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Evidence of New Growth Factors For Chicks*
Evidence of New Growth Factors For Chicks*' ELTON L. JOHNSON, C. W. CAREICK, ROY E. ROBERTS, AND S. M. HAUGE1 Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Agricultural Chemistry, Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Lafayette, Indiana (Presented in part at annual meeting August, 1941; received for publication June 2, 1942)
S
* Journal Paper Number 28 of the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. ' 1 Based in part on a thesis presented by the senior author to the graduate faculty of Purdue University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science, May, 1942. 2 The riboflavin concentrate used in all of these trials contained 280 micrograms of riboflavin per gram. [S66]
tion of the casein removed some essential unidentified factor also present in yeast. Due to these results, it was deemed important to continue studies concerning the unknown growth factor. EXPERIMENTAL Argentine casein was used in most of the trials as a source of protein and for the preparation of all extracts of casein. Extractions were made in a Lloyd's extractor by continuous operation for a 7 2-hour period for each solvent. The ether- and ethanol-extracted casein was prepared by extracting first with ether, then with ethanol. Ethanol-extracted casein was extracted only with ethanol. This procedure was also used when ether was the only solvent. The respective extracts were concentrated to a small volume by distillation under reduced pressure, then mixed with either casein or soybean oil meal and the mixture then dried. The evaporated extracts were incorporated in the diet in amounts equivalent to approximately 20 percent of casein. Trial 1 Eighteen Barred Plymouth Rock day-old chicks in each of the nine lots were fed for a period of eight weeks. The percentage composition of the basal diet used for seven of the lots was: 55 ground yellow corn, 20 ground wheat, 5 wheat bran, 2 steamed bone meal, 1 ground limestone, 0.5 salt mixture, 0.5 400-D oil. The salt mixture consisted of 970 parts of sodium chloride and 30 parts of manganese sulphate. The composition
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
INCE 1925 a rather extensive amount of literature has been published concerning the chick requirements for factors in the vitamin B complex. This literature has been recently reviewed by Ewing (1941). Little progress has been made since 1940 in the differentiation of new factors which may exist in this complex. Experiments by various investigators designed to determine the riboflavin requirements of chicks have given results which not only show lack of agreement but many inconsistencies. Studies at this station have revealed that results which are usually attributed to riboflavin might be due to other factors. Widaman (1940) showed that when chicks were fed a diet which contained corn, wheat, bran, minerals, cod liver oil, and casein, satisfactory growth was obtained. However, when casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol was used, growth was markedly retarded. The addition of a riboflavin concentrate2 at a level of 2 percent to a diet containing extracted casein failed to correct this deficiency, but the addition of yeast at a 5 percent level gave a marked increase in growth. This indicated that the extrac-
567
N E W GROWTH FACTORS FOR CHICKS TABLE 1.—Percentage composition of diets used in trial 1 and the average gains in weight of the chicks Ingredient
Weighted average gaint (gms.)
20 5 . 2 1 0.5 0.5 55 16
Lot 2
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
Lot 6
Lot 7
Lot 8
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53 16
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53
10* 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 49f
16
16 16
16 . 2
Lot 9
— 15
.-—•
1 0.5 0.5 40
16 2
2
2 30
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
10 15 10 5 3 100.0
4 wks.
129.5
132.7
92.5
106.9
113.4
99.5
106.3
88.3
187.6
8 wks.
544.9
508.8
358.1
483.4
468.2
392.1
400.2
365.6
600.9
* After four weeks the ground wheat was increased to 20 percent of the ration. f After six weeks 5 percent ether- and alcohol-extracted casein replaced 5 percent of corn in the ration. % Weighted average gain equals the average weight gain of males plus the average weight gain of females divided by two.
