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Evaluation of Antibiotic Feed Supplements and Crystalline Antibiotics in Chick Rations
531
EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTICS REFERENCES Ely, C. M., 1951. Chick-growth stimulation produced by surfactants. Science, 114: 523-524. Ely, C. M., and S. Schott, 1952. Surface active agents as growth stimulators in chick rations. Seventh Distillers Feed Conference Proceedings, 1952. pp. 72-84. Luecke, R. W., J. A. Hoefer and F. Thorp, Jr., 1952. The growth-promoting effect on pigs of a surface-
active agent. Quarterly Bulletin of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station 34 (3): 331-332. Scott, H. M., B. C. Johnson and E. A. Goffi, 1952. Effect of surface active agents on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 31:746-747. Stern, J. R., J. C. Gutierrez and J. McGinnis, 1952. Comparative growth response of chicks to detergents, germicides and penicillin. Am. Chem. Soc. Abstracts, March 1952. pp. 6C.
ROBERT J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland (Received for publication October 16, 1952)
T O U R I N G 1950 the nutritional impor-*—* tance of the antibiotics in the socalled APF supplements was first recognized (Stokstad and Jukes, 1950). It was not until January 1, 1951, that the definition of Antibiotic Feed Supplement, adopted by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, became effective. Prior to that date there was no organized attempt to standardize and control antibiotic content of the APF supplements. Realization of the possible wide variation in antibiotic content of APF supplements suggested a series of chick assays of commercial samples. Samples were obtained during the latter part of 1950 from commercial feed manufacturers in Maryland through the courtesy of Mr. L. E. Bopst of the Maryland State Inspection Service. Since it seemed likely that the adoption of the new definition would eliminate some of the confusion associated with the APF supplements, two series of samples of Antibiotic Feed Supplements collected by the Maryland State Inspection Service in 1951 were also subjected to chick assay for antibiotic effect. In conjunction with these assays, tests were also made of the growth stimulating effects of
several crystalline antibiotics other than those in common use in feeds. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire and New Hampshire X Silver Cornish chicks were hatched from eggs laid at the Agricultural Research Center. The chicks were reared in electrically heated batteries equipped with screen floors. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. The composition of the basal diet is summarized in Table 1. Originally, this diet was believed TABLE 1.—Composition of chick basal diet1 Percent Ground yellow corn Soybean meal Menhaden fish meal Steamed bonemeal Ground limestone Salt mixture 2 Iodized salt Vitamin A and D feeding oil (400 A.O.A.C. units D) Choline chloride Niacin Riboflavin
67.0 24.0 6.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 0.3 320 mcg./gm. 10 mcg./gm. 5 mcg./gm.
1 A commercial vitamin B12 supplement was incorporated in the above diet at the rate of 0.2 percent in Experiments 2, 3, 4, and 5. 2 96 parts NaCl and 4 parts MnS0 4 • 4H 2 0.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
Evaluation of Antibiotic Feed Supplements and Crystalline Antibiotics in Chick Rations
532
R. J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The growth stimulating effects of the APF and antibiotic feed supplements are tabulated in Table 2. In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, only 3 of 16 samples of APF supplements, namely No. 1, No. 2, and No. 6, showed any antibiotic activity. Only these 3 samples produced a growth response comparable to that produced by crystalline antibiotic and greater than that produced by vitamin Bi2. Every one of the 9 samples of antibiotic feed supplements assayed in Experiments 4 and 5 showed at least as much antibiotic activity as claimed by the manufacturer. Comparison of the results obtained be-
