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Further Evidence of the Carryover of Vitamin B12 in Chicks
764
J. B. O ' N E I L
Scott, H. M., and W. A. Glista, 1950. The effect of aureomycin and arsonic acid on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 29:921-923. Slinger, S. J., K. M. Gartley, W. F. Pepper and D. C. Hill, 1951. The inuflence of animal protein factor supplements and antibiotics on the incidence and severity of white feathers in turkeys. J. Nutrition 43:345-355. Stokstad, E. L. R., and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Further observations on the "animal protein factor." Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 73: 523. Thayer, R. S., 1950. Talk before the Oklahoma Feed
Conference, as reported in the reprint of an address "Vitamin B12 and antibiotic developments in nutrition—a review" by G. P. Whitlock before the Nutrition Committee of the Feed Institute, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, 1951. Whitehill, A. R., J. J. Oleson and B. L. Hutchings, 1950. Stimulatory effect of aureomycin on the growth of chicks. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 74: 11. < Yates, F., 1934. The analysis of multiple classifications with unequal numbers in the different classes. Jour. Am. Stat. Assoc. 29: 51.
J. B. O ' N E I L Poultry Department, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada (Received for publication October 27, 1951)
A
SURVEY of the literature indicates that it is not necessary to hatch chicks from breeders deficient of vitamin B12 in order to produce deficiencies of this vitamin in the chicks used for experimental purposes. Hill and Branion (1950) studied the replacement value of an APF supplement for varying amounts of fish meal using chicks from hens fed well balanced diets and maintained on floor litter. Sherwood and Couch (1950) used chicks from hens also kept in floor pens and fed a mixture of animal proteins. Results published by Briggs et al. (1950) support these findings and the authors state that a vitamin B12 deficiency may be produced in chicks without the use of "stress factors." Miller and Groschke (1950) describe a short chick assay method for measuring APF activity when the chicks are hatched from eggs produced by hens fed a mixture of animal protein feeds.
Evidence of the carryover of unknown factor or factors has been presented by several workers. Bird et al. (1946) reported a high mortality rate in chicks from hens fed a soybean oil meal diet and that the supplementing of the breeders' diet with either cow manure or sardine meal resulted in a much lower mortality. However, the supplementation of the chick's diet did not improve livability. On the other hand, if the hens' diet contained either fish meal or cow manure, this growth factor was transferred in sufficient quantities to insure normal growth of the chicks to six weeks of age (Rubin and Bird, 1946). In their report, Bethke et al. (1947) found that chicks produced from hens receiving soybean oil meal did not grow as well as those from soybean oil meal and fish meal. McGinnis and Carver (1947) using diets with either soybean oil meal or Alaska pea meal as sources of protein, report poor growth and high
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
Further Evidence of the Carryover of Vitamin B12 in Chicks
765
CARRYOVER OF V I T A M I N B12
Ground wheat Ground oats Ground barley Wheat bran Wheat shorts Alfalfa meal Cereal grass
11.05 26.00 25.10 8.25 8.25 2.15 2.15
lbs.
Meat meal (50%) Limestone powder Bone meal Salt Fish oil (1,200A—200D) Manganese sulphate
12.00 2.80 1.00 0.50 0.75 0.0125 100.0125 lbs.
The whole grain portion of the diet which comprised 50% of the total intake was a mixture of wheat (2 parts) and oats (1 part). On November 14, one pound of an APF supplement* which contained 12.5 milligrams of vitamin B12 per pound was added to each ton of mash of Pen 42 (0.697 of B12 per 100 grams of total diet). Pen 46 remained on the original diet throughout the test. After Pen 42 had been receiving the supplemented diet for 135 days, eggs were saved for 6 days from both pens for incubation. The eggs were incubated together and just prior to setting were weighed to the nearest tenth of a gram. All chicks were hatched in separate compartments and immediately upon removal from the hatcher, were wing-banded and weighed to the nearest tenth of a gram. All the chicks were randomized into four compartments and fed the following vegetable protein diet for two weeks: 24.0 Ground wheat lbs. Ground oats Ground barley Ground com Wheat bran Soybean oil meal Alfalfa meal Limestone powder Bone meal Salt Fish oil (1,200A—200D) MnS04 Riboflavin (1 gm./l oz.)