of the diets fed and the results for this trial are given in Table 1. In this trial the chick mortality was low. The chicks receiving the diet containing unextracted casein grew as rapidly as did chicks on the same diet to which a riboflavin concentrate had been added. When the diet contained casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol the chicks grew very slowly. Likewise, slow growth also .resulted when the diet contained casein which had been extracted with either ethanol or ether. These diets were not improved by the addition of the riboflavin concentrate at a level supplying 560 micrograms of riboflavin per 100 grams of diet. These results showed that the essential growth factor that was extracted with either ethanol or ether was not riboflavin since this deficiency was not corrected by riboflavin. An eighth lot of chicks was fed a diet in which soybean oil meal replaced t;he casein
on an equivalent protein level and to which riboflavin was added. These chicks grew very slowly. When the ground wheat in this diet was increased from 10 to 20 percent at four weeks, no increase in rate of growth occurred. A replacement of 5 percent of the corn at six weeks with 5 percent of casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol also failed to increase the growth rate. A ninth lot of chicks was fed a practical broiler ration as a positive control to determine the growth potentialities of the chicks. These chicks grew faster than those on the basal diet with or without the various modifications, indicating that the diets fed in the first eight lots of chicks were not adequately supplied with all of the factors required for optimum growth of chicks. Trial 2 In trial 2, 40 female crossbred (Rhode Island Red males X Barred Plymouth
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Ground wheat Wheat bran Bone meal Limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Unextracted casein Ether- and ethanolextracted casein Ether-extracted casein Ethanol-extracted casein Riboflavin concentrate Soybean oil meal Wheat middlings Meat and bone scraps Dried skimmilk Alfalfa leaf meal Total
Lot 1
568
E. L. JOHNSON, C. W. CARRICK, R. E. ROBERTS, AND S. M. HAUGE
TABLE 2.—Percentage composition of diets used in trial 2 and average gains in weight oj chicks {females') Ingredient
Lotl
Lot 2
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
Lot 6
Lot 7
Lot 8
Ground wheat Wheat bran Riboflavin concentrate Steamed bone meal Ground limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Unextracted casein Ether-extracted casein Ethanol-extracted casein Ether- and ethanol-extracted casein Liver meal Ether extract of casein Ethanol extract of casein Para-aminobenzoic acid Vitamin supplements
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5 16
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 . 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
16
14 2
16
16
16
**
**
***
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
4 wks.
162.1
167.6
167.9
142.2
150.7
147.8
169.1
165.0
8wks.
488.5
526.9
523.2
441.6
464.1
433.7
486.0
411.1
* Equivalent to 20 percent of casein in the diet. ** 500 micrograms per 100 grams of diet. *** 0.1 gm. choline, 1.4 milligrams pantothenic acid, 20 milligrams nicotinic acid, and 500 micrograms of pyridoxine per 100 grams of diet.
Rock females) day-old chicks were started in each of eight lots. At two weeks of age the chick weights in each lot were arrayed and 21 chicks, 10 below and 10 above the median weight chick, were retained. This procedure was used to reduce the variability within the lots. The basal diet was the same as in trial 1, except that the ground limestone was increased 0.5 percent and the salt mixture changed to 950 parts of sodium chloride and 50 parts of manganese sulphate. A concentrate containing 280 micrograms of riboflavin per gram was also included at a level of 2 percent in the basal diet. The composition of the diets and the results of this trial are shown in Table 2. Chicks receiving the diet containing unextracted casein grew satisfactorily. When an ethanol extract of casein was added to a diet containing ether-extracted casein, chick growth was as rapid as when unextracted casein was used. The addition of an ether extract of casein to a diet containing
ethanol-extracted casein also gave rapid growth. The addition of 500 micrograms of para-aminobenzoic acid to each 100 grams of diets containing either ethanol- or etherextracted casein failed to increase growth. Additions of 0.1 gram of choline, 1.4 milligrams of pantothenic acid, 20 milligrams of nicotinic acid, and 500 micrograms of pyridoxine to each 100 grams of diet containing ether- and ethanol-extracted casein failed to correct the deficiencies of this diet and resulted in poor growth response. However, a statistical analysis showed that the difference in weight between this lot of chicks and any other lot was not significant, but the lack of significance was probably due to the great variation in this lot since the standard deviation was several times that of any other lot. The addition of 2 percent of liver meal gave a marked increase in growth which was approximately the same as that obtained on the diet containing unextracted casein. These results
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
*
* 100.0
Total Average gain in grams
16
16
569
NEW GROWTH FACTORS FOR CHICKS TABLE 3.—Percentage composition of diets used intrial3 and average gains in wsight of chicks (males) Ingredient
Total
Lot 10
Lot 11
Lot 12
Lot 13
Lot 14
Lot 15
Lot 16
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 31.5 35 2
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 27.5 36
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 29.5 34
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 25.5 33
5
5 5
5
*
*
*
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Average
4 wks.
117.0
118.9
125.7
127.7
217.1
114.0
193.5
172.3
gain in grams
8 wks.
