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Methionine Requirement of White Leghorn Pullets1
Methionine Requirement of White Leghorn Pullets1 SUN M. K I M AND JAMES MCGINNIS of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99163 (Received for publication February IS, 1972)
POULTRY SCIENCE 51:1735-1740,1972
M
OST experiments on amino acid requirements conducted with chicks have been terminated at early ages before the protein requirement shows the decrease that is evident after 4-8 weeks of age. Berg et al. (1958) have reported that White Leghorn pullets raised for egg production grow normally on diets containing as little as 12% protein from 8-20 weeks of age and that this level of protein fed during the growing stage does not adversely affect subsequent egg production. Unpublished results obtained in a number of different experiments in our laboratories at Washington State University confirm these findings and indicate possibly that even lower levels of protein give satisfactory results, especially when the judgment is based on egg production of the pullets after they reach 20 weeks of age and are changed to laying diets. Lillie and Denton (1966) have reported that reduced levels of protein can be fed to pullets beginning earlier than 8 weeks of age and that the protein level may be re1 Scientific Paper No. 3793. College of Agriculture, Washington State University, Pullman. Project 1922.
duced to as low as 12% during the growing period from 8-20 weeks of age without adversely affecting subsequent egg production after the birds reach maturity. The fact that the pullet grows satisfactorily on reduced levels of total protein would suggest that lower levels of essential amino acids should also give satisfactory results. Because of the fact that methionine is usually the first limiting essential amino acid in practical rations for young chicks to 4 weeks of age, an experiment was conducted with pullets after 8 weeks of age to obtain information on the quantitative requirement of methionine for growth between 8 and 20 weeks of age and to determine the influence of methionine levels fed during this period on subsequent egg production and egg size. The results of this study are reported in this paper. PROCEDURE
White Leghorn pullets of a commercial strain, hatched May 16, 1970, were used in this experiment. They were fed a practical type of chick starter composed principally of corn, soybean meal, meat meal and fish meal from hatching to 8 weeks of age. At 8 weeks of age the pullets were
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ABSTRACT White Leghorn pullets were fed diets containing different levels of supplemental methionine from 8-20 weeks of age. At 20 weeks of age, all birds were changed to the same laying ration after being moved from floor pens to laying cages. The photoperiod was increased at 20 weeks of age to provide 14 hours light per day. Egg production, feed consumption, egg weight, mortality and body weight changes were measured during a 24-week period after 20 weeks of age. The results obtained in this experiment showed that a total level of 0.27% was required for maximum weight gain during the growing period. This maximum growth was not essential, however, for maximum subsequent egg production. Pullets fed the basal diet which contained 0.17% methionine laid at a rate equal to the controls and laid eggs of slightly larger size. Body weight gain during the growing period from 8-20 weeks is not an indicator for subsequent egg production. Feed consumption of all birds was approximately equal during both the growing period and the period of egg production.
1736
S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS
TABLE 1.—Composition of methionine deficient growing diet, practical growing diet, and laying diet Diet Ingredient
Methionine deficient growing diet
Practical growing diet
Laying diet
Ground wheat, Gaines Ground corn Ground dry peas Animal tallow Dehulled soybean meal (48.5% protein) Herring fish meal (70% protein) Meat and bone meal (50% protein) Dehy. alfalfa (17% protein) Ground limestone Dical. phosphate Salt Vitamin premix Trace mineral mixture TOTAL
73.45
%
/o 32.87 32.87 21.54
37.05 37.05
—
20.00 2.00
2.00 1.10 0.90 0.25 0.25" 0.05 d 100.00
—
2.51 1.00 1.00 0.40 0.25>> 0.05 d 100.00
— —
5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.50 0.75 0.30 0.25" 0.10" 100.00
" The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet: Vitamin A, 5,500 I.U.; Vitamin D 3 , 1,650 I.C.U.; riboflavin, 3.3 mg.; niacin, 17.6 mg.; Ca pantothenate, 3.3 mg.; ethoxyquin, 125.4 mg.; and zinc bacitracin, 11.0 mg. b The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet. Vitamin A, 4,400 I.U.; Vitamin D 3 , 1,100 I.C.TJ.; riboflavin, 2.2 mg.; and ethoxyquin, 63.8 mg. c The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet: Vitamin A, 4,400 I.U.; Vitamin D3, 1,100 I.C.U.; riboflavin, 3.3 mg.; pantothenic acid, 4.05 mg.; ethoxyquin, 124.8 mg.; and DL-methionine, 500 mg. d The trace mineral mixture supplied the following per kg. of diet: Mn, 50 mg.; Fe, 50 mg.; Ca, 60 mg.; Cu, 5 mg.; Zn, 50 mg.; I, 1.5 mg.; and Co, 0.5 mg. " The trace mineral mixture supplied the following per kg. of diet: Mn, 100 mg.; Fe, 100 mg.; Ca, 120 mg.; Cu, 10 mg.; Zn, 100 mg.; I, 3.0 mg.; and Co, 1 mg