8.0 8.5 25.0 5.0 20.0 5.0 1.5 2.0 0.5 0.5 0.0125 0.01 100.0225 lbs.
The calculated analysis was as follows: Protein Calcium Phosphorus
19.03% 1.52% 0.75%
* Merck's Experimental Supplement No. 3 (now known as a vitamin Bu supplement).
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
mortality in the chicks. The inclusion of a small amount of fish meal in the hens' diet improved growth of the chicks and reduced mortality. Wiese el al. (1948) conclude from their studies that the incorporation of 7.7 percent rendering plant meat meal or 9.2 percent packing plant meat meal in an otherwise vegetable protein diet for the hens provided the chicks with a marginal quantity of the factor or factors required for maximum growth to 4 weeks of age. More recent information at hand would seem to indicate that one of these unknown factors which is carried over to the chick is vitamin B12. The purpose of this report is to show that vitamin Bi2 when fed to hens receiving 12% meat meal in their diet, does not affect hatchability but is carried over to chicks. EXPERIMENTAL The chicks used in this trial were produced from two pens of New Hampshire pullets in their first laying year. These pullets were hatched at the same time, reared together and randomized into two laying pens (42 and 46) of 50 birds each, at the onset of production. Their diet during the growing period was a commercial chick starter and growing mash which contained meat meal as the only source of animal protein. The birds were maintained on floor pens with straw for litter which was changed as required—both pens being changed at the same time. The same males were used in both pens and were rotated every third day. From the time the pullets were moved into the laying pens (September 7) they received the following laying mash:
766
J. B. O ' N E I L
TABLE 1.—Gam in weight ana feed efficiency of chicks as influenced by source and diet Gain in weight (gm.) 0-2 week
Source of chicks
2-4 weeks
0-4 weeks
Deficient
Deficient
B12
Deficient
Deficient plus B12
Pen 42 12% Meat meal plus Vitamin B12
47.9
123.3(0.34)* (23-23)**
144.1(0.40) (21-22)
171.2
192.0
Pen 46 12% Meat meal
42.3
94.0(0.30) (17-18)
127.5(0.37) (19-17)
136.3
169.8
* Feed efficiency. ** Number of chick in each of the duplicate lots. RESULTS
The summary of the mean weights of the various groups is recorded in Table 1. As there were no significant differences between any of the duplicate lots, only the average for each group is listed. It will be noticed that the mean 0-2 week gain of the chicks produced from the pen receiving the APF supplement is 5.6 grams or 12.4% greater. When continued on the deficient diet, this difference was even more pronounced, 29.3 grams or 27%. When their diet was supplemented with 1.0? of vitamin Bn per 100 grams
fed the deficient diet for this period gained almost as much weight as the chicks from Pen 46 on the supplemented diet, their gain in weight was less efficient. The production of the breeders prior to the saving of eggs did not differ significantly, indicating that the supplementation of Pen 42 with vitamin B12 did not increase production under these circumstances. The hatchability of the eggs, both from the standpoint of total eggs set and fertility basis, was the same for both pens. These data are shown in Table 2. Also listed in Table 2 is the percent size
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
from 2-4 weeks, the chicks from Pen 42 on the average were 16.6 grams or 12.5% heavier than the comparable groups from Pen 46. A comparison of the 0-4 week gain in weight shows that the chicks from Pen 42 are 34.9 grams (22.7%) and 22.2 grams (12.3%) heavier than the chicks from Pen 46 when on the deficient diet for the entire test and when supplemented from 2-4 weeks, respectively. The feed efficiency for the 2-4 week period was definitely in favor of the chicks hatched from Pen 42, for both groups, whether supplemented with vitamin Bi2 or continued on the deficient diet. Even though the chicks from Pen 42 which were
At two weeks of age all the chicks were weighed individually. One-half of the chicks from Pen 52 were divided at random into two equal groups and continued on the same diet. The remaining half were divided in a similar manner and received the same diet to which was added 1.0-y of vitamin Bi2 per 100 grams of diet. The chicks from Pen 46 were subdivided and treated as above. The eight groups were weighed at four weeks of age at which time the test was discontinued. Throughout the trial the chicks were maintained in an electrically heated battery brooder which was equipped with raised wire floors.