313.1
267.1
328.4
301.1
790.6
205.6
469.9
470.7
* Extracts of casein incorporated in the diet equivalent to 20 percent of casein in the diet.
show that the essential growth factor is soluble in either ethanol or ether, is thermostable, is present in liver meal, and is distinct from para-aminobenzoic acid, choline, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, and pyridoxine. Trial 3 This trial involved male chicks from the same hatch used for trial 2. Eight lots of 40 chicks each were started, and the number reduced at two weeks as described for trial 2. This series involved modifications of the following basal diet: 38 percent soybean oil meal (expeller process), 30.5 ground yellow corn, 20 ground wheat, 5 wheat bran, 2 riboflavin concentrate, 0.5 400-D unit oil, 2 steamed bone meal, 1.5 limestone, 0.5 salt mixture (same as in trial 2). The results of this trial are given in Table 3. The addition of either an ethanol or ether extract of casein to the basal diet gave little growth response. The addition of both ethanol and ether extracts also failed to increase growth. The addition of 2 percent of liver meal to the basal diet gave a growth rate unequaled by any other diet.
When dried skimmilk replaced some of the corn in the basal diet with or without alfalfa leaf meal a fair growth rate was obtained, but when only alfalfa leaf meal was added to the basal diet very poor growth was obtained. It is obvious from these results that the basal diet was deficient in one or more factors which were present in liver meal and dried skimmilk. Further work will be necessary to determine quantitative relationships and whether or not the casein factor is present in soybean oil meal. SUMMARY The evidence presented herein indicates that there is a factor present in casein and liver meal which is essential for the growth of chicks and which is distinct from vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid, choline and pyridoxine. The factor is soluble in ether and ethanol and is thermostable. A ration containing soybean oil meal was used which was deficient in one or more factors which are present in liver meal and to a less extent in dried skimmilk. These factors are apparently not found in
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
Ground wheat Wheat bran Riboflavin concentrate Steamed bone meal Ground limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Soybean oil meal Liver meal Alfalfa leaf meal Dried skimmilk Ether extract Ethanol extract Ether and ethanol extract
Lot 9
570
^E. L. JOHNSON, C. W. CARRICK, R. E. ROBERTS, AND S. M. HAUGE
alfalfa leaf meal, ground yellow corn, wheat, or soybean oil meal. Further experiments are in progress to identify, if possible, these growth factors and to determine their properties and sources.
REFERENCES
Ewing, W. Ray, 1941. Handbook of poultry nutrition. Pp. 29S-569. First edition. W. R. Ewing, Upper Montclair, New Jersey. Widaman, C. W., 1940. A study of the flavin requirements of growing chicks. Unpublished thesis. Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana.
News and Notes issue, the deadline will be one month in advance of actual publication date. The purpose of this section is to give individuals an opportunity to inform other members and subscribers of any unusual observations or results which would not justify a special article at the time but which would be of interest. This section will not replace the news column. The success of it will depend upon the extent to which members contribute worthwhile material.
CHANGE IN EDITORIAL POLICY NEW MEMBERS Early in March the editor received a suggestion that POULTRY SCIENCE adopt The following were accepted into active the policy of publishing letters similar to membership in the Poultry Science Associathose appearing in the Journal of Biological tion at the Executive Committee meeting Chemistry or announcements such as ap- held in Chicago, August 25-26. pear in Science. This suggestion has been E. P. Berry, Purdue University, Lafayconsidered by the Executive Committee and ette, Ind. the Editorial Board and meets with the J. B. Cooper, University of Georgia, approval of both groups. This new section Athens, Ga. will be published under the heading of M. R. Darago, N.J. Agricultural Experi"Research Notes." ment Station, Whitehouse Station, N.J. G. F. Godfrey, Ohio State University, Notes of this type will be published in Columbus, Ohio. the first issue of POULTRY SCIENCE following their receipt. The nature of the maDr. A. Gomez, Instituto Civico-Militar, terial included in these notes should be such Ciudad Escolar, Prov. Habana, Cuba. that immediate publication is desirable. E. A. Peterkin, Clemson Agricultural ColHence, they should be brief. The editor lege, Clemson, S.C. reserves the usual privilege of making ediR. E. Synold, Purdue University, Lafaytorial changes which are necessary for ette, Ind. obtaining the best use of available space. MRS. D. H. REID DIES Material for the January issue should be received by the editor not later than DeFriends of Prof, and Mrs. D. H. Reid cember 1 and in case of each succeeding will regret to hear that Mrs. Reid died at
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The Editor of POULTRY SCIENCE wishes to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of the Editorial Board and the membership to Mr. G. W. Sprague, Washington, D.C., for his faithful services to the association as Associate Editor of our journal. Mr. Sprague will be succeeded on the Editorial Board by Dr. George W. Stewart, Poultry Department, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa.