fore and after January 1, 1951, gives a good measure of the effectiveness of the definition adopted by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It brought order out of chaos. Credit for this achievement goes not only to the Association, but also to the manufacturers of antibiotic feed supplements who have been largely responsible for putting into effect the standard adopted by the Association. Table 3 shows the effect of crystalline antibiotics upon the growth of chicks. The results obtained with aureomycin (Experiments 6 and 9), terramycin (Experiments 6 and 8), and bacitracin (Experiment 6) are in close agreement with those reported by McGinnis and Stern (1952), Davis and Briggs (1951), and Matterson, Singsen, Decker and Kozeff (1951). The reason for the wide spread between the duplicate groups fed aureomycin in Experiment 6 is not known. The feeding of Chloromycetin was ineffective (Experiments 6 and 8). The rate of mortality was increased on the higher levels. This finding is in close agreement with that reported by Branion and Hill (1951) with poults. A sample of Chloromycetin mycelial meal produced a slight growth stimulation (Experiment 9). Fumagillin and tomatidine were tried because of their unusual antibiotic spectra. The former has been reported to be effective against certain protozoa (Eble and Hanson, 1951), the latter against fungi (Irving et al., 1946). Fumagillin proved toxic as evidenced by suppression of growth and increase in mortality (Experiment 9). Tomatidine exerted no growth promoting effect (Experiment 7). In Experiment 8, tyrothricin fed at the 25 mg. level was slightly effective but it was not effective at the 50 mg. level. However, it produced a very good response at the 50 mg. level in Experiment 6.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
to be complete in all known essential factors. However, in the first test there was evidence that 6 percent of menhaden meal did not supply enough vitamin Bi2 and so a B12 supplement was added in later tests. In each test a crystalline antibiotic of known potency was fed at one or more levels as a standard. Individual weighings were recorded weekly. The mortality data are presented in only 2 out of the 9 experiments. These were the only two experiments in which mortality appeared to be related to dietary treatment. The samples assayed in Experiments 1, 2, and 3 were obtained prior to January 1, 1951 and were then known as APF supplements. Those assayed in Experiments 4 and 5 were obtained after January 1, 1951 and were designated as antibiotic feed supplements. In Experiments 4 and 5 the levels of supplement tested were selected in accordance with the manufacturer's statement of potency. No such guidance was available for the earlier tests, but in most cases there was a manufacturer's statement on the tag or label indicating the level at which the material was intended to be fed.
533
EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTICS TABLE 2.—Evaluation of APP and antibiotic feed supplements for their antibiotic potency Experiment, breed and date of assay
3 4
4 weeks
6 weeks
1— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test August 1950
None 20 meg. Bi 2 /kg. 50 mg. penicillin/kg. 1 1% No. I 2 1% No. 2 1% No. 4 0 . 2 % No. 6 0 . 2 % No. 7
223 264 299 303 304-312 273-239 298 250
420 505 545 541 555-575 514-455 539 482
2— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test November 1950
None 3 20 meg. Bu/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 4 1% No. 8 1% No. 9 0.2% No. 11 1% No. 12
282 305 334 316 321 311 302
541 567 605 563 574 569 546
3— New Hampshires 20 chicks per test November 1950
None 3 20 meg. B,»/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 1% No. 13 0 . 5 % No. 14 1% No. 15 0 . 4 % No. 16 0 . 2 % No. 17 0.2% No. 18 0 . 2 % No. 19
271 278 331 283 270 283 260 262 275 248
530 544 607 536 530 544 522 512 552 483
4— New Hampshires 20 chicks per test March 1951
None 3 5 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 0 . 1 % No. 20 0 . 2 % No. 20 0 . 2 5 % No. 21 0.50% No. 21 0.25% No. 22 0.50% No. 22
291 348 337 366 363 346 343 348 365 351
— — — — — — — — — •—
5— Rhode Island Reds 10 chicks per test September 1951
None 3 5 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 0 . 5 % No. 23 0 . 1 % No. 24 0.25% No. 25 0 . 5 % No. 26 0 . 1 % No. 27 0.02% No. 28
203 260 263 308 262 267 273 268 294 267
— — — — — — — — —
Procaine penicillin G. The numbers represent different supplements tested. The basal diet contained 0.2% of a commercial vitamin E n supplement at the expense of yellow corn. Aureomycin hydrochloride.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
1 2
Average weights (grams) Supplement to basal diet
534
R. J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD
TABLE 3.—Effect
of crystalline antibiotics upon growth and mortality of chicks Average weight of chicks in grams
Experiment and breed
Supplement to basal diet1
6— New Hampshires 10 of each sex per test
None 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. bacitracin/kg. 10 mg. terramycin/kg.< 50 mg. tyrothricin/kg.' 10 mg. gramicidin/kg. 10 mg. chloromycetin/kg. 7,000 units neomycinAg."
8— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test
None 10 mg. 25 mg. 50 mg. 10 mg. 20 mg. 25 mg. 50 mg. 10,000 20,000
9— New Hampshires 18 males per test
None 10 mg. fumagillin/kg. 40 mg. fumagillin/kg. 0 . 5 % Chloromycetin mycelial meal 10 mg. aureomycin/kg.
terramycin/kg. tyrothricin/kg. tyrothricin/kg. gramici'in/kg. gramicidin/kg. chloromycetin/kg* chloromycetin/kg. units neomycin/kg. units neomycin/kg.
289 306 359 351 367 344 288 288 332
266 297 334 306 308 330 286 289 303
278 302 347 329 338 337 287 289 318
581 599 683 635 706 630 590 567 579
506 550 603 549 585 598 544 491 547
317 319
304 311
311 315 367
629 636
581 567
605 602
736
624
680
212 276 223 198 188 202 162 178 183 223
414 562 448 416 379 400 336 395 391 448
411 497 436 385 376 418 344 365 362 429
413 530 442 401 378 409 340 380 377 439
387 208 294 219 204 192 192 154 182 184 228
216 258 226 192 184 212 169 174 182 218
ean Mean of sexes
6 weeks Mean of sexes sexes 544 575 643 592 646 614 567 529 563
T,B Males m*fV ales
_,Males mJ aTl e s
8 weeks p. Males J T
Mean of sexes
1,002 1,030 1,129
939 946 1,008
males
876 862 887
Percent mortality
10.0 5.0 15.0 20.0 10.0 30.0 45.0 30.0 15.0 5.0
303 250 159
606 505 298
16.6 38.8 55.0
309 337
631 672
22.2 27.7
1 4
The basal diet contained 0.2 percent of a commercial vitamin B12 supplement at the expense of corn. Terramycin hydrochloride. «6 Tyrothricin U.S.P. XIV. Neomycin hydrochloride.
Gramicidin was ineffective at either level in Experiment 8. It appeared to produce a slight response at the 10 mg. level in Experiment 6. Neomycin appeared to cause a slight stimulation of growth at the 7,000 unit level in Experiment 6 and at the 20,000 unit level in Experiment 8. There was no stimulation as a result of feeding 10,000 units in Experiment 8. According to McGinnis and Stern (1952) poults responded to neomycin administration, and slightly to tyrothricin and gramicidin administration. The results of the present study indicate that these antibiotics are capable of stimulating chick growth, but that their effect is less consistent and of lesser magnitude than the effect of aureomycin, bacitracin, terramycin or procaine penicillin.
SUMMARY
Studies were undertaken to evaluate the antibiotic activity of commercial antibiotic feed supplements with a chick assay. Of 16 so-called APF supplements obtained prior to January 1, 1951, only 3 produced the growth stimulus characteristic of antibiotic activity. Every one of the 9 antibiotic feed supplements obtained after January 1, 1951 exhibited antibiotic activity as judged by its growth stimulating effect. Evaluation of crystalline antibiotics found Chloromycetin ineffective; however, Chloromycetin mycelial meal produced a slight growth stimulation. Tomatidine exerted no growth promoting effect. Fumagillin proved toxic at the levels used. Tyrothricin, gramicidin and neomycin
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
None Silver Cornish X 30 mg. tomatidine/kg. New Hampshire 450 mg. antibiotic feed 8 of each sex per supplement/kg. test
4 weeks
VITAMIN BI 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR HATCHABILITY
showed evidence of growth stimulating effects but their effects were less consistent and of lesser magnitude than those produced by the antibiotics now being used commercially in feeds. REFERENCES
Eble, T. E., and F. R. Hanson, 1951. Fumagillin, an antibiotic from Aspergillus fumigates H-3. Antibiotics and Chemotherapy 1: 55-58. Irving, G. W., Jr., T. D. Fontaine and S. P. Doolittle, 1946. Partial antibiotic spectrum of tomatin, an antibiotic agent from the tomato plant. J. Bact. 52: 601-607. Matterson, L. D., E. P. Singsen, L. Decker and A. Kozeff, 1951. A comparison of several antibiotics as growth stimulants in practical chickstarting rations. Connecticut Agri. Exp. Sta. Bui. 275. McGinnis, J., and J. R. Stern, 1952. Antibiotics in turkey nutrition. Feedstuffs, 24: 20-26, 48. Stokstad, E. L. R., and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Further observations on the "animal protein factor." Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 76: 233-234.