767
CARRYOVER O F V I T A M I N B 12
TABLE 2.—Production and hatchability of breeders and percent size of chicks Source of chicks Pen 42 12% Meat meal plus
Production %
Hatchability of eggs—% Total
Fertile
Chick weight -X100% Egg weight
Vitamin B12
65.28
67.91
72.80
71.12
Pen 46 12% Meat meal
63.68
66.39
69.03
71.17
DISCUSSION
Both pens of breeding stock received 12% of meat meal in their diet for approximately 7 months prior to the saving of eggs. The hens in Pen 42 had their diet supplements with 0.69Y of vitamin B12 activity per 100 grams of total diet for 135 days preceding the incubation of the eggs. I t was presumed that this length of time would be sufficient to influence hatchability and growth rate of the chicks providing the supplementation was effective when fed with this level of meat meal. From the standpoint of growth during the first two weeks after hatching, the supplementation was evident when the chicks were fed a cereal soyabean diet. This carryover resulted in a 12.4% greater gain in weight and agrees with the results of Rubin and Bird (1946), Bethke et al. (1947), McGinnis and Carver (1947) and Biely el al. (1951) that the diet of the
dams has a bearing upon the growth of the chicks. When continued on the vegetable protein diet, the difference in growth rate was even more evident; 27% for the 2-4 week period, indicating that the acceleration in growth was more pronounced during this period than the preceding 2 weeks. The total gain for the 4 weeks was 22.7% greater than for those from the unsupplemented pen. Supplementing the diet of the chicks from both sources from 2-4 weeks resulted in a 12.5% greater gain in weight for the chicks from Pen 42. This percentage gain is the same as for the 0-2 week period when both lots were fed a vegetable protein diet. While the absolute gain in weight is greater for the chicks from Pen 42 during the 2-4 week period, this can be attributed to the stimulus or carryover from the breeders'diet and is evident when the gains in weight to 2 weeks of age are compared. These results are in accord with Miller and Groschke (1950) who reported that chicks from hens fed a diet of a mixture of animal proteins are satisfactory assay anmals if they are depleted for the first 2 weeks after hatching. This would apply only if the chicks used for assay purposes had the same dietary background. In addition to growth, the* source of chicks also had a marked influence upon the feed efficiency. When both groups of chicks were fed the vegetable protein diet during the 2-4 week period, those from
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
of chick at hatching. Since no differences were found this would indicate that the developing embryos from the eggs of Pen 42 received no beneficial effects from the vitamin B12. However, as can be seen in Table 1, the vitamin Bi2 supplementation was of value during the 4 week growth period. The mortality was of no significance, there being only 4 losses which were equally distributed between the chicks of Pens 42 and 46. All the deaths occurred in the first two weeks.
768
J. B. O ' N E I L
CONCLUSIONS
Two pens of New Hampshire hens were fed a diet containing 12% meat meal as a source of animal protein. One pen was supplemented with 0.69y of vitamin B I2 per 100 grams of total diet for 135 days prior to saving eggs for incubation. At hatching all the chicks were fed a cereal soybean diet for 2 weeks. Those from the supplemented pen gained 12.4% more weight. By 4 weeks the difference was 22.7%, indicating that the carryover was effective for this period. When fed 1.0y of vitamin Bx2 per 100 grams for 2-4 weeks the percent gain in weight of the chicks from the supplemented pen was no greater than the comparable chicks from the unsupplemented pen. The greater absolute gain in
weight is attributed to the carryover from the breeders' diet. This carryover was evident in the feed efficiency during the 2-4 week period. Supplementation of the breeders' diet as mentioned above did not influence production, hatchability or percent size of chick. REFERENCES Bethke, R. M., J. M. Pensack and D. C. Kennard, 1947. The influence of hen's diet on growth of progeny. Poultry Sci. 26:128-131. Biely, J., B. March, J. Stevens and R. Casorso, 1951. A.P.F. supplements in the chick ration. Poultry Sci. 30:143-147. Bird, R. H., M. Rubin, D. Whitson and S. K , Haynes, 1946. Effectiveness of dietary supplements in increasing hatchability of eggs and viability of progeny of