NEWS AND NOTES
Announcement has been made of the appointment of Dr. Alfred Van Wagenen as associate professor at Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Van Wagenen is taking the position formerly held by Prof. R. E. Cray who has resigned to go with Purina Mills, St. Louis, Missouri. He will have the leadership in the egg and poultry marketing program in Ohio. Six cooperative associations are now operating and others will be added. Dr. Van Wagenen will devote a part of his time to investigations in the marketing field. Dr. Van Wagenen received his undergradu-
ate and graduate training at Cornell University and during the past seven years has been teaching poultry marketing and conducting research in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management at Cornell. He has served on various committees of the Northeastern Federation of Egg and Poultry Cooperatives and as chairman of the Northeastern Poultry Producers Council Marketing committee. Tom D. Runnels, assistant in Poultry Husbandry, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, has been granted a leave of absence and has been commissioned an Ensign, U.S.N.R. Dr. Richard C. Ringrose has been appointed instructor in Poultry Husbandry and assistant poultry husbandman to the Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Ringrose will have charge of the poultry nutrition work and comes to this position from the Poultry Department at Clemson, South Carolina. This appointment fills the position vacated by Dr. A. E. Tepper who left the university to go with the Merimack Farmer's Exchange of Concord, New Hampshire.
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the family home at College Station, Texas, on Tuesday, September 15, after a lingering illness of six months. She is survived by two sons, Andrew Reid of Yoakum, Texas, and Irvin Reid of Hollywood, California, and by two brothers, Frank I. Ambler and C. E. Ambler, both of Honolulu. The Reids have lived at College Station since 1923, during which time Professor Reid has served as head of the Poultry Husbandry Department. Professor and Mrs. Reid were married on June 7, 1908. Mrs. Reid has been active in church and civic work for many years. Her birthplace was Oxford, Wisconsin.
571
S
* Journal Paper Number 28 of the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. ' 1 Based in part on a thesis presented by the senior author to the graduate faculty of Purdue University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science, May, 1942. 2 The riboflavin concentrate used in all of these trials contained 280 micrograms of riboflavin per gram. [S66]
tion of the casein removed some essential unidentified factor also present in yeast. Due to these results, it was deemed important to continue studies concerning the unknown growth factor. EXPERIMENTAL Argentine casein was used in most of the trials as a source of protein and for the preparation of all extracts of casein. Extractions were made in a Lloyd's extractor by continuous operation for a 7 2-hour period for each solvent. The ether- and ethanol-extracted casein was prepared by extracting first with ether, then with ethanol. Ethanol-extracted casein was extracted only with ethanol. This procedure was also used when ether was the only solvent. The respective extracts were concentrated to a small volume by distillation under reduced pressure, then mixed with either casein or soybean oil meal and the mixture then dried. The evaporated extracts were incorporated in the diet in amounts equivalent to approximately 20 percent of casein. Trial 1 Eighteen Barred Plymouth Rock day-old chicks in each of the nine lots were fed for a period of eight weeks. The percentage composition of the basal diet used for seven of the lots was: 55 ground yellow corn, 20 ground wheat, 5 wheat bran, 2 steamed bone meal, 1 ground limestone, 0.5 salt mixture, 0.5 400-D oil. The salt mixture consisted of 970 parts of sodium chloride and 30 parts of manganese sulphate. The composition
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
INCE 1925 a rather extensive amount of literature has been published concerning the chick requirements for factors in the vitamin B complex. This literature has been recently reviewed by Ewing (1941). Little progress has been made since 1940 in the differentiation of new factors which may exist in this complex. Experiments by various investigators designed to determine the riboflavin requirements of chicks have given results which not only show lack of agreement but many inconsistencies. Studies at this station have revealed that results which are usually attributed to riboflavin might be due to other factors. Widaman (1940) showed that when chicks were fed a diet which contained corn, wheat, bran, minerals, cod liver oil, and casein, satisfactory growth was obtained. However, when casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol was used, growth was markedly retarded. The addition of a riboflavin concentrate2 at a level of 2 percent to a diet containing extracted casein failed to correct this deficiency, but the addition of yeast at a 5 percent level gave a marked increase in growth. This indicated that the extrac-
567
N E W GROWTH FACTORS FOR CHICKS TABLE 1.—Percentage composition of diets used in trial 1 and the average gains in weight of the chicks Ingredient
Weighted average gaint (gms.)
