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Pelleted and Unpelleted Diets High in Dehydrated Green Feeds for Turkeys Grown in Confinement
Pelleted and Unpelleted Diets High in Dehydrated Green Feeds for Turkeys Grown in Confinement
(Received for publication December 22, 1948)
C
OONEY el al. (1948) pointed out that alfalfa meal, in addition to being a good source of several amino acids and vitamins for poultry, furnishes from 30 to 40 percent as much total digestible nutrients per unit of weight as the common cereal grains. These authors also stated that alfalfa meal is normally available in large quantities at a price often below that of grains. As a result of an experiment, however, they concluded that there was a factor in the alfalfa meal used by them which reduced growth in chicks when fed at or above the 10 percent level. They further showed that it was unlikely that the growth retardation was attributable to fibre and suggested that the effect may have been brought about by rendering the feed unpalatable, thereby decreasing feed intake, or by an actual physiological growth depressing effect. Milby et al. (1943) pointed out that home-grown alfalfa hay can be substituted for the leaf meal in turkey growing rations and as much as 15 percent may be used. Alder (1946) found that as much as 35 percent of alfalfa meal in the growing mash of turkeys gave satisfactory results. Unpublished results from our departments indicate that 1 pound of dehydrated cereal grass can replace 2 pounds of dehydrated alfalfa meal in practical poultry starting
rations, and that Ja mixture of the two supplements gave superior results to either one alone. Carver et al. (1938) found no significant difference at 28 weeks in the body weights of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys fed mash, mash and pellets or pellets. Scratch grain was supplied to all lots during the growing period and the birds were allowed to run on alfalfa range from 8 weeks of age. Turkeys fed pellets and scratch grain gave slightly higher returns over feed cost than the turkeys fed by the other methods. The pounds of feed per pound of gain and the cost of feed per pound of gain were both slightly less in the lots fed pellets and scratch grains. Goodearl and Moore (1941) concluded that the feeding of starter and grower mash in the form of pellets, as compared to mash, promoted better growth to 26 weeks of age. The turkeys fed pellets had better market finish and greater freedom from pinfeathers than the mash fed groups, this difference being more pronounced than the difference in growth. The turkeys in this experiment were also allowed range during the growing period. From the results of the above reports it would appear that higher than normally recommended levels of alfalfa meal may give satisfactory results in mashes for
556
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. V. EVANS Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Animal Nutrition, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario
557
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
From 5 weeks of age, the birds were housed in similar pens of a brooder house with attached slat-floored sun porches. The basal mixture for all 6 groups was made up of equal parts of ground yellow corn, ground wheat, wheat shorts, wheat bran, ground oat groats, ground whole oats and ground barley. The composition of the diets is shown in Table 1. The dehydrated green feed used was a mixture of equal parts of dehydrated "alfalfa meal and dehydrated cereal grass. Hereafter, in this paper this mixture will be referred
TABLE 1.—Composition of rations* Ingredient Basal mixture Dehydrated alfalfa Dehydrated cereal grass Soybean oil meal Fish meal Salt (iodized) Fine oyster shell Steamed bone meal Totals Riboflavin (Merck premix)**
Groups 1 & 4
Groups 2 & 5
Groups 3 & 6
57.5 lbs. 5.0 " 5.0 " 24.0 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
53.0 lbs. 7.5 " 7.5 " 23.5 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
48.5 lbs. 10.0 " 10.0 " 23.0 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
1.42 grams
0.71 grams
0
grams
Vitamin D 3 (alphadol, 2000 units D 3 per gram)
45
45
45
"
MnSCX (anhydrous)
11.4
11.4
11.4
"
* Rations for groups 1, 2, 3, were not pelleted, rations for groups 4, 5, and 6 were pelleted. ** Contains 1 gram riboflavin per ounce, or 35.27 mgs. per gram.
a commercial starting mash. The birds were then weighed individually and wingbanded and the weights were arranged in descending order. The 6 heaviest birds were placed in pens 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively, the next 6 birds in pens 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. This method of selection was continued until 31 birds had been placed in each group. The birds were not sexed but it was felt that this method of selection would give a fair sex distribution as well as approximately equal weights in the various groups. For final considerations the birds were sexed when 15 weeks of age.