hens fed a diet containing a high level of soybean oil meal. Poultry Sci. 25: 285-293. Briggs, G. M., E. G. Hill and M. J. Giles, 1950. Vitamin B12 in all-plant rations for chicks and sparing activity of methionine and choline. Poultry Sci. 29: 723-736. Hill, D. C , and H. D. Branion, 1950. The use of an animal protein supplement in a practical poultry ration. Poultry Sci. 29: 405-408. McGinnis, J., and J. S. Carver, 1947. The storage of an unidentified growth factor or factors in the egg and its relation to chick growth and mortality. Poultry Sci. 26: 457-462. Miller, D. C , and A. C. Groschke, 1950. The occurrence of "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Rubin, M., and H. R. Bird, 1946. A chick growth factor in cow manure. I I . The preparation of concentrates and the properties of the factor. J. Biol. Chem. 163:2:393-400. Sherwood, R. M., and J. R. Couch, 1950. The effect on chick growth of supplementing a vegetable protein diet with an APF concentrate. Poultry Sci. 29: 501-507. Stevens, J., J. Biely and B. March, 1949. A note on the "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Wiese, A. C , C. F. Petersen and C. E. Lampman, 1948. The variability of protein supplements in the hen's diet in supplying the unidentified factor or factors essential for chick growth. Poultry Sci. 27:466-470.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
Pen 42 required less feed per unit of gain. The percent increase was 14.6. The chicks receiving the vitamin Bi2 supplement for the same period of time were also more efficient though the difference was not so pronounced (6.5%). The influence of the vitamin Bi2 supplementation upon feed utilization agrees with that reported by Stevens el al. (1949). As all the chicks were randomized in the battery during the first 2 weeks, no comparative figures are available on feed efficiency during that time. I t is of interest to compare the influence of the source of chicks on both growth and feed utilization. The chicks from Pen 42 gained 123.3 grams on the deficient diet from 2-4 weeks as compared to 127.5 grams for the chicks from Pen 46 when fed the supplemented diet for the same period of time. Thus while the carryover in the former chicks was sufficient from the standpoint of increase in body weight, the feed utilization was not as efficient, the difference being 8.2%.
J. B. O ' N E I L
Scott, H. M., and W. A. Glista, 1950. The effect of aureomycin and arsonic acid on chick growth. Poultry Sci. 29:921-923. Slinger, S. J., K. M. Gartley, W. F. Pepper and D. C. Hill, 1951. The inuflence of animal protein factor supplements and antibiotics on the incidence and severity of white feathers in turkeys. J. Nutrition 43:345-355. Stokstad, E. L. R., and T. H. Jukes, 1950. Further observations on the "animal protein factor." Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 73: 523. Thayer, R. S., 1950. Talk before the Oklahoma Feed
Conference, as reported in the reprint of an address "Vitamin B12 and antibiotic developments in nutrition—a review" by G. P. Whitlock before the Nutrition Committee of the Feed Institute, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, 1951. Whitehill, A. R., J. J. Oleson and B. L. Hutchings, 1950. Stimulatory effect of aureomycin on the growth of chicks. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 74: 11. < Yates, F., 1934. The analysis of multiple classifications with unequal numbers in the different classes. Jour. Am. Stat. Assoc. 29: 51.
J. B. O ' N E I L Poultry Department, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada (Received for publication October 27, 1951)
A
SURVEY of the literature indicates that it is not necessary to hatch chicks from breeders deficient of vitamin B12 in order to produce deficiencies of this vitamin in the chicks used for experimental purposes. Hill and Branion (1950) studied the replacement value of an APF supplement for varying amounts of fish meal using chicks from hens fed well balanced diets and maintained on floor litter. Sherwood and Couch (1950) used chicks from hens also kept in floor pens and fed a mixture of animal proteins. Results published by Briggs et al. (1950) support these findings and the authors state that a vitamin B12 deficiency may be produced in chicks without the use of "stress factors." Miller and Groschke (1950) describe a short chick assay method for measuring APF activity when the chicks are hatched from eggs produced by hens fed a mixture of animal protein feeds.
