54.0 30.0 12.5 — 3.5 —
54.0 54.0 54.0 54.0 32.5 25.0 27.0 17.5 7.5 17.5 13.0 25.0 3.0 — 3.0 — 2.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
54.0 21.0 19.0 3.0 2.0 1.0
* Lederle Laboratories Inc. TABLE 2.—Average weights of chicks* in
test 1 (Nov. 10-Dec. 22,1949) at six weeks of age
%
Ration
protein
1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8
16 16 18 18 20 20 16 16
9 10
18 18
11 12
20 20
Supplement per 100 lb.
Average weights f (grams)
Feed/gain
—. 2.25 — mg. Bi, — 2 . 2 5 mg. B H
483 517 494 535 512 523 514
2.74 2.79 2.80 2.75 2.74 2.70 2.96
487 548
3.08 2.59
533 558 547
2.63 2.70 2.79
2.25 mg. B u t
3% 3% 2.25 3% 3% 2.25 3% 3% 2.25
fishmeal fishmeal mg. Bit fishmeal fishmeal mg. Bis fishmeal fishmeal mg. B H
* Twenty-eight chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-3 chicks, t Minimum significant difference at P =0.05, 26. at P =0.01, 35. t Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A."
20.2 15.0 30.8 — 2.0 1.0 31.0
according to Stokstad et al. (1949) contains a chick growth stimulating substance in addition to vitamin B12, was also used in this test. In the present experiment the A.P.F. supplement " B " was incorporated into the all-vegetable rations at levels of 0.3 and 0.5 per cent. It was also added to a 17 percent protein ration in which fish meal was used as the sole protein supplement. The composition of the rations is given in Tables 1 and la. Each ration was fed to duplicate lots of chicks in Tests 1 and 3, and to a cockerel lot and a pullet lot in Test 2. The chicks were reared in electrically heated battery brooders with wire screen floors, and had free access to feed and water throughout the experiment. The number of chicks, mortality, and the average final weights of the different lots of chicks fed the various rations in Tests 1, 2, and 3 are given in Tables 2, 3, and 4 respectively. The experimental results were analyzed statistically and the data are given in the tables. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the results given in Table 2, it can be seen that in the first test, A.P.F. supplement "A" improved the growth rate of chicks fed the all-vegetable rations regardless of the protein content of the ration. The average weight of the chicks on the 16 percent diet supplemented with A.P.F. was nearly the same as the average weight obtained with the 18 or 20 percent
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
dally hatched sexed White Leghorn chicks, each ration being fed to a lot of cockerels and to a lot of pullets. As in the former test, the effect of A.P.F. supplementation was tested with different protein levels, in this case with 16, 18> and 21 per cent protein respectively. All-vegetable rations were again used as the basal diets. Vitamin B J2 at levels of 0.75 and 2.25 mg. per 100 lb. was supplied to the various rations by A.P.F. supplement "A". Test 3 was conducted with White Leghorn cockerel chicks that were fed an allvegetable basal ration at protein levels of 17 and 21 percent. A.P.F. supplement "A" was again used to supply vitamin B i2 at levels of 1.5 and 2.25 mg. per 100 lb. A second A.P.F. supplement " B , " * which
20.2 15.0 — 11.5 1.0 1.0 51.3
A.P.F.
145
SUPPLEMENTS IN CHICK RATIONS
TABLE 3.—Average weights of chicks* in test 2 {Jan. 13-Feb. 18,1950) at jive weeks of age
Ration
% Protein
275 282 306 296 301 294 317 338 326
0.75 mg. B12 2.25 mg. B12 0.75 mg. Bi2 2.25 mg. Bi2 0.75 mg. B12 2.25 mg. B12
242 253 248 268 285 275 290 283 332
Mean of males and females
Feed/gain
258 268 277 282 293 284 304 310 329
1.94 1.72 1.68 1.65 1.43 1.54 1.62 1.42 1.45
* Forty-two chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-6 chicks. t Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A." | The differences in weight were not statistically significant.