to as green feed. The mashes used were formulated to contain a minimum amount of animal protein, the majority of the supplementary protein being supplied by soybean oil meal. The green feed was increased mainly at the expense of the basal grain and wheat byproducts mixture, but in order to keep the protein constant throughout, a slight reduction in the soybean oil meal was necessary as the green feed was increased. The protein content was calculated to be 20 percent. Adequate riboflavin levels were maintained with synthetic riboflavin. The fibre content of the •mashes was calculated using average fig-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
growing turkeys. They also suggest that the pelleting of growing mashes for turkeys is advantageous. Since mashes high in dehydrated green feed are bulky and tend to be somewhat bitter it was considered that such mashes might be improved to a greater extent by pelleting than mashes cbntaining normally recommended dehydrated green feed levels. EXPERIMENTAL Broad Breasted Bronze poults were reared for 5 weeks in battery brooders on
558
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. V. EVANS
TABLE 2.—Average weights and feed-gain ratios Group Number
Group 1
Group 4
Males Weight at 11 wks. pounds
Females Unweighted mean Males
Weight at 24 wks. pounds
Females
Unpelleted 14
5.9 * 5.2
15 2
5.S5 '
Pelleted
Unpelleted
15
5.8 17
5.6"
4.8 14
7.5
6.5528
5.3
Pelleted
Group 3
Group 6
20% Greenfeed Unpelleted
Pelleted
7.41 2
5.2
16
7.1"
5.9"
4.7 13
5.613
29
28
6.35 30
31
6.65 24.9 9
21.5 1 "
23.4"
16.7"
15.1"
15.9' 3
22.6 10
24.7'°
21.6 16
15.8"
13
15.1
14
18.3
30
15.9
Group 5
15% Greenfeed
10%'Greenfeed Treatment
Group 2
20. &»
4.95
24
19.2*
20.3™
Pounds mash per pound gain
2.99
2.86
3.12
2.82
2.88
3.06
Pounds grain per pound gain
1.87
1.85
1.96
1.73
1.93
1.67
Total feed f >er pound gain
4.86
4.71
5.08
4.55
4.81
4.73
Unweighted mean
'
18.3
19.65^
* Number of birds.
For the first 5 weeks of the experiment, that is, until the birds were 10 weeks of age, only the mashes (pelleted or unpelleted) were fed. From that time until the end of the experimental period of 24 weeks, the following whole grain mixture was supplied ad libitum in addition to the mashes: yellow corn 1 part, barley 1 part, oats 2 parts and wheat 2 parts by weight. Up to 10 weeks of age chick-size pellets were used, while from 10 to 24 weeks the birds received hen-size pellets. The turkeys were "weighed every two weeks until 23 weeks of age and then again at 24 weeks. Table 2 shows the average
ance was performed on the weight data for the separate sexes at each weighing. Highly significant differences were found in all cases. In spite of the method used in selecting the birds for the groups there were slight differences in average weights at the beginning of the experiment. The application of co-variance methods was considered desirable to remove any possible influence of the initial weight differ* It is realized that the lack of replication among the pens and the non-random assignment of the poults to the various pens may weaken the value of this analysis. However, it was felt that the analysis would be of some aid in assessing the results.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
weights of males and females together with the unweighted means at 11 and 24 weeks of age. The other weight data are not given since the relative values are similar to those presented. The. weight data were subjected to statistical analysis, (Snedecor (1946)) the weights for birds which did not remain to the end of the experiment being omitted from these calculations.* Analysis of vari-
ures for feedingstuffs available in Canada (Motzok et al, 1945). The values were found to be 6.9, 7.6 and 8.3 percent for the mashes fed to groups 1 and 4, 2 and 5, and 3 and 6 respectively. According to Milby et al. (1943) growing turkeys utilize rations high in fibre but do not do so efficiently and it is not practical to feed rations containing more than 8 to 10 percent of fibre.
559
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
to pellet mashes containing 15 and 20 percent green feed than mashes containing 10 percent. The birds of group 3, receiving 20 percent green feed in unpelleted form, were smallest throughout most of the experiment and the males were significantly lighter than those of groups 1 and 2 at
TABLE 3.—Results of statistical treatment of data Age 11 weeks
11 weeks
24 weeks
24 weeks
Sex Male
Female
Male
Female
Group No.
