- Email: [email protected]
Corn and Wheat as the Main Part of Laying Rations
Corn and W h e a t as the Main Part of Laying Rations G. F .
HEUSER
Department of Poultry Husbandry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (Received for publication August 27, 1942)
P
TABLE
1.—Composition of rations
Ingredient
Lot 1 Wheat
Lo't2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
percent percent percent Mash Corn meal Coarse ground wheat Wheat flour middlings Wheat bran Ground oats Alfalfa meal Dried skimmilk Meat scraps Salt Cod liver oil Grain Wheat Corn
—
20 20 20 15 5 5 IS 1 . 1
100
—
60
20
— — —
—
.—
50 50
15 5 5 15 1 1
100
20 20 15 5 5 15 1 1
plied chiefly the necessary protein, vitamins, and minerals. The alfalfa meal and cod liver oil furnished vitamin A which is lacking in wheat. The rest of the mash was made up of 20 percent of wheat bran, 20 percent of wheat flour middlings, and EXPERIMENTAL 20 percent of coarsely ground wheat for Three pens of Single Comb White Legthe wheat lot; 60 percent of ground corn horn pullets were fed rations composed for the corn lot; and 20 percent of wheat primarily of corn, wheat, and a combinabran, 20 percent of wheat flour middlings, tion of corn and wheat as indicated in and 20 percent of ground corn for the Table 1. wheat and corn lot. These pens are designated as follows: The grain was fed in the litter with a Lot 1—Wheat light feeding in the morning and a heavy Lot 2—Corn feeding in the afternoon. Dry mash was Lot 3—Wheat and corn available in open hoppers at all times. CabThe scratch grain consisted of wheat bage was fed during the winter months. for lot 1, cracked corn for lot 2, and half During the last three periods the ration wheat and half cracked corn for lot 3. was supplemented with semi-solid butterThe mash in all lots was made up of 40 milk which was fed at the rate of one pound percent of constant ingredients which sup- a day to each pen. [123]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
OULTRY laying rations are made up largely of cereals and cereal byproducts. Under ordinary conditions a combination of such cereals as corn, wheat, and oats are included. However, there are times when there are available greater and cheaper supplies of one grain or another. Then the question arises: "How much of this cereal can I feed?" This has been true of wheat during the current year. Wheat has more protein but less fat than has corn. Wheat products contain more manganese than does corn. Wheat and its products contain only traces of vitamin A, whereas yellow corn has a considerable quantity of this vitamin. On the other hand, wheat and its by-products are richer in the vitamin B complex than corn. Otherwise, the two grains are similar in composition and probably in feeding value.
124
G. F. HEUSER
3.GO 3.SO
a.eo S.-40 2.00
FIG. 1. Percentage egg production, body weight, and feed consumption per bird by four-week periods.
The birds had free access to grass runs when the weather permitted. The housing and management were similar for all pens. Egg production. The birds receiving both wheat and corn maintained a higher percentage rate of production during the entire year than the birds receiving wheat (Fig. 1). Similarly the birds restricted to wheat maintained a higher percentage rate of production than the birds receiving corn. Table 2 shows the egg production calculated according to several different ways of expressing egg production. Body weight. The birds of lot 1 (wheat) tended to maintain their weights better than those of lot 3 (wheat and corn). The difference is not great and seems to be related to feed intake. The birds in lot 2 (corn) were considerably lower in average body weight throughout the year than the other two lots. Their total feed consumption was also considerably lower. Feed consumption. There was very little difference in grain consumption between the
TABLE 2.—Yearly egg production
Percent production Eggs per hen on a henday basis Eggs per hen on the basis of the number of birds at the start Eggs per hen finishing the year Range of production of hens finishing the year
Lotl Wheat
Lot 2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
51.1
42.4
57.0
186.0
154.3
207.4
140.8
119.8
149.2
227.8
196.3
225.6
196-283 135-252 171-274
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
7Q //• IS 13
lots receiving wheat and a mixture of wheat and corn. However, the preference seemed to be in favor of the wheat. The grain consumption of the birds receiving only cracked corn was considerably lower throughout the year. This is in agreement with the reported results of a number of experiments which show a preference on the part of birds for wheat when given a choice. There was little difference in mash consumption between the three lots. In fact, it will be noticed from Figure 1 that the mash intake of the corn lot was greater during a considerable period, probably because of an attempt on the part of the birds to make up for the lower grain consumption. Total feed consumption is shown in Table 3 and Figure 1. It was highest in the wheat lot, next in the combined wheat and corn, and lowest in the corn lot. Mortality. There was practically no difference in mortality in the different lots. Each group started the year with 37 birds and ended with 20, 19, and 20, respectively, in lots 1, 2, and 3. The average number of birds was 28.0 for lot 1, 28.7 for lot 2, and 26.7 for lot 3. The relatively high mortality was due to a combination of leukemia and tapeworms, which affected all lots comparably.