Vitamin Bi2 Requirements for Hatchability and Production of High-Quality Chicks* C. F. PETERSEN, A. C. WIESE, G. E. MILNE AND C. E. LAMPMAN Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho (Received for publication October 17, 1952)
V
ITAMIN B12 has been shown to support good hatchability in all-vegetable rations, containing soybean oil meal as the protein supplement, by Petersen et al. (1950), Carver and McGinnis (1950), Milligan and Combs (1950), Peeler et al. (1951), Johnson (1951), Yacowitz el al. (1952), and Milligan el al. (1952). Some conflicting reports have appeared in which B12 alone did not maintain hatchability at a high level. Olcese and Couch (1950), using a more purified diet containing sucrose and soybean protein, found that vitamin Bi2 would not support hatchability after the eighth week of feeding. Peeler et al. (1951) reported that hens kept in laying cages for a period of more than one year showed reduced hatchability due to early embryonic mortality which could * Published with the approval of the Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station as Research Paper No. 358.
not be improved by weekly injections of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supported good hatchability of those embryos which passed this early embryonic period. The purposes of the experiments reported in this paper were to determine if vitamin B12 would support hatchability during the first year of production and to ascertain minimum amounts needed to support both hatchability and a maximum transfer to chicks hatched. PROCEDURE Experiment 1.—A group of 240 White Leghorn pullets, approximately 6 months of age, were divided into lots of 30 each and placed in eight experimental pens in one laying house on October 1, 1950. Four of the pens were equipped with raised wire floors; new built-up litter of shavings and straw was usedin the other four pens. All birds were fed the vitamin Bi2-deficient diet (No. 1) given in Table 1 for a period
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
Association American Feed Control Officials, 1951. Tentative definition of antibiotic feed supplement. T-40, page 48. Branion, H. D., and D. C. Hill, 1951. The comparative effect of antibiotics on the growth of poults. Poultry Sci. 30: 793-798. Davis, R. L., and G. M. Briggs, 1951. Studies with antibiotics in chick and poult starting rations. Poultry Sci. 30: 767-771.
535
EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTICS REFERENCES Ely, C. M., 1951. Chick-growth stimulation produced by surfactants. Science, 114: 523-524. Ely, C. M., and S. Schott, 1952. Surface active agents as growth stimulators in chick rations. Seventh Distillers Feed Conference Proceedings, 1952. pp. 72-84. Luecke, R. W., J. A. Hoefer and F. Thorp, Jr., 1952. The growth-promoting effect on pigs of a surface-
active agent. Quarterly Bulletin of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station 34 (3): 331-332. Scott, H. M., B. C. Johnson and E. A. Goffi, 1952. Effect of surface active agents on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 31:746-747. Stern, J. R., J. C. Gutierrez and J. McGinnis, 1952. Comparative growth response of chicks to detergents, germicides and penicillin. Am. Chem. Soc. Abstracts, March 1952. pp. 6C.
ROBERT J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland (Received for publication October 16, 1952)
T O U R I N G 1950 the nutritional impor-*—* tance of the antibiotics in the socalled APF supplements was first recognized (Stokstad and Jukes, 1950). It was not until January 1, 1951, that the definition of Antibiotic Feed Supplement, adopted by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, became effective. Prior to that date there was no organized attempt to standardize and control antibiotic content of the APF supplements. Realization of the possible wide variation in antibiotic content of APF supplements suggested a series of chick assays of commercial samples. Samples were obtained during the latter part of 1950 from commercial feed manufacturers in Maryland through the courtesy of Mr. L. E. Bopst of the Maryland State Inspection Service. Since it seemed likely that the adoption of the new definition would eliminate some of the confusion associated with the APF supplements, two series of samples of Antibiotic Feed Supplements collected by the Maryland State Inspection Service in 1951 were also subjected to chick assay for antibiotic effect. In conjunction with these assays, tests were also made of the growth stimulating effects of
several crystalline antibiotics other than those in common use in feeds. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire and New Hampshire X Silver Cornish chicks were hatched from eggs laid at the Agricultural Research Center. The chicks were reared in electrically heated batteries equipped with screen floors. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. The composition of the basal diet is summarized in Table 1. Originally, this diet was believed TABLE 1.—Composition of chick basal diet1 Percent Ground yellow corn Soybean meal Menhaden fish meal Steamed bonemeal Ground limestone Salt mixture 2 Iodized salt Vitamin A and D feeding oil (400 A.O.A.C. units D) Choline chloride Niacin Riboflavin
67.0 24.0 6.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 0.3 320 mcg./gm. 10 mcg./gm. 5 mcg./gm.