protein rations similarly supplemented. The addition of 3 percent of fish meal to the basal ration apparently supplied adequate amounts of the vitamin since growth was not improved by the addition of the A.P.F. supplement. In fact, the addition of the A.P.F. supplement appeared to depress growth somewhat, indicating that an excess may be harmful. It is evident from the increased growth obtained by adding A.P.F. to an all-vegetable
ration that even though the chicks used in the experiment were not depleted, there was not sufficient carry-over from the dams to permit maximum growth rate. In contrast to the results of Test 1, the addition of A.P.F. supplement "A" to the chick rations in Test 2 was not shown to result in any improvement of the growth rate. With the chicks used in this experiment, there was evidently sufficient carryover of the vitamin B12 from the dams to
TABLE 4.—Average weights of chicks* in test 3 {Mar. 10-Apr. 8, 1950) at four weeks of age
protein
Supplement per 100 lb.
Average weights f (grams)
Feed/gain
1 2 3 4 5 6
17 17 17 17 17 17
0.3 lb. DL-methionine 1.5 mg;• B I2 J 2.251 me;. Bi 2 0.3 lb. APF supp. " B " 0.5 lb. APF supp. " B "
225 219 229 232 268 269
2.61 2.54 2.49 2.69 2.49 2.46
7 8 9 10 11 12
21 21 21 21 21 21
0.3 1.5 2.25 0.3 0.5
lb. DL-methionine mg:. B12 mg;. B12 lb. APF supp. " B " lb. APF supp. " B "
267 268 279 274 304 305
2.41 2.34 2.32 2.41 2.17 2.24
13 14
17 17
0.5 lb. APF supp. " B "
266 306
2.54 1.76
Ration
Soya
Soya
Fish meal
%.
* Forty chicks were fed each ration. Mortality on each ration varied from 0-3 chicks, t Minimum significant difference a t P = 0.05, 21 a t P = 0.01, 28 % Supplied by A.P.F. supplement "A."
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
16 16 16 18 18 18 21 21 21
Ave. Wt.J (grams) M. F.
Supplementf per 100 lb.
146
JACOB BIELY, B. MARCH, JOAN STEVENS AND R. CASORSO
factor(s) in addition to vitamin Bi2 which stimulates chick growth on rations complete in the known growth essentials. Since the completion of these tests it has been reported by Matterson and Singsen (1950) that there is a difference in the growth promoting ability of different commercial A.P.F. supplements and that certain of the supplements may increase growth with undepleted chicks fed a starter containing a certain amount of animal protein concentrates. Our data are also in agreement with those of Hill and Branion (1950) who found that A.P. F. supplements fed to undepleted chicks improved growth and feed efficiency. SUMMARY A study was carried out on the requirements of growing chicks obtained from breeding flocks fed commercial breeder rations. Day-old chicks were fed allvegetable rations and rations containing fish meal at different protein levels. Supplementation of the all-vegetable rations with an A.P.F. supplement improved growth and feed efficiency with some lots of chicks, thus indicating the advisability of including a source of the animal protein factor in the chick ration, since the carryover of the factor (s) from the breeder ration may vary. In the case of an all-mash chick starting ration containing 3 percent of fish meal, the addition of A.P.F. supplement "A" appeared to depress the growth rate. The addition of the A.P.F. supplement " B " caused a marked increase in the growth rate of chicks fed either all-vegetable rations or a ration containing fish meal, while A.P.F. supplement "A" fed in similar rations had no effect on the growth response of the chick. It would appear that A.P.F. supplement " B " contained a growth stimulating substance distinct from vitamin B12 and lacking in both the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