randomly distributed into 24 groups of 21 pullets each. These pullets were groupweighed and placed in floor pens of approximately 2X2 meters dimension. The building in which these pens were located is windowless and a declining photoperiod was employed from 8-20 weeks of age to simulate the changing natural day-length during the period from July 10 to October 2. A basal diet composed mainly of wheat and dry peas (Pisum sativum) was formulated to be deficient in methionine. Composition of this basal diet and of a practical control diet is given in Table 1. The basal diet was supplemented with five different levels of CL-rnethionine. The levels of added methionine and the levels of sulfur-containing amino acids for the different experimental diets are shown in Table 2. One of the experimental diets
which contained 0.1% added methionine was analyzed on the Technicon TSM amino acid analyzer by a method like that of Spackman et al. (1958) for amino acids, including methionine and cystine. Methionine was also determined by a method developed by Hedwig et al. (1972) using thin layer chromatography. Each of the six different experimental diets, including the practical control diet, was fed ad libitum from 8 and 20 weeks of age to four replicate groups of 21 pullets each. Data on body weight gains and feed consumption were collected at 4-week intervals and mortality which occurred was recorded daily. When the pullets were 20 weeks of age, the groups were moved from the floor pens to small group cages. Six cages were used to house each experimental group of pullets and where no
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— — —
—
5.00 2.51
%
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PULLET METHIONINE REQUIREMENT
mental group of pullets during two days at the end of each 4-week period and after each group reached 50% production were saved for determination of egg weight. The experimental data were analyzed by analysis of variance and different treatment means were compared using Duncan's (1955) new multiple range test. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Body weight. The results on body weights at 4-week intervals during the experimental growing period and at 24 and 44 weeks of age are presented in Table 3. Only the 20 and 44-week data were analyzed statistically. Pullets fed the basal diet were significantly (P<0.05) smaller at 20 weeks of age than those in all other treatments and the lowest level of supplemental methionine (0.05%) resulted in significantly (P<0.05) lower growth than the higher levels of methionine. Pullets which were fed the basal diet during the growing period were also significantly smaller than all other pullets at 44 weeks of age. None of the other growing treatments showed significant differences at the termination of the experiment. The practical control diet supported significantly (P<0.05) greater pullet growth during the 8-20 week period that any of the experimental diets, with
TABLE 2.—Crude protein contents, levels of added methionine and levels of sulfur-containing amino acids in experimental rations
Treat. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6" 8 b
Added Meth.
(%) 0.0010.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.00
Crude protein (%)
Meth.
Cystine•(.%)
(%)
Total sulfur containing amino acid (%)
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
12.34 12.34 12.34 12.34 12.34 16.53
13.6 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.5 17.4
0.175 0.175 0.175 0.175 0.175 0.222
0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
0.17 0.22 0.27 0.32 0.37
0.352 0.402 0.452 0.502 0.552 0.493
0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55
—•
This diet was not analyzed for amino acids. Methionine added to methionine deficient growing diet shown in Table 1.
—
—
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mortality occurred, three of the cages contained three pullets and three contained four. At the time of transfer from floor pens to cages at 20 weeks of age, the photoperiod was increased to provide 14 hours of light per day and this photoperiod was kept constant during the egg production phase. Following the experimental growing phase, all pullets were fed the same laying diet shown in Table 1 and were kept for a period of 24 weeks to determine the effects of growing diet treatments on subsequent feed consumption, body weight gain, egg production and egg weight. Records were also kept on the age at which each experimental group of birds reached a level of 50% egg production calculated on a hen-day basis. Because of the retarding effect of some of the experimental diets on growth and the age at 50% production, all groups of birds were continued on the laying diet following the 24-week period of observation until data were available for egg production during a comparable period of time following reaching a 50% production rate. All birds were weighed at 24 weeks of age after being on the laying diet for 4 weeks and at 44 weeks of age. Feed consumption was determined at 4-week intervals. All eggs produced by each experi-
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S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS TABLE 3.—The effects of experimental growing diets on body weight at various ages in grams
Treat. No.