1 A commercial vitamin B12 supplement was incorporated in the above diet at the rate of 0.2 percent in Experiments 2, 3, 4, and 5. 2 96 parts NaCl and 4 parts MnS0 4 • 4H 2 0.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
Evaluation of Antibiotic Feed Supplements and Crystalline Antibiotics in Chick Rations
532
R. J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The growth stimulating effects of the APF and antibiotic feed supplements are tabulated in Table 2. In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, only 3 of 16 samples of APF supplements, namely No. 1, No. 2, and No. 6, showed any antibiotic activity. Only these 3 samples produced a growth response comparable to that produced by crystalline antibiotic and greater than that produced by vitamin Bi2. Every one of the 9 samples of antibiotic feed supplements assayed in Experiments 4 and 5 showed at least as much antibiotic activity as claimed by the manufacturer. Comparison of the results obtained be-
fore and after January 1, 1951, gives a good measure of the effectiveness of the definition adopted by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. It brought order out of chaos. Credit for this achievement goes not only to the Association, but also to the manufacturers of antibiotic feed supplements who have been largely responsible for putting into effect the standard adopted by the Association. Table 3 shows the effect of crystalline antibiotics upon the growth of chicks. The results obtained with aureomycin (Experiments 6 and 9), terramycin (Experiments 6 and 8), and bacitracin (Experiment 6) are in close agreement with those reported by McGinnis and Stern (1952), Davis and Briggs (1951), and Matterson, Singsen, Decker and Kozeff (1951). The reason for the wide spread between the duplicate groups fed aureomycin in Experiment 6 is not known. The feeding of Chloromycetin was ineffective (Experiments 6 and 8). The rate of mortality was increased on the higher levels. This finding is in close agreement with that reported by Branion and Hill (1951) with poults. A sample of Chloromycetin mycelial meal produced a slight growth stimulation (Experiment 9). Fumagillin and tomatidine were tried because of their unusual antibiotic spectra. The former has been reported to be effective against certain protozoa (Eble and Hanson, 1951), the latter against fungi (Irving et al., 1946). Fumagillin proved toxic as evidenced by suppression of growth and increase in mortality (Experiment 9). Tomatidine exerted no growth promoting effect (Experiment 7). In Experiment 8, tyrothricin fed at the 25 mg. level was slightly effective but it was not effective at the 50 mg. level. However, it produced a very good response at the 50 mg. level in Experiment 6.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
to be complete in all known essential factors. However, in the first test there was evidence that 6 percent of menhaden meal did not supply enough vitamin Bi2 and so a B12 supplement was added in later tests. In each test a crystalline antibiotic of known potency was fed at one or more levels as a standard. Individual weighings were recorded weekly. The mortality data are presented in only 2 out of the 9 experiments. These were the only two experiments in which mortality appeared to be related to dietary treatment. The samples assayed in Experiments 1, 2, and 3 were obtained prior to January 1, 1951 and were then known as APF supplements. Those assayed in Experiments 4 and 5 were obtained after January 1, 1951 and were designated as antibiotic feed supplements. In Experiments 4 and 5 the levels of supplement tested were selected in accordance with the manufacturer's statement of potency. No such guidance was available for the earlier tests, but in most cases there was a manufacturer's statement on the tag or label indicating the level at which the material was intended to be fed.