Adjusted mean weight
Fiducial limits (95% probability)
Statistically significant differences
6.0 5.9 5.3 7.5 7.1 7.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
5.75.65.07.26.76.7-
6.3 6.2 5.6 7.8 7.5 7.3
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
4 > 1 , 2 , 3 , (6) 5>1, 2,3 6 > 1 , 2, 3
5.0 4.9 4.7 5.7 5.8 5.7
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
,7,6,4.4.55.4-
5.3 5.2 5.0 6.0 6.1 6.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
4>1, 2,3 5>1,2, 3 6 > 1 , 2, 3
22.8 21.7 21.7 24.7 24.5 23.1
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
21.9-23.7 21.0-22.4 20.8-22.6 23.8-25.6 23.5-25.5 22.2-24.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
15.7 15.1 15.1 16.0 16.7 15.9
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
15.1-16.3 14.5-15.7 14.5-15.7 15.4-16.6 16.2-17.2 15.3-16.5
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
with the influence of initial differences removed. The fiducial limits for 95 percent probability were calculated for these adjusted means and this information is assembled in Table 3. It will be seen from Table 3 that the weights of groups 4, 5 and 6 were consistently better than those of groups 1, 2 and 3—significantly so in most cases. This indicates that both sexes reached greater weights at 11 and 24 weeks when fed pellets than when fed mash of the same composition. The data also suggest that it is somewhat more advantageous
1>3 2>3
4 > 1 , 2,3 5>1,2, 3
5 > ( 1 ) , 2, 3
11 weeks. While the other differences due to green feed level were not found to be significant, inspection of the mean weights indicates slightly better results in favor of the lower levels of green feed. Records were kept of the total consumption of mash and of grain for each group. Total gain in weight by a group was calculated by adding the 24 week weights and the final weights of birds which died or were removed before the end of the experiment. The initial weight of the group was subtracted from this . total. The pounds of feed per pound gain
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
ence. Co-variance analysis methods were applied to the weight data of both sexes for 11 and 24 weeks. Here again, highly significant differences were shown in all cases. Adjusted mean final weights were calculated from the co-variance data, and these adjusted means show the true relation of the final weights of the groups
560
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. C. EVANS
pellets since "bitting" does not seem to interfere with the ability to eat and even with the use of unpelleted feed it is often necessary to take steps to prevent or curtail cannibalistic tendencies. Since mashes high in bulk are improved markedly for growing turkeys by pelleting, it would appear that such high volume feeds have limited usefulness in mash form because the birds do not eat enough for rapid growth. Pelleting probably enables the birds to increase consumption to the extent that this limitation is overcome. SUMMARY
Groups of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys were fed mashes containing 10, 15 and 20 percent of a mixture of equal parts of dehydrated alfalfa and dehydrated cereal grass in both pelleted and unpelleted form. The results of the experiment indicate that while slightly better growth rate was obtained from the lower levels of green feed, even the 20 percent level gave satisfactory results. Much greater differences were found between the pelleted and unpelleted mashes however, than between the levels of the dehydrated products. The weights of all the groups receiving pellets were greater than those of any group receiving mash, significantly so in most cases. More advantage appears to be gained by pelleting mashes containing 15 and 20 percent of dehydrated products than one containing 10 percent. Based on total feed consumption, efficiency of gain tended to be increased by pelleting, but the differences were not marked. REFERENCES
Alder, Byron. Economical turkey production in Utah 1946. Utah Agr. Exp. Sta. Mimeograph Series No. 323, 1946.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
was calculated by dividing the total mash consumed, total grain consumed or total mash plus grain by the total gain in weight. The data presented in Table 2 indicates that on the basis of total feed per pound gain there is little difference in efficiency dependent on the level of green feed used and that pellets give slightly higher feed efficiency than mash. In view of the uneven sex distribution these feed efficiency figures cannot be considered to be too reliable. Past experience had indicated to us that the toms in our strain of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys when reared on wire or slats were prone to develop some foot trouble, chiefly "bumblefoot," and considerable hock trouble of a "perosislike" nature. Since such birds do not always continue to gain weight in a normal manner, it was felt that less error would result if these birds were removed from the experiment as soon as foot or hock abnormalities were noted. This procedure was therefore followed in the present experiment and is the chief reason for the reduction in the number of toms in the groups from 11 to 24 weeks of age. Mortality per se, was not a significant factor in the experiment. During the course of the experiment all groups being fed pellets began to featherpick at a relatively early age. None of the groups fed unpelleted feed developed this vice. However, when the practice became prevalent in the pellet-fed groups, all birds were "bitted," so that it cannot be stated that those groups fed unpelleted feed would not have developed this habit later on, had they not been prevented from doing so. Certainly, pelleting the diets employed caused the birds to resort to this habit at an earlier age than would otherwise have been the case. This is not considered a serious objection to the use of