20 5 . 2 1 0.5 0.5 55 16
Lot 2
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
Lot 6
Lot 7
Lot 8
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53 16
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 55
20 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 53
10* 5 2 1 0.5 0.5 49f
16
16 16
16 . 2
Lot 9
— 15
.-—•
1 0.5 0.5 40
16 2
2
2 30
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
10 15 10 5 3 100.0
4 wks.
129.5
132.7
92.5
106.9
113.4
99.5
106.3
88.3
187.6
8 wks.
544.9
508.8
358.1
483.4
468.2
392.1
400.2
365.6
600.9
* After four weeks the ground wheat was increased to 20 percent of the ration. f After six weeks 5 percent ether- and alcohol-extracted casein replaced 5 percent of corn in the ration. % Weighted average gain equals the average weight gain of males plus the average weight gain of females divided by two.
of the diets fed and the results for this trial are given in Table 1. In this trial the chick mortality was low. The chicks receiving the diet containing unextracted casein grew as rapidly as did chicks on the same diet to which a riboflavin concentrate had been added. When the diet contained casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol the chicks grew very slowly. Likewise, slow growth also .resulted when the diet contained casein which had been extracted with either ethanol or ether. These diets were not improved by the addition of the riboflavin concentrate at a level supplying 560 micrograms of riboflavin per 100 grams of diet. These results showed that the essential growth factor that was extracted with either ethanol or ether was not riboflavin since this deficiency was not corrected by riboflavin. An eighth lot of chicks was fed a diet in which soybean oil meal replaced t;he casein
on an equivalent protein level and to which riboflavin was added. These chicks grew very slowly. When the ground wheat in this diet was increased from 10 to 20 percent at four weeks, no increase in rate of growth occurred. A replacement of 5 percent of the corn at six weeks with 5 percent of casein which had been extracted with ether and ethanol also failed to increase the growth rate. A ninth lot of chicks was fed a practical broiler ration as a positive control to determine the growth potentialities of the chicks. These chicks grew faster than those on the basal diet with or without the various modifications, indicating that the diets fed in the first eight lots of chicks were not adequately supplied with all of the factors required for optimum growth of chicks. Trial 2 In trial 2, 40 female crossbred (Rhode Island Red males X Barred Plymouth
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
Ground wheat Wheat bran Bone meal Limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Unextracted casein Ether- and ethanolextracted casein Ether-extracted casein Ethanol-extracted casein Riboflavin concentrate Soybean oil meal Wheat middlings Meat and bone scraps Dried skimmilk Alfalfa leaf meal Total
Lot 1
568
E. L. JOHNSON, C. W. CARRICK, R. E. ROBERTS, AND S. M. HAUGE
TABLE 2.—Percentage composition of diets used in trial 2 and average gains in weight oj chicks {females') Ingredient
Lotl
Lot 2
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
Lot 6
Lot 7
Lot 8
Ground wheat Wheat bran Riboflavin concentrate Steamed bone meal Ground limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Unextracted casein Ether-extracted casein Ethanol-extracted casein Ether- and ethanol-extracted casein Liver meal Ether extract of casein Ethanol extract of casein Para-aminobenzoic acid Vitamin supplements
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5 16
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 . 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 52.5
16
14 2
16
16
16
**
**
***
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
4 wks.
162.1
167.6
167.9
142.2
150.7
147.8
169.1
165.0
8wks.
488.5
526.9
523.2
441.6
464.1
433.7
486.0
411.1
* Equivalent to 20 percent of casein in the diet. ** 500 micrograms per 100 grams of diet. *** 0.1 gm. choline, 1.4 milligrams pantothenic acid, 20 milligrams nicotinic acid, and 500 micrograms of pyridoxine per 100 grams of diet.