533
EVALUATION OF ANTIBIOTICS TABLE 2.—Evaluation of APP and antibiotic feed supplements for their antibiotic potency Experiment, breed and date of assay
3 4
4 weeks
6 weeks
1— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test August 1950
None 20 meg. Bi 2 /kg. 50 mg. penicillin/kg. 1 1% No. I 2 1% No. 2 1% No. 4 0 . 2 % No. 6 0 . 2 % No. 7
223 264 299 303 304-312 273-239 298 250
420 505 545 541 555-575 514-455 539 482
2— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test November 1950
None 3 20 meg. Bu/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 4 1% No. 8 1% No. 9 0.2% No. 11 1% No. 12
282 305 334 316 321 311 302
541 567 605 563 574 569 546
3— New Hampshires 20 chicks per test November 1950
None 3 20 meg. B,»/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 1% No. 13 0 . 5 % No. 14 1% No. 15 0 . 4 % No. 16 0 . 2 % No. 17 0.2% No. 18 0 . 2 % No. 19
271 278 331 283 270 283 260 262 275 248
530 544 607 536 530 544 522 512 552 483
4— New Hampshires 20 chicks per test March 1951
None 3 5 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 0 . 1 % No. 20 0 . 2 % No. 20 0 . 2 5 % No. 21 0.50% No. 21 0.25% No. 22 0.50% No. 22
291 348 337 366 363 346 343 348 365 351
— — — — — — — — — •—
5— Rhode Island Reds 10 chicks per test September 1951
None 3 5 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 20 mg. aureomycin/kg. 0 . 5 % No. 23 0 . 1 % No. 24 0.25% No. 25 0 . 5 % No. 26 0 . 1 % No. 27 0.02% No. 28
203 260 263 308 262 267 273 268 294 267
— — — — — — — — —
Procaine penicillin G. The numbers represent different supplements tested. The basal diet contained 0.2% of a commercial vitamin E n supplement at the expense of yellow corn. Aureomycin hydrochloride.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
1 2
Average weights (grams) Supplement to basal diet
534
R. J. LILLIE AND H. R. BIRD
TABLE 3.—Effect
of crystalline antibiotics upon growth and mortality of chicks Average weight of chicks in grams
Experiment and breed
Supplement to basal diet1
6— New Hampshires 10 of each sex per test
None 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. aureomycin/kg. 10 mg. bacitracin/kg. 10 mg. terramycin/kg.< 50 mg. tyrothricin/kg.' 10 mg. gramicidin/kg. 10 mg. chloromycetin/kg. 7,000 units neomycinAg."
8— Rhode Island Reds 20 chicks per test
None 10 mg. 25 mg. 50 mg. 10 mg. 20 mg. 25 mg. 50 mg. 10,000 20,000
9— New Hampshires 18 males per test
None 10 mg. fumagillin/kg. 40 mg. fumagillin/kg. 0 . 5 % Chloromycetin mycelial meal 10 mg. aureomycin/kg.
terramycin/kg. tyrothricin/kg. tyrothricin/kg. gramici'in/kg. gramicidin/kg. chloromycetin/kg* chloromycetin/kg. units neomycin/kg. units neomycin/kg.
289 306 359 351 367 344 288 288 332
266 297 334 306 308 330 286 289 303
278 302 347 329 338 337 287 289 318
581 599 683 635 706 630 590 567 579
506 550 603 549 585 598 544 491 547
317 319
304 311
311 315 367
629 636
581 567
605 602
736
624
680
212 276 223 198 188 202 162 178 183 223
414 562 448 416 379 400 336 395 391 448
411 497 436 385 376 418 344 365 362 429
413 530 442 401 378 409 340 380 377 439
387 208 294 219 204 192 192 154 182 184 228
216 258 226 192 184 212 169 174 182 218
ean Mean of sexes
6 weeks Mean of sexes sexes 544 575 643 592 646 614 567 529 563
T,B Males m*fV ales
_,Males mJ aTl e s
8 weeks p. Males J T
Mean of sexes
1,002 1,030 1,129
939 946 1,008
males
876 862 887
Percent mortality
10.0 5.0 15.0 20.0 10.0 30.0 45.0 30.0 15.0 5.0
303 250 159
606 505 298
16.6 38.8 55.0
309 337
631 672
22.2 27.7
1 4
The basal diet contained 0.2 percent of a commercial vitamin B12 supplement at the expense of corn. Terramycin hydrochloride. «6 Tyrothricin U.S.P. XIV. Neomycin hydrochloride.
Gramicidin was ineffective at either level in Experiment 8. It appeared to produce a slight response at the 10 mg. level in Experiment 6. Neomycin appeared to cause a slight stimulation of growth at the 7,000 unit level in Experiment 6 and at the 20,000 unit level in Experiment 8. There was no stimulation as a result of feeding 10,000 units in Experiment 8. According to McGinnis and Stern (1952) poults responded to neomycin administration, and slightly to tyrothricin and gramicidin administration. The results of the present study indicate that these antibiotics are capable of stimulating chick growth, but that their effect is less consistent and of lesser magnitude than the effect of aureomycin, bacitracin, terramycin or procaine penicillin.