Evidence of the carryover of unknown factor or factors has been presented by several workers. Bird et al. (1946) reported a high mortality rate in chicks from hens fed a soybean oil meal diet and that the supplementing of the breeders' diet with either cow manure or sardine meal resulted in a much lower mortality. However, the supplementation of the chick's diet did not improve livability. On the other hand, if the hens' diet contained either fish meal or cow manure, this growth factor was transferred in sufficient quantities to insure normal growth of the chicks to six weeks of age (Rubin and Bird, 1946). In their report, Bethke et al. (1947) found that chicks produced from hens receiving soybean oil meal did not grow as well as those from soybean oil meal and fish meal. McGinnis and Carver (1947) using diets with either soybean oil meal or Alaska pea meal as sources of protein, report poor growth and high
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
Further Evidence of the Carryover of Vitamin B12 in Chicks
765
CARRYOVER OF V I T A M I N B12
Ground wheat Ground oats Ground barley Wheat bran Wheat shorts Alfalfa meal Cereal grass
11.05 26.00 25.10 8.25 8.25 2.15 2.15
lbs.
Meat meal (50%) Limestone powder Bone meal Salt Fish oil (1,200A—200D) Manganese sulphate
12.00 2.80 1.00 0.50 0.75 0.0125 100.0125 lbs.
The whole grain portion of the diet which comprised 50% of the total intake was a mixture of wheat (2 parts) and oats (1 part). On November 14, one pound of an APF supplement* which contained 12.5 milligrams of vitamin B12 per pound was added to each ton of mash of Pen 42 (0.697 of B12 per 100 grams of total diet). Pen 46 remained on the original diet throughout the test. After Pen 42 had been receiving the supplemented diet for 135 days, eggs were saved for 6 days from both pens for incubation. The eggs were incubated together and just prior to setting were weighed to the nearest tenth of a gram. All chicks were hatched in separate compartments and immediately upon removal from the hatcher, were wing-banded and weighed to the nearest tenth of a gram. All the chicks were randomized into four compartments and fed the following vegetable protein diet for two weeks: 24.0 Ground wheat lbs. Ground oats Ground barley Ground com Wheat bran Soybean oil meal Alfalfa meal Limestone powder Bone meal Salt Fish oil (1,200A—200D) MnS04 Riboflavin (1 gm./l oz.)
8.0 8.5 25.0 5.0 20.0 5.0 1.5 2.0 0.5 0.5 0.0125 0.01 100.0225 lbs.
The calculated analysis was as follows: Protein Calcium Phosphorus
19.03% 1.52% 0.75%
* Merck's Experimental Supplement No. 3 (now known as a vitamin Bu supplement).
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
mortality in the chicks. The inclusion of a small amount of fish meal in the hens' diet improved growth of the chicks and reduced mortality. Wiese el al. (1948) conclude from their studies that the incorporation of 7.7 percent rendering plant meat meal or 9.2 percent packing plant meat meal in an otherwise vegetable protein diet for the hens provided the chicks with a marginal quantity of the factor or factors required for maximum growth to 4 weeks of age. More recent information at hand would seem to indicate that one of these unknown factors which is carried over to the chick is vitamin B12. The purpose of this report is to show that vitamin Bi2 when fed to hens receiving 12% meat meal in their diet, does not affect hatchability but is carried over to chicks. EXPERIMENTAL The chicks used in this trial were produced from two pens of New Hampshire pullets in their first laying year. These pullets were hatched at the same time, reared together and randomized into two laying pens (42 and 46) of 50 birds each, at the onset of production. Their diet during the growing period was a commercial chick starter and growing mash which contained meat meal as the only source of animal protein. The birds were maintained on floor pens with straw for litter which was changed as required—both pens being changed at the same time. The same males were used in both pens and were rotated every third day. From the time the pullets were moved into the laying pens (September 7) they received the following laying mash:
766
J. B. O ' N E I L
TABLE 1.—Gam in weight ana feed efficiency of chicks as influenced by source and diet Gain in weight (gm.) 0-2 week
Source of chicks
2-4 weeks
0-4 weeks
Deficient
Deficient
B12
Deficient
Deficient plus B12
Pen 42 12% Meat meal plus Vitamin B12
47.9
123.3(0.34)* (23-23)**
144.1(0.40) (21-22)
171.2
192.0
Pen 46 12% Meat meal
42.3
94.0(0.30) (17-18)
127.5(0.37) (19-17)
136.3
169.8
* Feed efficiency. ** Number of chick in each of the duplicate lots. RESULTS
The summary of the mean weights of the various groups is recorded in Table 1. As there were no significant differences between any of the duplicate lots, only the average for each group is listed. It will be noticed that the mean 0-2 week gain of the chicks produced from the pen receiving the APF supplement is 5.6 grams or 12.4% greater. When continued on the deficient diet, this difference was even more pronounced, 29.3 grams or 27%. When their diet was supplemented with 1.0? of vitamin Bn per 100 grams