%
567 567 571 571 558 567
721 748 780 775 798 852
861 966 993 1043 1006 1079
20 2
1070 a 1134 b 1202 c 1229 cd 1211c 1270 d
24
44
1388 1415 1446 1487 1451 1487
1673 a 1723 b 1732 b 1755 b 1719 b 1723 b
See footnotes a and b, Table 2. Means in the same column not having the same letter are significantly different (P<0.05).
the exception of the diet which contained 0.15% supplemental methionine. The differences in average weight, however, were very small. Feed consumption. Feed consumption data for the growing period from 8-20 weeks and for the laying phase are presented in Table 4. None of the differences at 20 and at 44 weeks of age were significantly different and there were no significant differences in total feed consumed from 8-44 weeks of age. Age at 50% production. The effect of methionine level on sexual development, as indicated by days of age when a 50% rate of egg production was reached, are summarized in Table 5. Pullets fed the basal diet 1, which was deficient in methionine, required the longest period of time to reach this level of production. The differences between treatments 1, 2 and 3 were, however, not statistically significant. Pullets fed the highest level of methionine and the control diet reached 50% production at the youngest ages. TABLE 4.—Effects of experimental diets on feed consumption per bird in kg. Treat. Methionine Growing period Laying period Total No. (8-20 weeks) ^2! -44 weeks, (8-44 weeks)
(%)
1 2 3 4 5 6
16
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
4.50 4.58 4.67 4.74 4.68 4.79
15.84 15.59 15.81 16.01 15.84 15.79
20.34 20.17 20.48 20.75 20.52 20.58
None of the treatment differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).
Again, the differences among treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6 were not statistically significant. Egg weight. The egg weight data collected when pullets reached 50% production and at the termination of the experiment are summarized in Table 5. Pullets raised on growing treatments 1 and 2, which were the lowest levels of methionine, laid eggs having the highest average weights at 50% production. It should be recalled that pullets in these treatments required the longest average time to reach a level of 50% production. These results show clearly that a low average body weight at 20 weeks of age is not necessarily correlated with the production of exceptionally small eggs during the early production phase. None of the differences in average egg size among the various growing treatments were significantly (P<0.05) different at termination of the experiment. Egg production. The egg production data, showing total average number of eggs per experimental group, average number of eggs for 20 weeks following reaching a level of 50% production, and the percent egg production based on hen days for the 20-week period after 50% production, are summarized and presented in Table 6. Levels of methionine fed during the growing period did not significantly affect rate of egg production.
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2
12
8
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Weeks
Methionine 1
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PULLET METHIONINE REQUIREMENT
TABLE 5.—Effect of methionine level of diet during pullet growing period on age at 50% production and on egg : Level of methionine added to growing diet (%) Age and Egg Weight 0.0 Age at 50% production —days 177.8 a' Av. egg wt. at 50% production—g. 48.53 a' Av. egg wt. at 44 weeks of age—g. 58.58 a'
0.05
0.10
176.5 ab
0.20
0.15 172.8 be
173.5 abc
171.3c
Control diet 171.3c
48.03 ab
46.70c
47.25 abc
46.25c
47.03 abc
58.28a
57.78a
58.73 a
58.20 a
57.98 a
Even though the differences were not •statistically significant, it is interesting t h a t pullets raised on the basal methionine-low diet laid more total eggs t h a n any other treatment during the 20-week period after reaching a level of 5 0 % production. This clearly shows t h a t the level of methionine which was inadequate for growth during the 8-20 week period did not impair egg production capability. When the week-by-week pattern of egg production was examined for pullets in the different growing period treatments, it was found t h a t the pullets raised in t r e a t m e n t 1, t h a t had the lowest average weight at 20 weeks of age, had 10 weeks of egg production above 8 0 % . Those raised on diet 2 had the shortest number of weeks above 8 0 % egg production. T h e difference in number of weeks above 8 0 % production for these two growing treatments, however, was not statistically significant.