Rock females) day-old chicks were started in each of eight lots. At two weeks of age the chick weights in each lot were arrayed and 21 chicks, 10 below and 10 above the median weight chick, were retained. This procedure was used to reduce the variability within the lots. The basal diet was the same as in trial 1, except that the ground limestone was increased 0.5 percent and the salt mixture changed to 950 parts of sodium chloride and 50 parts of manganese sulphate. A concentrate containing 280 micrograms of riboflavin per gram was also included at a level of 2 percent in the basal diet. The composition of the diets and the results of this trial are shown in Table 2. Chicks receiving the diet containing unextracted casein grew satisfactorily. When an ethanol extract of casein was added to a diet containing ether-extracted casein, chick growth was as rapid as when unextracted casein was used. The addition of an ether extract of casein to a diet containing
ethanol-extracted casein also gave rapid growth. The addition of 500 micrograms of para-aminobenzoic acid to each 100 grams of diets containing either ethanol- or etherextracted casein failed to increase growth. Additions of 0.1 gram of choline, 1.4 milligrams of pantothenic acid, 20 milligrams of nicotinic acid, and 500 micrograms of pyridoxine to each 100 grams of diet containing ether- and ethanol-extracted casein failed to correct the deficiencies of this diet and resulted in poor growth response. However, a statistical analysis showed that the difference in weight between this lot of chicks and any other lot was not significant, but the lack of significance was probably due to the great variation in this lot since the standard deviation was several times that of any other lot. The addition of 2 percent of liver meal gave a marked increase in growth which was approximately the same as that obtained on the diet containing unextracted casein. These results
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 4, 2015
*
* 100.0
Total Average gain in grams
16
16
569
NEW GROWTH FACTORS FOR CHICKS TABLE 3.—Percentage composition of diets used intrial3 and average gains in wsight of chicks (males) Ingredient
Total
Lot 10
Lot 11
Lot 12
Lot 13
Lot 14
Lot 15
Lot 16
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 30.5 38.0
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 31.5 35 2
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 27.5 36
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 29.5 34
20 5 2 2 1.5 0.5 0.5 25.5 33
5
5 5
5
*
*
*
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Average
4 wks.
117.0
118.9
125.7
127.7
217.1
114.0
193.5
172.3
gain in grams
8 wks.
313.1
267.1
328.4
301.1
790.6
205.6
469.9
470.7
* Extracts of casein incorporated in the diet equivalent to 20 percent of casein in the diet.
show that the essential growth factor is soluble in either ethanol or ether, is thermostable, is present in liver meal, and is distinct from para-aminobenzoic acid, choline, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, and pyridoxine. Trial 3 This trial involved male chicks from the same hatch used for trial 2. Eight lots of 40 chicks each were started, and the number reduced at two weeks as described for trial 2. This series involved modifications of the following basal diet: 38 percent soybean oil meal (expeller process), 30.5 ground yellow corn, 20 ground wheat, 5 wheat bran, 2 riboflavin concentrate, 0.5 400-D unit oil, 2 steamed bone meal, 1.5 limestone, 0.5 salt mixture (same as in trial 2). The results of this trial are given in Table 3. The addition of either an ethanol or ether extract of casein to the basal diet gave little growth response. The addition of both ethanol and ether extracts also failed to increase growth. The addition of 2 percent of liver meal to the basal diet gave a growth rate unequaled by any other diet.
When dried skimmilk replaced some of the corn in the basal diet with or without alfalfa leaf meal a fair growth rate was obtained, but when only alfalfa leaf meal was added to the basal diet very poor growth was obtained. It is obvious from these results that the basal diet was deficient in one or more factors which were present in liver meal and dried skimmilk. Further work will be necessary to determine quantitative relationships and whether or not the casein factor is present in soybean oil meal. SUMMARY The evidence presented herein indicates that there is a factor present in casein and liver meal which is essential for the growth of chicks and which is distinct from vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid, choline and pyridoxine. The factor is soluble in ether and ethanol and is thermostable. A ration containing soybean oil meal was used which was deficient in one or more factors which are present in liver meal and to a less extent in dried skimmilk. These factors are apparently not found in
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Ground wheat Wheat bran Riboflavin concentrate Steamed bone meal Ground limestone Salt mixture 400-D oil Ground yellow corn Soybean oil meal Liver meal Alfalfa leaf meal Dried skimmilk Ether extract Ethanol extract Ether and ethanol extract
Lot 9
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^E. L. JOHNSON, C. W. CARRICK, R. E. ROBERTS, AND S. M. HAUGE
alfalfa leaf meal, ground yellow corn, wheat, or soybean oil meal. Further experiments are in progress to identify, if possible, these growth factors and to determine their properties and sources.