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
Carver, J. S., L. A. Wilhelm, and J. W. Cook, 1938. Methods of feeding turkeys. Wash. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 356. Cooney, W. T., J. S. Butts, and L. E. Bacon. Alfalfa meal in chick rations, 1948. Poul. Sci. 27,828-830. Goodearl, G. P., and F. E. Moore, 1941. Turkey feeding II. Feeding of mash in pellet form to growing turkeys. N. Dak. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 303. Milby, T. T., Robert Penquite, and R. B. Thomp-
561
son, 1943. Fiber and protein in turkey rations. Substitutes to meet wartime needs. Okla. Agr. Sta. Circ. No. c-111. Motzok, I., D. C. Hill, and H. D. Branion, 1945. The chemical composition of feedingstuffs available in Canada. Sci. Agr. 25: 9. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical methods. 4th ed. Collegiate Press, Inc., Ames, Iowa. Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
(Received for publication December 22, 1948)
C
OONEY el al. (1948) pointed out that alfalfa meal, in addition to being a good source of several amino acids and vitamins for poultry, furnishes from 30 to 40 percent as much total digestible nutrients per unit of weight as the common cereal grains. These authors also stated that alfalfa meal is normally available in large quantities at a price often below that of grains. As a result of an experiment, however, they concluded that there was a factor in the alfalfa meal used by them which reduced growth in chicks when fed at or above the 10 percent level. They further showed that it was unlikely that the growth retardation was attributable to fibre and suggested that the effect may have been brought about by rendering the feed unpalatable, thereby decreasing feed intake, or by an actual physiological growth depressing effect. Milby et al. (1943) pointed out that home-grown alfalfa hay can be substituted for the leaf meal in turkey growing rations and as much as 15 percent may be used. Alder (1946) found that as much as 35 percent of alfalfa meal in the growing mash of turkeys gave satisfactory results. Unpublished results from our departments indicate that 1 pound of dehydrated cereal grass can replace 2 pounds of dehydrated alfalfa meal in practical poultry starting
rations, and that Ja mixture of the two supplements gave superior results to either one alone. Carver et al. (1938) found no significant difference at 28 weeks in the body weights of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys fed mash, mash and pellets or pellets. Scratch grain was supplied to all lots during the growing period and the birds were allowed to run on alfalfa range from 8 weeks of age. Turkeys fed pellets and scratch grain gave slightly higher returns over feed cost than the turkeys fed by the other methods. The pounds of feed per pound of gain and the cost of feed per pound of gain were both slightly less in the lots fed pellets and scratch grains. Goodearl and Moore (1941) concluded that the feeding of starter and grower mash in the form of pellets, as compared to mash, promoted better growth to 26 weeks of age. The turkeys fed pellets had better market finish and greater freedom from pinfeathers than the mash fed groups, this difference being more pronounced than the difference in growth. The turkeys in this experiment were also allowed range during the growing period. From the results of the above reports it would appear that higher than normally recommended levels of alfalfa meal may give satisfactory results in mashes for
556
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. V. EVANS Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Animal Nutrition, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario
557
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
From 5 weeks of age, the birds were housed in similar pens of a brooder house with attached slat-floored sun porches. The basal mixture for all 6 groups was made up of equal parts of ground yellow corn, ground wheat, wheat shorts, wheat bran, ground oat groats, ground whole oats and ground barley. The composition of the diets is shown in Table 1. The dehydrated green feed used was a mixture of equal parts of dehydrated "alfalfa meal and dehydrated cereal grass. Hereafter, in this paper this mixture will be referred
TABLE 1.—Composition of rations* Ingredient Basal mixture Dehydrated alfalfa Dehydrated cereal grass Soybean oil meal Fish meal Salt (iodized) Fine oyster shell Steamed bone meal Totals Riboflavin (Merck premix)**
Groups 1 & 4
Groups 2 & 5
Groups 3 & 6
57.5 lbs. 5.0 " 5.0 " 24.0 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
53.0 lbs. 7.5 " 7.5 " 23.5 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
48.5 lbs. 10.0 " 10.0 " 23.0 " 3.0 " 1.0 " 2.25 " 2.25 " 100.0 "
1.42 grams
0.71 grams
0
grams
Vitamin D 3 (alphadol, 2000 units D 3 per gram)
45
45
45
"
MnSCX (anhydrous)
11.4
11.4
11.4
"
* Rations for groups 1, 2, 3, were not pelleted, rations for groups 4, 5, and 6 were pelleted. ** Contains 1 gram riboflavin per ounce, or 35.27 mgs. per gram.