TABLE 6.—Effect
DISCUSSION The results obtained in this experiment on growth of pullets with different levels of methionine during the period of 8-20 weeks of age and the subsequent performance of these pullets as laying hens require that we give some consideration to the criteria to be used in deciding on an amino acid requirement for pullets t h a t are being raised for egg production purposes. I t is clear t h a t if growth or body gain during the growing period is the main criterion, one requirement figure would be selected, whereas if subsequent egg production is the main criterion, a different figure would be selected. The data indicate further that maximum growth during the development period is not essential for satisfactory or optimum performance of pullets after reaching maturity. The important parameters b y which laying hens should be judged or considered, such as rate of egg produc-
of methionine level of diet during pullet growing period on egg production Level of methionine added to growing diet (%)
Production Total average number per group to 44 weeks of age Total average number per group for 20 weeks after 50% production % egg prod. (H.D.) for 20 week period after 50% prod.
0.0
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
Control diet.
2,284
2,188
2,323
2,274
2,280
2,325
2,322
2,189
2,268
2,214
2,200
2,212
79.6
75.8
77.6
77.6
77.9
77.0
None of the treatment differences were statistically significant
(P<0.05).
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' Means in the same row not having the same letter are significantly different (P < 0.05).
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S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are indebted to Dr. John M. Lawrence and Mr. Ronald G. Davis
of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Washington State University, for the amino acid analyses. REFERENCES Berg, L. R., 1958. Protein, energy and method of feeding as factors in trie nutrition of developing White Leghorn pullets. Poultry Sci. 38: 158-165. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11: 1-42. Hedwig, H. E., J. M. Lawrence and D. R. Cochran, 1972. Simple and rapid methods for determination of methionine and cystine in legume seeds. Anal. Biochem. In Press. Lillie, R. L., and C. A. Denton, 1966. Effect of nutrient restriction of White Leghorns in the grower and subsequent layer periods. Poultry Sci. 45:810-818. National Academy of Sciences, 1971. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. Sixth Edition. Spackman, D. H., W. H. Stein and S. Moore, 1958. Automatic recording apparatus for use in the chromatography of amino acids. Anal. Chem. 30: 1190-1206.
Incorporation of [1-"C] Glucosamine into the Plasma Proteins of the Fowl M. CHANNON, G. O. HENNEBERRY AND P. A. ANASTASSIADIS Department of A grictdtural Chemistry, Faculty of A griculture, McGUl University, Macdonald College 800, Province of Quebec, Canada (Received for publication February 21, 1972) ABSTRACT The incorporation of [1-14C] glucosamine into the serum proteins of White Leghorn was studied following intravenous and intraperitoneal injections. Although the activity curves varied from bird to bird, their maximum occurred approximately two hours after intravenous injection and eight hours after intraperitoneal injection. Electrophoretic distribution of protein, hexosamine and activity were studied following agar electrophoresis. The distributions of hexosamine and activity were not identical. I t was suggested that glucosamine has different turn over rates, in different glycoproteins. POULTRY SCIENCE 51: 1740-1743,1972
T
HE incorporation of hexosamine in the blood plasma proteins has been studied for some animals (Spiro, 1959; Shetlar et al., 1961, 1964; Moscarello et al., 1966) but not for the fowl. These studies indicated that parenterally administered glucosamine appeared to be incorporated into the hexosamine com-
ponent of glycoproteins with little modification of the carbon chain (Capps et al., 1966). In the present study the incorporation of [1-14C] glucosamine into the serum or plasma of the fowl, was investigated. It has been demonstrated that the hexosamine and glycoprotein contents of the different plasma fractions vary sub-
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tion, egg weight, feed consumption and livability, were not adversely affected or influenced as a result of lower average body weight at 20 weeks of age than that of pullets fed diets considered to be more nutritionally adequate. The levels of methionine and cystine fed in this study from 8-20 weeks of age which were adequate for both growth and subsequent egg production were similar to the levels given in the recent edition of Nutrition Requirements of Poultry, National Academy of Sciences (1971) as required from 14-20 weeks of age. These levels of methionine and cystine were lower than the requirements given for younger pullets.