REFERENCES
Ewing, W. Ray, 1941. Handbook of poultry nutrition. Pp. 29S-569. First edition. W. R. Ewing, Upper Montclair, New Jersey. Widaman, C. W., 1940. A study of the flavin requirements of growing chicks. Unpublished thesis. Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana.
News and Notes issue, the deadline will be one month in advance of actual publication date. The purpose of this section is to give individuals an opportunity to inform other members and subscribers of any unusual observations or results which would not justify a special article at the time but which would be of interest. This section will not replace the news column. The success of it will depend upon the extent to which members contribute worthwhile material.
CHANGE IN EDITORIAL POLICY NEW MEMBERS Early in March the editor received a suggestion that POULTRY SCIENCE adopt The following were accepted into active the policy of publishing letters similar to membership in the Poultry Science Associathose appearing in the Journal of Biological tion at the Executive Committee meeting Chemistry or announcements such as ap- held in Chicago, August 25-26. pear in Science. This suggestion has been E. P. Berry, Purdue University, Lafayconsidered by the Executive Committee and ette, Ind. the Editorial Board and meets with the J. B. Cooper, University of Georgia, approval of both groups. This new section Athens, Ga. will be published under the heading of M. R. Darago, N.J. Agricultural Experi"Research Notes." ment Station, Whitehouse Station, N.J. G. F. Godfrey, Ohio State University, Notes of this type will be published in Columbus, Ohio. the first issue of POULTRY SCIENCE following their receipt. The nature of the maDr. A. Gomez, Instituto Civico-Militar, terial included in these notes should be such Ciudad Escolar, Prov. Habana, Cuba. that immediate publication is desirable. E. A. Peterkin, Clemson Agricultural ColHence, they should be brief. The editor lege, Clemson, S.C. reserves the usual privilege of making ediR. E. Synold, Purdue University, Lafaytorial changes which are necessary for ette, Ind. obtaining the best use of available space. MRS. D. H. REID DIES Material for the January issue should be received by the editor not later than DeFriends of Prof, and Mrs. D. H. Reid cember 1 and in case of each succeeding will regret to hear that Mrs. Reid died at
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The Editor of POULTRY SCIENCE wishes to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of the Editorial Board and the membership to Mr. G. W. Sprague, Washington, D.C., for his faithful services to the association as Associate Editor of our journal. Mr. Sprague will be succeeded on the Editorial Board by Dr. George W. Stewart, Poultry Department, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa.
NEWS AND NOTES
Announcement has been made of the appointment of Dr. Alfred Van Wagenen as associate professor at Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Van Wagenen is taking the position formerly held by Prof. R. E. Cray who has resigned to go with Purina Mills, St. Louis, Missouri. He will have the leadership in the egg and poultry marketing program in Ohio. Six cooperative associations are now operating and others will be added. Dr. Van Wagenen will devote a part of his time to investigations in the marketing field. Dr. Van Wagenen received his undergradu-
ate and graduate training at Cornell University and during the past seven years has been teaching poultry marketing and conducting research in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management at Cornell. He has served on various committees of the Northeastern Federation of Egg and Poultry Cooperatives and as chairman of the Northeastern Poultry Producers Council Marketing committee. Tom D. Runnels, assistant in Poultry Husbandry, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, has been granted a leave of absence and has been commissioned an Ensign, U.S.N.R. Dr. Richard C. Ringrose has been appointed instructor in Poultry Husbandry and assistant poultry husbandman to the Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Ringrose will have charge of the poultry nutrition work and comes to this position from the Poultry Department at Clemson, South Carolina. This appointment fills the position vacated by Dr. A. E. Tepper who left the university to go with the Merimack Farmer's Exchange of Concord, New Hampshire.
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the family home at College Station, Texas, on Tuesday, September 15, after a lingering illness of six months. She is survived by two sons, Andrew Reid of Yoakum, Texas, and Irvin Reid of Hollywood, California, and by two brothers, Frank I. Ambler and C. E. Ambler, both of Honolulu. The Reids have lived at College Station since 1923, during which time Professor Reid has served as head of the Poultry Husbandry Department. Professor and Mrs. Reid were married on June 7, 1908. Mrs. Reid has been active in church and civic work for many years. Her birthplace was Oxford, Wisconsin.
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