CORN AND WHEAT AS THE MAIN PART OF LAYING RATIONS
None of the mortality was diagnosed as nutritional.
TABLE 3.—Average yearly feed consumption per bird
DISCUSSION
Grain Ma'sh Grain and mash Cabbage Semi-solid buttermilk
Lot 1 Wheat.
Lot 2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
lbs. 49.8 44.0 93.8 1.6 3.6
lbs. 35.9 43.1 78.0 1.5 3.6
lbs. 47.7 41.0 88.7 1.8 3.9
in this lot as compared with 6.05 pounds for the wheat lot and 6.07 pounds for the corn lot. CONCLUSIONS
1. A laying ration composed largely of wheat gave better results than a laying ration composed largely of corn. 2. A laying ration made up largely of a combination of wheat and corn gave better results than rations composed largely of either grain alone. 3. The rations containing wheat resulted in higher grain and total feed consumption due to a preference for wheat over corn. 4. The chief factors influencing the results were the nutritive value of wheat and wheat by-products and increased feed intake due to the palatability of wheat.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
The ration made up largely of corn (79 percent) did not give as satisfactory results as the ration composed largely of wheat and wheat by-products (81 percent). The resulting higher egg production and body weight are due at least in part to higher food intake as influenced by preference for wheat as a grain and by the nutritive value of wheat by-products. The wheat probably contains some factor or factors which encourage production and help to maintain body weight. The higher protein content of wheat and wheat by-products also increases the protein content of the rations containing wheat instead of corn. However, the corn ration was not sufficiently lower in protein to account for the differences unless quality of protein was an important factor. A combination of wheat and corn (43 percent wheat and 36 percent corn) was better than either grain alone, in respect to egg production and body weight. The efficiency of this combination is particularly marked since it required 5.13 pounds of grain and mash to produce a dozen eggs
125
HEUSER
Department of Poultry Husbandry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (Received for publication August 27, 1942)
P
TABLE
1.—Composition of rations
Ingredient
Lot 1 Wheat
Lo't2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
percent percent percent Mash Corn meal Coarse ground wheat Wheat flour middlings Wheat bran Ground oats Alfalfa meal Dried skimmilk Meat scraps Salt Cod liver oil Grain Wheat Corn
—
20 20 20 15 5 5 IS 1 . 1
100
—
60
20
— — —
—
.—
50 50
15 5 5 15 1 1
100
20 20 15 5 5 15 1 1
plied chiefly the necessary protein, vitamins, and minerals. The alfalfa meal and cod liver oil furnished vitamin A which is lacking in wheat. The rest of the mash was made up of 20 percent of wheat bran, 20 percent of wheat flour middlings, and EXPERIMENTAL 20 percent of coarsely ground wheat for Three pens of Single Comb White Legthe wheat lot; 60 percent of ground corn horn pullets were fed rations composed for the corn lot; and 20 percent of wheat primarily of corn, wheat, and a combinabran, 20 percent of wheat flour middlings, tion of corn and wheat as indicated in and 20 percent of ground corn for the Table 1. wheat and corn lot. These pens are designated as follows: The grain was fed in the litter with a Lot 1—Wheat light feeding in the morning and a heavy Lot 2—Corn feeding in the afternoon. Dry mash was Lot 3—Wheat and corn available in open hoppers at all times. CabThe scratch grain consisted of wheat bage was fed during the winter months. for lot 1, cracked corn for lot 2, and half During the last three periods the ration wheat and half cracked corn for lot 3. was supplemented with semi-solid butterThe mash in all lots was made up of 40 milk which was fed at the rate of one pound percent of constant ingredients which sup- a day to each pen. [123]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
OULTRY laying rations are made up largely of cereals and cereal byproducts. Under ordinary conditions a combination of such cereals as corn, wheat, and oats are included. However, there are times when there are available greater and cheaper supplies of one grain or another. Then the question arises: "How much of this cereal can I feed?" This has been true of wheat during the current year. Wheat has more protein but less fat than has corn. Wheat products contain more manganese than does corn. Wheat and its products contain only traces of vitamin A, whereas yellow corn has a considerable quantity of this vitamin. On the other hand, wheat and its by-products are richer in the vitamin B complex than corn. Otherwise, the two grains are similar in composition and probably in feeding value.