a commercial starting mash. The birds were then weighed individually and wingbanded and the weights were arranged in descending order. The 6 heaviest birds were placed in pens 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively, the next 6 birds in pens 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. This method of selection was continued until 31 birds had been placed in each group. The birds were not sexed but it was felt that this method of selection would give a fair sex distribution as well as approximately equal weights in the various groups. For final considerations the birds were sexed when 15 weeks of age.
to as green feed. The mashes used were formulated to contain a minimum amount of animal protein, the majority of the supplementary protein being supplied by soybean oil meal. The green feed was increased mainly at the expense of the basal grain and wheat byproducts mixture, but in order to keep the protein constant throughout, a slight reduction in the soybean oil meal was necessary as the green feed was increased. The protein content was calculated to be 20 percent. Adequate riboflavin levels were maintained with synthetic riboflavin. The fibre content of the •mashes was calculated using average fig-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
growing turkeys. They also suggest that the pelleting of growing mashes for turkeys is advantageous. Since mashes high in dehydrated green feed are bulky and tend to be somewhat bitter it was considered that such mashes might be improved to a greater extent by pelleting than mashes cbntaining normally recommended dehydrated green feed levels. EXPERIMENTAL Broad Breasted Bronze poults were reared for 5 weeks in battery brooders on
558
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. V. EVANS
TABLE 2.—Average weights and feed-gain ratios Group Number
Group 1
Group 4
Males Weight at 11 wks. pounds
Females Unweighted mean Males
Weight at 24 wks. pounds
Females
Unpelleted 14
5.9 * 5.2
15 2
5.S5 '
Pelleted
Unpelleted
15
5.8 17
5.6"
4.8 14
7.5
6.5528
5.3
Pelleted
Group 3
Group 6
20% Greenfeed Unpelleted
Pelleted
7.41 2
5.2
16
7.1"
5.9"
4.7 13
5.613
29
28
6.35 30
31
6.65 24.9 9
21.5 1 "
23.4"
16.7"
15.1"
15.9' 3
22.6 10
24.7'°
21.6 16
15.8"
13
15.1
14
18.3
30
15.9
Group 5
15% Greenfeed
10%'Greenfeed Treatment
Group 2
20. &»
4.95
24
19.2*
20.3™
Pounds mash per pound gain
2.99
2.86
3.12
2.82
2.88
3.06
Pounds grain per pound gain
1.87
1.85
1.96
1.73
1.93
1.67
Total feed f >er pound gain
4.86
4.71
5.08
4.55
4.81
4.73
Unweighted mean
'
18.3
19.65^
* Number of birds.