POULTRY SCIENCE 51:1735-1740,1972
M
OST experiments on amino acid requirements conducted with chicks have been terminated at early ages before the protein requirement shows the decrease that is evident after 4-8 weeks of age. Berg et al. (1958) have reported that White Leghorn pullets raised for egg production grow normally on diets containing as little as 12% protein from 8-20 weeks of age and that this level of protein fed during the growing stage does not adversely affect subsequent egg production. Unpublished results obtained in a number of different experiments in our laboratories at Washington State University confirm these findings and indicate possibly that even lower levels of protein give satisfactory results, especially when the judgment is based on egg production of the pullets after they reach 20 weeks of age and are changed to laying diets. Lillie and Denton (1966) have reported that reduced levels of protein can be fed to pullets beginning earlier than 8 weeks of age and that the protein level may be re1 Scientific Paper No. 3793. College of Agriculture, Washington State University, Pullman. Project 1922.
duced to as low as 12% during the growing period from 8-20 weeks of age without adversely affecting subsequent egg production after the birds reach maturity. The fact that the pullet grows satisfactorily on reduced levels of total protein would suggest that lower levels of essential amino acids should also give satisfactory results. Because of the fact that methionine is usually the first limiting essential amino acid in practical rations for young chicks to 4 weeks of age, an experiment was conducted with pullets after 8 weeks of age to obtain information on the quantitative requirement of methionine for growth between 8 and 20 weeks of age and to determine the influence of methionine levels fed during this period on subsequent egg production and egg size. The results of this study are reported in this paper. PROCEDURE
White Leghorn pullets of a commercial strain, hatched May 16, 1970, were used in this experiment. They were fed a practical type of chick starter composed principally of corn, soybean meal, meat meal and fish meal from hatching to 8 weeks of age. At 8 weeks of age the pullets were
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ABSTRACT White Leghorn pullets were fed diets containing different levels of supplemental methionine from 8-20 weeks of age. At 20 weeks of age, all birds were changed to the same laying ration after being moved from floor pens to laying cages. The photoperiod was increased at 20 weeks of age to provide 14 hours light per day. Egg production, feed consumption, egg weight, mortality and body weight changes were measured during a 24-week period after 20 weeks of age. The results obtained in this experiment showed that a total level of 0.27% was required for maximum weight gain during the growing period. This maximum growth was not essential, however, for maximum subsequent egg production. Pullets fed the basal diet which contained 0.17% methionine laid at a rate equal to the controls and laid eggs of slightly larger size. Body weight gain during the growing period from 8-20 weeks is not an indicator for subsequent egg production. Feed consumption of all birds was approximately equal during both the growing period and the period of egg production.
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S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS
TABLE 1.—Composition of methionine deficient growing diet, practical growing diet, and laying diet Diet Ingredient
Methionine deficient growing diet
Practical growing diet
Laying diet
Ground wheat, Gaines Ground corn Ground dry peas Animal tallow Dehulled soybean meal (48.5% protein) Herring fish meal (70% protein) Meat and bone meal (50% protein) Dehy. alfalfa (17% protein) Ground limestone Dical. phosphate Salt Vitamin premix Trace mineral mixture TOTAL
73.45
%
/o 32.87 32.87 21.54
37.05 37.05
—
20.00 2.00
2.00 1.10 0.90 0.25 0.25" 0.05 d 100.00
—
2.51 1.00 1.00 0.40 0.25>> 0.05 d 100.00
— —
5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.50 0.75 0.30 0.25" 0.10" 100.00
" The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet: Vitamin A, 5,500 I.U.; Vitamin D 3 , 1,650 I.C.U.; riboflavin, 3.3 mg.; niacin, 17.6 mg.; Ca pantothenate, 3.3 mg.; ethoxyquin, 125.4 mg.; and zinc bacitracin, 11.0 mg. b The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet. Vitamin A, 4,400 I.U.; Vitamin D 3 , 1,100 I.C.TJ.; riboflavin, 2.2 mg.; and ethoxyquin, 63.8 mg. c The vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. of diet: Vitamin A, 4,400 I.U.; Vitamin D3, 1,100 I.C.U.; riboflavin, 3.3 mg.; pantothenic acid, 4.05 mg.; ethoxyquin, 124.8 mg.; and DL-methionine, 500 mg. d The trace mineral mixture supplied the following per kg. of diet: Mn, 50 mg.; Fe, 50 mg.; Ca, 60 mg.; Cu, 5 mg.; Zn, 50 mg.; I, 1.5 mg.; and Co, 0.5 mg. " The trace mineral mixture supplied the following per kg. of diet: Mn, 100 mg.; Fe, 100 mg.; Ca, 120 mg.; Cu, 10 mg.; Zn, 100 mg.; I, 3.0 mg.; and Co, 1 mg