SUMMARY
Studies were undertaken to evaluate the antibiotic activity of commercial antibiotic feed supplements with a chick assay. Of 16 so-called APF supplements obtained prior to January 1, 1951, only 3 produced the growth stimulus characteristic of antibiotic activity. Every one of the 9 antibiotic feed supplements obtained after January 1, 1951 exhibited antibiotic activity as judged by its growth stimulating effect. Evaluation of crystalline antibiotics found Chloromycetin ineffective; however, Chloromycetin mycelial meal produced a slight growth stimulation. Tomatidine exerted no growth promoting effect. Fumagillin proved toxic at the levels used. Tyrothricin, gramicidin and neomycin
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Kainan University on April 10, 2015
None Silver Cornish X 30 mg. tomatidine/kg. New Hampshire 450 mg. antibiotic feed 8 of each sex per supplement/kg. test
4 weeks
VITAMIN BI 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR HATCHABILITY
showed evidence of growth stimulating effects but their effects were less consistent and of lesser magnitude than those produced by the antibiotics now being used commercially in feeds. REFERENCES
Eble, T. E., and F. R. Hanson, 1951. Fumagillin, an antibiotic from Aspergillus fumigates H-3. Antibiotics and Chemotherapy 1: 55-58. Irving, G. W., Jr., T. D. Fontaine and S. P. Doolittle, 1946. Partial antibiotic spectrum of tomatin, an antibiotic agent from the tomato plant. J. Bact. 52: 601-607. Matterson, L. D., E. P. Singsen, L. Decker and A. Kozeff, 1951. A comparison of several antibiotics as growth stimulants in practical chickstarting rations. Connecticut Agri. Exp. Sta. Bui. 275. McGinnis, J., and J. R. Stern, 1952. Antibiotics in turkey nutrition. Feedstuffs, 24: 20-26, 48. Stokstad, E. L. R., and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Further observations on the "animal protein factor." Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 76: 233-234.
Vitamin Bi2 Requirements for Hatchability and Production of High-Quality Chicks* C. F. PETERSEN, A. C. WIESE, G. E. MILNE AND C. E. LAMPMAN Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho (Received for publication October 17, 1952)
V
ITAMIN B12 has been shown to support good hatchability in all-vegetable rations, containing soybean oil meal as the protein supplement, by Petersen et al. (1950), Carver and McGinnis (1950), Milligan and Combs (1950), Peeler et al. (1951), Johnson (1951), Yacowitz el al. (1952), and Milligan el al. (1952). Some conflicting reports have appeared in which B12 alone did not maintain hatchability at a high level. Olcese and Couch (1950), using a more purified diet containing sucrose and soybean protein, found that vitamin Bi2 would not support hatchability after the eighth week of feeding. Peeler et al. (1951) reported that hens kept in laying cages for a period of more than one year showed reduced hatchability due to early embryonic mortality which could * Published with the approval of the Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station as Research Paper No. 358.
not be improved by weekly injections of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supported good hatchability of those embryos which passed this early embryonic period. The purposes of the experiments reported in this paper were to determine if vitamin B12 would support hatchability during the first year of production and to ascertain minimum amounts needed to support both hatchability and a maximum transfer to chicks hatched. PROCEDURE Experiment 1.—A group of 240 White Leghorn pullets, approximately 6 months of age, were divided into lots of 30 each and placed in eight experimental pens in one laying house on October 1, 1950. Four of the pens were equipped with raised wire floors; new built-up litter of shavings and straw was usedin the other four pens. All birds were fed the vitamin Bi2-deficient diet (No. 1) given in Table 1 for a period
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Association American Feed Control Officials, 1951. Tentative definition of antibiotic feed supplement. T-40, page 48. Branion, H. D., and D. C. Hill, 1951. The comparative effect of antibiotics on the growth of poults. Poultry Sci. 30: 793-798. Davis, R. L., and G. M. Briggs, 1951. Studies with antibiotics in chick and poult starting rations. Poultry Sci. 30: 767-771.
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