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Effect of Consumption of Shavings on Hematology of Turkey Poults
Research Notes EFFECT OF CONSUMPTION OF SHAVINGS ON HEMATOLOGY OF TURKEY POULTS K. W. WASHBURN AND O. W. CHARLES Division of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, A Ihens, Georgia 30601 (Received for publication November 29, 1972) ABSTRACT The effects of consumption of new wood shavings on hematology of turkey poults was studied in the response of groups fed commercial turkey starter rations with added folic acid, with wood shavings {ad libitum), with both or neither. There were no significant differences in the hematological parameters of mean cell volume, erythrocyte numbers, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration or mean cell hemoglobin concentration indicating that the consumption of new shavings was not related to a folic acid deficiency severe enough to cause the classical macrocytic anemia.
The consumption of wood shavings used for litter for turkey poults may be high under certain environmental or management conditions. Previous experiments (Charles, 1972) have suggested that feather and leg problems of turkey poults might be related to the consumption of old litter. Positive responses in growth rate, as well as bone and feather development were obtained with high levels of folic acid (80 mg./kg.). Since this level of dietary folic acid reduced the consumption of old litter an experiment was designed to study the effect of the consumption of new wood shavings on turkey poults. One of the characteristic symptoms of folic acid deficiency is a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia (Wintrobe, 1962). If the consumption of shavings resulted in a classical folic acid deficiency this should be evidenced by a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia.
(Table 1), 2. Basal with wood shavings fed ad libitum, 3. Control diet with four times the N.R.C. recommended level of folic acid added, 4. Basal diet with wood shavings fed ad libitum and four times the N.R.C. recommended level of folic acid. The basal diet was formulated to be the same as that used in a commercial operation which had experienced this type of problem. The shavings were fed from a feeder designed for determining individual feed efficiency (Guill and Washburn, 1972). One feeder containing shavings was placed in treatment groups 2 and 4 and the amount consumed periodically meaTABLE 1.—Basal diet Ingredients Ground Yellow Corn Dicalcium Phosphate Trace Mineral Pre-Mix 1 49% Protein Soybean Meal Methionine (MHA) Bakery By-Product Meal Vitamin Pre-Mix2 Fish Meal
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experimental design consisted of four dietary treatments each replicated three times with eight poults started in each replicate. The diets were: 1. Basal University of Georgia, College of Agricultural Experiment Stations, College Station, Athens. Journal Series Paper.
Total
Percent 40.300 3.320 0.026 40.860 0.114 8.570 0.250 6.560 100.000
1 Trace mineral mix contains (%) Ca 29.5, Mn 6.0, Zn 2.0, Fe 2.0, Cu 0.2, I 0.12. 2 Vitamin A, 2200 I.U.; D 8 , 900 I.C.U.; K, 0.7 mg.; Riboflavin, 3.6 mg.; Niacin, 70 mg.; Pantothenic acid, 7.2 mg.; Choline, 1615 mg.
1200
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POULTRY SCIENCE 52: 1200-1201, 1973
RESEARCH NOTES
1201
TABLE 2.—Hematology of turkey poults fed shavings and supplemented with folic acid Hematological Parameter Dietary Treatment
1
MCV 3
(M. ) No Shavings Shavings No Shavings+Folic Acid Shavings+Folic Acid
2
129" 129" 128" 130"
RBC
PCV
Hb
MCHC
(Mill./mm.X 10000)
(%)
gm./IOOml.
(%)
270" 283" 283" 286"
34.5" 35.5" 35.9" 36.5"
9.5" 9.4" 9.6" 9.7"
27.8" 26.4" 26.6" 26.5"
1
In addition to control diet. Those means with the same superscript were not significantly different. MCV=Mean Cell volume; RBC = red blood cell; PCV=Packed cell volume; Hb = hemoglobin; MCHC = Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration. 2
RESULTS
The hematological parameters measured are presented in Table 2 as mean values averaged over the three replications and three measurement periods. If the consumption of shavings resulted in a folic acid deficiency then the groups receiving shavings should have an elevated
MCV and a decreased MCHC compared to the groups receiving no shavings. Conversely, if the turkey diet was deficient in folic acid so that the poults were consuming shavings as a response to dietary deficiency then the groups which did not receive supplemental folic acid would be expected to show evidence of a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia and have an elevated MCV and decreased MCHC. However, neither of these hypotheses are supported by the data obtained from the present experiment. There were no significant differences in the MCV or MCHC of any of the groups indicating that shavings consumption does not affect the hematology of turkey poults. REFERENCES Charles, O. W., 1972. (Unpublished data). Denington, E. K., and A. M. Lucas, 1955. Blood technics for chickens. Poultry Sci. 34: 360-368. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11: 1-42. Guill, R. A., and K. W. Washburn, 1972. Cages and feed troughs for individual broiler feed consumption experiments. Poultry Sci. 51: 1047-1048. Ostle, B., 1960. Statistics in Research. The Iowa State University Press. Wintrobe, M. M. 1962. Clinical Hematology. 54th Edition, Lea & Febiger.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 28, 2015
sured. In this experiment the average consumption of litter of those groups fed the basal diet was 291 grams, while those groups fed the basal diet with added folic acid consumed 277 grams of shavings. The poults were reared in Petersime batteries and the various hematological parameters measured at 11, 27 and 38 days of age. The hematological parameters measured were: erythrocyte counts, mean cell volume and packed cell volume determined by a Model F Coulter Counter with MCV computer; hemoglobin concentration and mean cell hemoglobin concentration by the acid-hematin method of Denington and Lucas (1955). Statistical analysis of data by analysis of variance and separation of means was based on pen means (Ostle, 1960; Duncan, 1955).