randomly distributed into 24 groups of 21 pullets each. These pullets were groupweighed and placed in floor pens of approximately 2X2 meters dimension. The building in which these pens were located is windowless and a declining photoperiod was employed from 8-20 weeks of age to simulate the changing natural day-length during the period from July 10 to October 2. A basal diet composed mainly of wheat and dry peas (Pisum sativum) was formulated to be deficient in methionine. Composition of this basal diet and of a practical control diet is given in Table 1. The basal diet was supplemented with five different levels of CL-rnethionine. The levels of added methionine and the levels of sulfur-containing amino acids for the different experimental diets are shown in Table 2. One of the experimental diets
which contained 0.1% added methionine was analyzed on the Technicon TSM amino acid analyzer by a method like that of Spackman et al. (1958) for amino acids, including methionine and cystine. Methionine was also determined by a method developed by Hedwig et al. (1972) using thin layer chromatography. Each of the six different experimental diets, including the practical control diet, was fed ad libitum from 8 and 20 weeks of age to four replicate groups of 21 pullets each. Data on body weight gains and feed consumption were collected at 4-week intervals and mortality which occurred was recorded daily. When the pullets were 20 weeks of age, the groups were moved from the floor pens to small group cages. Six cages were used to house each experimental group of pullets and where no
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— — —
—
5.00 2.51
%
1737
PULLET METHIONINE REQUIREMENT
mental group of pullets during two days at the end of each 4-week period and after each group reached 50% production were saved for determination of egg weight. The experimental data were analyzed by analysis of variance and different treatment means were compared using Duncan's (1955) new multiple range test. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Body weight. The results on body weights at 4-week intervals during the experimental growing period and at 24 and 44 weeks of age are presented in Table 3. Only the 20 and 44-week data were analyzed statistically. Pullets fed the basal diet were significantly (P<0.05) smaller at 20 weeks of age than those in all other treatments and the lowest level of supplemental methionine (0.05%) resulted in significantly (P<0.05) lower growth than the higher levels of methionine. Pullets which were fed the basal diet during the growing period were also significantly smaller than all other pullets at 44 weeks of age. None of the other growing treatments showed significant differences at the termination of the experiment. The practical control diet supported significantly (P<0.05) greater pullet growth during the 8-20 week period that any of the experimental diets, with
TABLE 2.—Crude protein contents, levels of added methionine and levels of sulfur-containing amino acids in experimental rations
Treat. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6" 8 b
Added Meth.
(%) 0.0010.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.00
Crude protein (%)
Meth.
Cystine•(.%)
(%)
Total sulfur containing amino acid (%)
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
Calc.
Anal.
12.34 12.34 12.34 12.34 12.34 16.53
13.6 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.5 17.4
0.175 0.175 0.175 0.175 0.175 0.222
0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
0.17 0.22 0.27 0.32 0.37
0.352 0.402 0.452 0.502 0.552 0.493
0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55
—•
This diet was not analyzed for amino acids. Methionine added to methionine deficient growing diet shown in Table 1.
—
—
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mortality occurred, three of the cages contained three pullets and three contained four. At the time of transfer from floor pens to cages at 20 weeks of age, the photoperiod was increased to provide 14 hours of light per day and this photoperiod was kept constant during the egg production phase. Following the experimental growing phase, all pullets were fed the same laying diet shown in Table 1 and were kept for a period of 24 weeks to determine the effects of growing diet treatments on subsequent feed consumption, body weight gain, egg production and egg weight. Records were also kept on the age at which each experimental group of birds reached a level of 50% egg production calculated on a hen-day basis. Because of the retarding effect of some of the experimental diets on growth and the age at 50% production, all groups of birds were continued on the laying diet following the 24-week period of observation until data were available for egg production during a comparable period of time following reaching a 50% production rate. All birds were weighed at 24 weeks of age after being on the laying diet for 4 weeks and at 44 weeks of age. Feed consumption was determined at 4-week intervals. All eggs produced by each experi-
1738
S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS TABLE 3.—The effects of experimental growing diets on body weight at various ages in grams
Treat. No.