meet the growth requirement. Feed efficiency, on the other hand, was improved by the addition of the A.P.F. supplement. This is in accordance with the results obtained previously by Stevens et al. (1949) with undepleted chicks. Test 3, in which a comparison was made of two A.P.F. supplements, demonstrated that, even though chicks-may not respond to added vitamin B12 in the diet, there is an additional factor(s) which results in increased growth beyond that attainable with vitamin B y This increased response was apparent both with the all-vegetable diet and with the diet containing fish meal as the protein supplement. Feed efficiency appeared to be improved slightly by the addition either of A.P.F. supplement "A" to supply 1.5 mg. vitamin B12 or of 0.3 per cent DL-methionine to the ration. The improvement of the feed efficiency with the addition of either methionine or small amounts of vitamin B12 would indicate that the vitamin B12 relieved the need for supplementary methyl groups. Gillis and Norris (1949) have demonstrated that under certain conditions vitamin B12 may function in this way. When the amount of vitamin B12 added to the rations in A.P.F. supplement "A" was increased to 2.25 mg per 100 lb., however, the feed efficiency again dropped. The addition of the A.P.F. supplement " B " resulted in a marked increase in the efficiency of the rations which was especially notable in the case of the 17 percent diet containing fish meal. In the case of the latter ration, feed efficiency was improved until it was better than that of the 21 percent protein all-vegetable rations containing the A.P.F. supplement " B . " The findings with regard to the growth promoting value of this A.P.F. supplement are thus in agreement with those obtained by Stokstad et al. Evidently A.P.F. supplement " B " contains a
147
NEWS AND NOTES
corn-soybean and the corn-fishmeal rations. ADDENDUM Since the completion of the present experiment, it has been established that the growth stimulating factor in the A.P.F. supplement " B " is the antiobiotic aureomycin. (Stokstad, E. L. R. and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 73:523.)
Gillis, M. B., and L. C. Norris, 194?. Effect of the animal protein factor on the requirement for methylating compounds. J. Biol. Chem. 179: 487-488. Hill, D. C , and H. D. Branion, 1950. The use of an animal protein factor supplement in a practical poultry ration. Poultry Sci. 29: 405-408. Matterson, L. D., and E. P. Singsen, 1950. Commercial APF concentrates in poultry rations. Poultry Sci. 29: 466-467. Stevens, Joan, Jacob Biely and B. March, 1949. A note on the "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Stokstad, E. L. R., T. H. Jukes, J. Pierce, A. C. Page, Jr. and A. L. Franklin, 1949. The multiple nature of the animal protein factor. J. Biol. Chem. 180: 647-654.
News and Notes (Continued from page 142)
basis. The recipient of an award may be eligible for appointment not to exceed a tenure of three years. Not more than 7 fellowships are awarded annually, as follows: not more than two each in dairy husbandry, animal husbandry, and poultry husbandry; and not more than one in the field of veterinary science. The selection of the recipients, as well as the rules governing the awards, is made by a committee of an officially appointed representative of each of the following organizations: Poultry Science Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Production, Association of Land-Grant Colleges and the Ralston Purina Company. Application blanks for these Fellowship Awards may be obtained from the Ralston Purina Research Awards Committee, c/o Mr. J. D. Sykes, Ralston Purina Company, St. Louis 2, Missouri.
OHIO NOTES
Dean N. Paul Hudson has announced that the Ohio State University administration has authorized the establishment of an Institute of Genetics. Among its activities this new organization will coordinate current research programs in genetics and will foster new studies in several departments and colleges of theUniversity. It will also coordinate instructional programs in this science, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. The inauguration of the Institute is an outgrowth of many years of research and teaching on the Ohio State campus at Columbus and at the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station at Wooster. In a more limited way, it represents a culmination of extensive group interest which dates back to 1934. Since then, a weekly seminar in genetics has been conducted by the Department of Zoology and Entomology which has been attended by faculty mem-
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are greatly indebted to Merck and Company, and to Lederle Laboratories, for their generous supply of A.P.F. preparations.
REFERENCES