The consumption of wood shavings used for litter for turkey poults may be high under certain environmental or management conditions. Previous experiments (Charles, 1972) have suggested that feather and leg problems of turkey poults might be related to the consumption of old litter. Positive responses in growth rate, as well as bone and feather development were obtained with high levels of folic acid (80 mg./kg.). Since this level of dietary folic acid reduced the consumption of old litter an experiment was designed to study the effect of the consumption of new wood shavings on turkey poults. One of the characteristic symptoms of folic acid deficiency is a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia (Wintrobe, 1962). If the consumption of shavings resulted in a classical folic acid deficiency this should be evidenced by a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia.
(Table 1), 2. Basal with wood shavings fed ad libitum, 3. Control diet with four times the N.R.C. recommended level of folic acid added, 4. Basal diet with wood shavings fed ad libitum and four times the N.R.C. recommended level of folic acid. The basal diet was formulated to be the same as that used in a commercial operation which had experienced this type of problem. The shavings were fed from a feeder designed for determining individual feed efficiency (Guill and Washburn, 1972). One feeder containing shavings was placed in treatment groups 2 and 4 and the amount consumed periodically meaTABLE 1.—Basal diet Ingredients Ground Yellow Corn Dicalcium Phosphate Trace Mineral Pre-Mix 1 49% Protein Soybean Meal Methionine (MHA) Bakery By-Product Meal Vitamin Pre-Mix2 Fish Meal
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experimental design consisted of four dietary treatments each replicated three times with eight poults started in each replicate. The diets were: 1. Basal University of Georgia, College of Agricultural Experiment Stations, College Station, Athens. Journal Series Paper.
Total
Percent 40.300 3.320 0.026 40.860 0.114 8.570 0.250 6.560 100.000
1 Trace mineral mix contains (%) Ca 29.5, Mn 6.0, Zn 2.0, Fe 2.0, Cu 0.2, I 0.12. 2 Vitamin A, 2200 I.U.; D 8 , 900 I.C.U.; K, 0.7 mg.; Riboflavin, 3.6 mg.; Niacin, 70 mg.; Pantothenic acid, 7.2 mg.; Choline, 1615 mg.
1200
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 28, 2015
POULTRY SCIENCE 52: 1200-1201, 1973
RESEARCH NOTES
1201
TABLE 2.—Hematology of turkey poults fed shavings and supplemented with folic acid Hematological Parameter Dietary Treatment
1
MCV 3
(M. ) No Shavings Shavings No Shavings+Folic Acid Shavings+Folic Acid
2
129" 129" 128" 130"
RBC
PCV
Hb
MCHC
(Mill./mm.X 10000)
(%)
gm./IOOml.
(%)
270" 283" 283" 286"
34.5" 35.5" 35.9" 36.5"
9.5" 9.4" 9.6" 9.7"
27.8" 26.4" 26.6" 26.5"
1
In addition to control diet. Those means with the same superscript were not significantly different. MCV=Mean Cell volume; RBC = red blood cell; PCV=Packed cell volume; Hb = hemoglobin; MCHC = Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration. 2
RESULTS
The hematological parameters measured are presented in Table 2 as mean values averaged over the three replications and three measurement periods. If the consumption of shavings resulted in a folic acid deficiency then the groups receiving shavings should have an elevated
MCV and a decreased MCHC compared to the groups receiving no shavings. Conversely, if the turkey diet was deficient in folic acid so that the poults were consuming shavings as a response to dietary deficiency then the groups which did not receive supplemental folic acid would be expected to show evidence of a macrocytic, hypochromic anemia and have an elevated MCV and decreased MCHC. However, neither of these hypotheses are supported by the data obtained from the present experiment. There were no significant differences in the MCV or MCHC of any of the groups indicating that shavings consumption does not affect the hematology of turkey poults. REFERENCES Charles, O. W., 1972. (Unpublished data). Denington, E. K., and A. M. Lucas, 1955. Blood technics for chickens. Poultry Sci. 34: 360-368. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11: 1-42. Guill, R. A., and K. W. Washburn, 1972. Cages and feed troughs for individual broiler feed consumption experiments. Poultry Sci. 51: 1047-1048. Ostle, B., 1960. Statistics in Research. The Iowa State University Press. Wintrobe, M. M. 1962. Clinical Hematology. 54th Edition, Lea & Febiger.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at NERL on May 28, 2015
sured. In this experiment the average consumption of litter of those groups fed the basal diet was 291 grams, while those groups fed the basal diet with added folic acid consumed 277 grams of shavings. The poults were reared in Petersime batteries and the various hematological parameters measured at 11, 27 and 38 days of age. The hematological parameters measured were: erythrocyte counts, mean cell volume and packed cell volume determined by a Model F Coulter Counter with MCV computer; hemoglobin concentration and mean cell hemoglobin concentration by the acid-hematin method of Denington and Lucas (1955). Statistical analysis of data by analysis of variance and separation of means was based on pen means (Ostle, 1960; Duncan, 1955).