%
567 567 571 571 558 567
721 748 780 775 798 852
861 966 993 1043 1006 1079
20 2
1070 a 1134 b 1202 c 1229 cd 1211c 1270 d
24
44
1388 1415 1446 1487 1451 1487
1673 a 1723 b 1732 b 1755 b 1719 b 1723 b
See footnotes a and b, Table 2. Means in the same column not having the same letter are significantly different (P<0.05).
the exception of the diet which contained 0.15% supplemental methionine. The differences in average weight, however, were very small. Feed consumption. Feed consumption data for the growing period from 8-20 weeks and for the laying phase are presented in Table 4. None of the differences at 20 and at 44 weeks of age were significantly different and there were no significant differences in total feed consumed from 8-44 weeks of age. Age at 50% production. The effect of methionine level on sexual development, as indicated by days of age when a 50% rate of egg production was reached, are summarized in Table 5. Pullets fed the basal diet 1, which was deficient in methionine, required the longest period of time to reach this level of production. The differences between treatments 1, 2 and 3 were, however, not statistically significant. Pullets fed the highest level of methionine and the control diet reached 50% production at the youngest ages. TABLE 4.—Effects of experimental diets on feed consumption per bird in kg. Treat. Methionine Growing period Laying period Total No. (8-20 weeks) ^2! -44 weeks, (8-44 weeks)
(%)
1 2 3 4 5 6
16
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
4.50 4.58 4.67 4.74 4.68 4.79
15.84 15.59 15.81 16.01 15.84 15.79
20.34 20.17 20.48 20.75 20.52 20.58
None of the treatment differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).
Again, the differences among treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6 were not statistically significant. Egg weight. The egg weight data collected when pullets reached 50% production and at the termination of the experiment are summarized in Table 5. Pullets raised on growing treatments 1 and 2, which were the lowest levels of methionine, laid eggs having the highest average weights at 50% production. It should be recalled that pullets in these treatments required the longest average time to reach a level of 50% production. These results show clearly that a low average body weight at 20 weeks of age is not necessarily correlated with the production of exceptionally small eggs during the early production phase. None of the differences in average egg size among the various growing treatments were significantly (P<0.05) different at termination of the experiment. Egg production. The egg production data, showing total average number of eggs per experimental group, average number of eggs for 20 weeks following reaching a level of 50% production, and the percent egg production based on hen days for the 20-week period after 50% production, are summarized and presented in Table 6. Levels of methionine fed during the growing period did not significantly affect rate of egg production.
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2
12
8
0.177 0.227 0.277 0.327 0.377 0.271
1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Weeks
Methionine 1
1739
PULLET METHIONINE REQUIREMENT
TABLE 5.—Effect of methionine level of diet during pullet growing period on age at 50% production and on egg : Level of methionine added to growing diet (%) Age and Egg Weight 0.0 Age at 50% production —days 177.8 a' Av. egg wt. at 50% production—g. 48.53 a' Av. egg wt. at 44 weeks of age—g. 58.58 a'
0.05
0.10
176.5 ab
0.20
0.15 172.8 be
173.5 abc
171.3c
Control diet 171.3c
48.03 ab
46.70c
47.25 abc
46.25c
47.03 abc
58.28a
57.78a
58.73 a
58.20 a
57.98 a
Even though the differences were not •statistically significant, it is interesting t h a t pullets raised on the basal methionine-low diet laid more total eggs t h a n any other treatment during the 20-week period after reaching a level of 5 0 % production. This clearly shows t h a t the level of methionine which was inadequate for growth during the 8-20 week period did not impair egg production capability. When the week-by-week pattern of egg production was examined for pullets in the different growing period treatments, it was found t h a t the pullets raised in t r e a t m e n t 1, t h a t had the lowest average weight at 20 weeks of age, had 10 weeks of egg production above 8 0 % . Those raised on diet 2 had the shortest number of weeks above 8 0 % egg production. T h e difference in number of weeks above 8 0 % production for these two growing treatments, however, was not statistically significant.