124
G. F. HEUSER
3.GO 3.SO
a.eo S.-40 2.00
FIG. 1. Percentage egg production, body weight, and feed consumption per bird by four-week periods.
The birds had free access to grass runs when the weather permitted. The housing and management were similar for all pens. Egg production. The birds receiving both wheat and corn maintained a higher percentage rate of production during the entire year than the birds receiving wheat (Fig. 1). Similarly the birds restricted to wheat maintained a higher percentage rate of production than the birds receiving corn. Table 2 shows the egg production calculated according to several different ways of expressing egg production. Body weight. The birds of lot 1 (wheat) tended to maintain their weights better than those of lot 3 (wheat and corn). The difference is not great and seems to be related to feed intake. The birds in lot 2 (corn) were considerably lower in average body weight throughout the year than the other two lots. Their total feed consumption was also considerably lower. Feed consumption. There was very little difference in grain consumption between the
TABLE 2.—Yearly egg production
Percent production Eggs per hen on a henday basis Eggs per hen on the basis of the number of birds at the start Eggs per hen finishing the year Range of production of hens finishing the year
Lotl Wheat
Lot 2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
51.1
42.4
57.0
186.0
154.3
207.4
140.8
119.8
149.2
227.8
196.3
225.6
196-283 135-252 171-274
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
7Q //• IS 13
lots receiving wheat and a mixture of wheat and corn. However, the preference seemed to be in favor of the wheat. The grain consumption of the birds receiving only cracked corn was considerably lower throughout the year. This is in agreement with the reported results of a number of experiments which show a preference on the part of birds for wheat when given a choice. There was little difference in mash consumption between the three lots. In fact, it will be noticed from Figure 1 that the mash intake of the corn lot was greater during a considerable period, probably because of an attempt on the part of the birds to make up for the lower grain consumption. Total feed consumption is shown in Table 3 and Figure 1. It was highest in the wheat lot, next in the combined wheat and corn, and lowest in the corn lot. Mortality. There was practically no difference in mortality in the different lots. Each group started the year with 37 birds and ended with 20, 19, and 20, respectively, in lots 1, 2, and 3. The average number of birds was 28.0 for lot 1, 28.7 for lot 2, and 26.7 for lot 3. The relatively high mortality was due to a combination of leukemia and tapeworms, which affected all lots comparably.
CORN AND WHEAT AS THE MAIN PART OF LAYING RATIONS
None of the mortality was diagnosed as nutritional.
TABLE 3.—Average yearly feed consumption per bird
DISCUSSION
Grain Ma'sh Grain and mash Cabbage Semi-solid buttermilk
Lot 1 Wheat.
Lot 2 Corn
Lot 3 Wheat and corn
lbs. 49.8 44.0 93.8 1.6 3.6
lbs. 35.9 43.1 78.0 1.5 3.6
lbs. 47.7 41.0 88.7 1.8 3.9
in this lot as compared with 6.05 pounds for the wheat lot and 6.07 pounds for the corn lot. CONCLUSIONS
1. A laying ration composed largely of wheat gave better results than a laying ration composed largely of corn. 2. A laying ration made up largely of a combination of wheat and corn gave better results than rations composed largely of either grain alone. 3. The rations containing wheat resulted in higher grain and total feed consumption due to a preference for wheat over corn. 4. The chief factors influencing the results were the nutritive value of wheat and wheat by-products and increased feed intake due to the palatability of wheat.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on August 15, 2015
The ration made up largely of corn (79 percent) did not give as satisfactory results as the ration composed largely of wheat and wheat by-products (81 percent). The resulting higher egg production and body weight are due at least in part to higher food intake as influenced by preference for wheat as a grain and by the nutritive value of wheat by-products. The wheat probably contains some factor or factors which encourage production and help to maintain body weight. The higher protein content of wheat and wheat by-products also increases the protein content of the rations containing wheat instead of corn. However, the corn ration was not sufficiently lower in protein to account for the differences unless quality of protein was an important factor. A combination of wheat and corn (43 percent wheat and 36 percent corn) was better than either grain alone, in respect to egg production and body weight. The efficiency of this combination is particularly marked since it required 5.13 pounds of grain and mash to produce a dozen eggs
125