fed the deficient diet for this period gained almost as much weight as the chicks from Pen 46 on the supplemented diet, their gain in weight was less efficient. The production of the breeders prior to the saving of eggs did not differ significantly, indicating that the supplementation of Pen 42 with vitamin B12 did not increase production under these circumstances. The hatchability of the eggs, both from the standpoint of total eggs set and fertility basis, was the same for both pens. These data are shown in Table 2. Also listed in Table 2 is the percent size
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
from 2-4 weeks, the chicks from Pen 42 on the average were 16.6 grams or 12.5% heavier than the comparable groups from Pen 46. A comparison of the 0-4 week gain in weight shows that the chicks from Pen 42 are 34.9 grams (22.7%) and 22.2 grams (12.3%) heavier than the chicks from Pen 46 when on the deficient diet for the entire test and when supplemented from 2-4 weeks, respectively. The feed efficiency for the 2-4 week period was definitely in favor of the chicks hatched from Pen 42, for both groups, whether supplemented with vitamin Bi2 or continued on the deficient diet. Even though the chicks from Pen 42 which were
At two weeks of age all the chicks were weighed individually. One-half of the chicks from Pen 52 were divided at random into two equal groups and continued on the same diet. The remaining half were divided in a similar manner and received the same diet to which was added 1.0-y of vitamin Bi2 per 100 grams of diet. The chicks from Pen 46 were subdivided and treated as above. The eight groups were weighed at four weeks of age at which time the test was discontinued. Throughout the trial the chicks were maintained in an electrically heated battery brooder which was equipped with raised wire floors.
767
CARRYOVER O F V I T A M I N B 12
TABLE 2.—Production and hatchability of breeders and percent size of chicks Source of chicks Pen 42 12% Meat meal plus
Production %
Hatchability of eggs—% Total
Fertile
Chick weight -X100% Egg weight
Vitamin B12
65.28
67.91
72.80
71.12
Pen 46 12% Meat meal
63.68
66.39
69.03
71.17
DISCUSSION
Both pens of breeding stock received 12% of meat meal in their diet for approximately 7 months prior to the saving of eggs. The hens in Pen 42 had their diet supplements with 0.69Y of vitamin B12 activity per 100 grams of total diet for 135 days preceding the incubation of the eggs. I t was presumed that this length of time would be sufficient to influence hatchability and growth rate of the chicks providing the supplementation was effective when fed with this level of meat meal. From the standpoint of growth during the first two weeks after hatching, the supplementation was evident when the chicks were fed a cereal soyabean diet. This carryover resulted in a 12.4% greater gain in weight and agrees with the results of Rubin and Bird (1946), Bethke et al. (1947), McGinnis and Carver (1947) and Biely el al. (1951) that the diet of the
dams has a bearing upon the growth of the chicks. When continued on the vegetable protein diet, the difference in growth rate was even more evident; 27% for the 2-4 week period, indicating that the acceleration in growth was more pronounced during this period than the preceding 2 weeks. The total gain for the 4 weeks was 22.7% greater than for those from the unsupplemented pen. Supplementing the diet of the chicks from both sources from 2-4 weeks resulted in a 12.5% greater gain in weight for the chicks from Pen 42. This percentage gain is the same as for the 0-2 week period when both lots were fed a vegetable protein diet. While the absolute gain in weight is greater for the chicks from Pen 42 during the 2-4 week period, this can be attributed to the stimulus or carryover from the breeders'diet and is evident when the gains in weight to 2 weeks of age are compared. These results are in accord with Miller and Groschke (1950) who reported that chicks from hens fed a diet of a mixture of animal proteins are satisfactory assay anmals if they are depleted for the first 2 weeks after hatching. This would apply only if the chicks used for assay purposes had the same dietary background. In addition to growth, the* source of chicks also had a marked influence upon the feed efficiency. When both groups of chicks were fed the vegetable protein diet during the 2-4 week period, those from
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
of chick at hatching. Since no differences were found this would indicate that the developing embryos from the eggs of Pen 42 received no beneficial effects from the vitamin B12. However, as can be seen in Table 1, the vitamin Bi2 supplementation was of value during the 4 week growth period. The mortality was of no significance, there being only 4 losses which were equally distributed between the chicks of Pens 42 and 46. All the deaths occurred in the first two weeks.