TABLE 6.—Effect
DISCUSSION The results obtained in this experiment on growth of pullets with different levels of methionine during the period of 8-20 weeks of age and the subsequent performance of these pullets as laying hens require that we give some consideration to the criteria to be used in deciding on an amino acid requirement for pullets t h a t are being raised for egg production purposes. I t is clear t h a t if growth or body gain during the growing period is the main criterion, one requirement figure would be selected, whereas if subsequent egg production is the main criterion, a different figure would be selected. The data indicate further that maximum growth during the development period is not essential for satisfactory or optimum performance of pullets after reaching maturity. The important parameters b y which laying hens should be judged or considered, such as rate of egg produc-
of methionine level of diet during pullet growing period on egg production Level of methionine added to growing diet (%)
Production Total average number per group to 44 weeks of age Total average number per group for 20 weeks after 50% production % egg prod. (H.D.) for 20 week period after 50% prod.
0.0
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
Control diet.
2,284
2,188
2,323
2,274
2,280
2,325
2,322
2,189
2,268
2,214
2,200
2,212
79.6
75.8
77.6
77.6
77.9
77.0
None of the treatment differences were statistically significant
(P<0.05).
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' Means in the same row not having the same letter are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1740
S. M. KIM AND J. MCGINNIS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are indebted to Dr. John M. Lawrence and Mr. Ronald G. Davis
of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Washington State University, for the amino acid analyses. REFERENCES Berg, L. R., 1958. Protein, energy and method of feeding as factors in trie nutrition of developing White Leghorn pullets. Poultry Sci. 38: 158-165. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11: 1-42. Hedwig, H. E., J. M. Lawrence and D. R. Cochran, 1972. Simple and rapid methods for determination of methionine and cystine in legume seeds. Anal. Biochem. In Press. Lillie, R. L., and C. A. Denton, 1966. Effect of nutrient restriction of White Leghorns in the grower and subsequent layer periods. Poultry Sci. 45:810-818. National Academy of Sciences, 1971. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. Sixth Edition. Spackman, D. H., W. H. Stein and S. Moore, 1958. Automatic recording apparatus for use in the chromatography of amino acids. Anal. Chem. 30: 1190-1206.
Incorporation of [1-"C] Glucosamine into the Plasma Proteins of the Fowl M. CHANNON, G. O. HENNEBERRY AND P. A. ANASTASSIADIS Department of A grictdtural Chemistry, Faculty of A griculture, McGUl University, Macdonald College 800, Province of Quebec, Canada (Received for publication February 21, 1972) ABSTRACT The incorporation of [1-14C] glucosamine into the serum proteins of White Leghorn was studied following intravenous and intraperitoneal injections. Although the activity curves varied from bird to bird, their maximum occurred approximately two hours after intravenous injection and eight hours after intraperitoneal injection. Electrophoretic distribution of protein, hexosamine and activity were studied following agar electrophoresis. The distributions of hexosamine and activity were not identical. I t was suggested that glucosamine has different turn over rates, in different glycoproteins. POULTRY SCIENCE 51: 1740-1743,1972
T
HE incorporation of hexosamine in the blood plasma proteins has been studied for some animals (Spiro, 1959; Shetlar et al., 1961, 1964; Moscarello et al., 1966) but not for the fowl. These studies indicated that parenterally administered glucosamine appeared to be incorporated into the hexosamine com-
ponent of glycoproteins with little modification of the carbon chain (Capps et al., 1966). In the present study the incorporation of [1-14C] glucosamine into the serum or plasma of the fowl, was investigated. It has been demonstrated that the hexosamine and glycoprotein contents of the different plasma fractions vary sub-
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tion, egg weight, feed consumption and livability, were not adversely affected or influenced as a result of lower average body weight at 20 weeks of age than that of pullets fed diets considered to be more nutritionally adequate. The levels of methionine and cystine fed in this study from 8-20 weeks of age which were adequate for both growth and subsequent egg production were similar to the levels given in the recent edition of Nutrition Requirements of Poultry, National Academy of Sciences (1971) as required from 14-20 weeks of age. These levels of methionine and cystine were lower than the requirements given for younger pullets.