768
J. B. O ' N E I L
CONCLUSIONS
Two pens of New Hampshire hens were fed a diet containing 12% meat meal as a source of animal protein. One pen was supplemented with 0.69y of vitamin B I2 per 100 grams of total diet for 135 days prior to saving eggs for incubation. At hatching all the chicks were fed a cereal soybean diet for 2 weeks. Those from the supplemented pen gained 12.4% more weight. By 4 weeks the difference was 22.7%, indicating that the carryover was effective for this period. When fed 1.0y of vitamin Bx2 per 100 grams for 2-4 weeks the percent gain in weight of the chicks from the supplemented pen was no greater than the comparable chicks from the unsupplemented pen. The greater absolute gain in
weight is attributed to the carryover from the breeders' diet. This carryover was evident in the feed efficiency during the 2-4 week period. Supplementation of the breeders' diet as mentioned above did not influence production, hatchability or percent size of chick. REFERENCES Bethke, R. M., J. M. Pensack and D. C. Kennard, 1947. The influence of hen's diet on growth of progeny. Poultry Sci. 26:128-131. Biely, J., B. March, J. Stevens and R. Casorso, 1951. A.P.F. supplements in the chick ration. Poultry Sci. 30:143-147. Bird, R. H., M. Rubin, D. Whitson and S. K , Haynes, 1946. Effectiveness of dietary supplements in increasing hatchability of eggs and viability of progeny of hens fed a diet containing a high level of soybean oil meal. Poultry Sci. 25: 285-293. Briggs, G. M., E. G. Hill and M. J. Giles, 1950. Vitamin B12 in all-plant rations for chicks and sparing activity of methionine and choline. Poultry Sci. 29: 723-736. Hill, D. C , and H. D. Branion, 1950. The use of an animal protein supplement in a practical poultry ration. Poultry Sci. 29: 405-408. McGinnis, J., and J. S. Carver, 1947. The storage of an unidentified growth factor or factors in the egg and its relation to chick growth and mortality. Poultry Sci. 26: 457-462. Miller, D. C , and A. C. Groschke, 1950. The occurrence of "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Rubin, M., and H. R. Bird, 1946. A chick growth factor in cow manure. I I . The preparation of concentrates and the properties of the factor. J. Biol. Chem. 163:2:393-400. Sherwood, R. M., and J. R. Couch, 1950. The effect on chick growth of supplementing a vegetable protein diet with an APF concentrate. Poultry Sci. 29: 501-507. Stevens, J., J. Biely and B. March, 1949. A note on the "animal protein factor" and feed efficiency. Poultry Sci. 28: 931-932. Wiese, A. C , C. F. Petersen and C. E. Lampman, 1948. The variability of protein supplements in the hen's diet in supplying the unidentified factor or factors essential for chick growth. Poultry Sci. 27:466-470.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Georgia on June 8, 2015
Pen 42 required less feed per unit of gain. The percent increase was 14.6. The chicks receiving the vitamin Bi2 supplement for the same period of time were also more efficient though the difference was not so pronounced (6.5%). The influence of the vitamin Bi2 supplementation upon feed utilization agrees with that reported by Stevens el al. (1949). As all the chicks were randomized in the battery during the first 2 weeks, no comparative figures are available on feed efficiency during that time. I t is of interest to compare the influence of the source of chicks on both growth and feed utilization. The chicks from Pen 42 gained 123.3 grams on the deficient diet from 2-4 weeks as compared to 127.5 grams for the chicks from Pen 46 when fed the supplemented diet for the same period of time. Thus while the carryover in the former chicks was sufficient from the standpoint of increase in body weight, the feed utilization was not as efficient, the difference being 8.2%.