For the first 5 weeks of the experiment, that is, until the birds were 10 weeks of age, only the mashes (pelleted or unpelleted) were fed. From that time until the end of the experimental period of 24 weeks, the following whole grain mixture was supplied ad libitum in addition to the mashes: yellow corn 1 part, barley 1 part, oats 2 parts and wheat 2 parts by weight. Up to 10 weeks of age chick-size pellets were used, while from 10 to 24 weeks the birds received hen-size pellets. The turkeys were "weighed every two weeks until 23 weeks of age and then again at 24 weeks. Table 2 shows the average
ance was performed on the weight data for the separate sexes at each weighing. Highly significant differences were found in all cases. In spite of the method used in selecting the birds for the groups there were slight differences in average weights at the beginning of the experiment. The application of co-variance methods was considered desirable to remove any possible influence of the initial weight differ* It is realized that the lack of replication among the pens and the non-random assignment of the poults to the various pens may weaken the value of this analysis. However, it was felt that the analysis would be of some aid in assessing the results.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
weights of males and females together with the unweighted means at 11 and 24 weeks of age. The other weight data are not given since the relative values are similar to those presented. The. weight data were subjected to statistical analysis, (Snedecor (1946)) the weights for birds which did not remain to the end of the experiment being omitted from these calculations.* Analysis of vari-
ures for feedingstuffs available in Canada (Motzok et al, 1945). The values were found to be 6.9, 7.6 and 8.3 percent for the mashes fed to groups 1 and 4, 2 and 5, and 3 and 6 respectively. According to Milby et al. (1943) growing turkeys utilize rations high in fibre but do not do so efficiently and it is not practical to feed rations containing more than 8 to 10 percent of fibre.
559
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
to pellet mashes containing 15 and 20 percent green feed than mashes containing 10 percent. The birds of group 3, receiving 20 percent green feed in unpelleted form, were smallest throughout most of the experiment and the males were significantly lighter than those of groups 1 and 2 at
TABLE 3.—Results of statistical treatment of data Age 11 weeks
11 weeks
24 weeks
24 weeks
Sex Male
Female
Male
Female
Group No.
Adjusted mean weight
Fiducial limits (95% probability)
Statistically significant differences
6.0 5.9 5.3 7.5 7.1 7.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
5.75.65.07.26.76.7-
6.3 6.2 5.6 7.8 7.5 7.3
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
4 > 1 , 2 , 3 , (6) 5>1, 2,3 6 > 1 , 2, 3
5.0 4.9 4.7 5.7 5.8 5.7
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
,7,6,4.4.55.4-
5.3 5.2 5.0 6.0 6.1 6.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
4>1, 2,3 5>1,2, 3 6 > 1 , 2, 3
22.8 21.7 21.7 24.7 24.5 23.1
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
21.9-23.7 21.0-22.4 20.8-22.6 23.8-25.6 23.5-25.5 22.2-24.0
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
15.7 15.1 15.1 16.0 16.7 15.9
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
15.1-16.3 14.5-15.7 14.5-15.7 15.4-16.6 16.2-17.2 15.3-16.5
lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.
with the influence of initial differences removed. The fiducial limits for 95 percent probability were calculated for these adjusted means and this information is assembled in Table 3. It will be seen from Table 3 that the weights of groups 4, 5 and 6 were consistently better than those of groups 1, 2 and 3—significantly so in most cases. This indicates that both sexes reached greater weights at 11 and 24 weeks when fed pellets than when fed mash of the same composition. The data also suggest that it is somewhat more advantageous
1>3 2>3
4 > 1 , 2,3 5>1,2, 3
5 > ( 1 ) , 2, 3
11 weeks. While the other differences due to green feed level were not found to be significant, inspection of the mean weights indicates slightly better results in favor of the lower levels of green feed. Records were kept of the total consumption of mash and of grain for each group. Total gain in weight by a group was calculated by adding the 24 week weights and the final weights of birds which died or were removed before the end of the experiment. The initial weight of the group was subtracted from this . total. The pounds of feed per pound gain
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015
ence. Co-variance analysis methods were applied to the weight data of both sexes for 11 and 24 weeks. Here again, highly significant differences were shown in all cases. Adjusted mean final weights were calculated from the co-variance data, and these adjusted means show the true relation of the final weights of the groups
560
S. J. SLINGER, K. M. GARTLEY AND E. C. EVANS
pellets since "bitting" does not seem to interfere with the ability to eat and even with the use of unpelleted feed it is often necessary to take steps to prevent or curtail cannibalistic tendencies. Since mashes high in bulk are improved markedly for growing turkeys by pelleting, it would appear that such high volume feeds have limited usefulness in mash form because the birds do not eat enough for rapid growth. Pelleting probably enables the birds to increase consumption to the extent that this limitation is overcome. SUMMARY
Groups of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys were fed mashes containing 10, 15 and 20 percent of a mixture of equal parts of dehydrated alfalfa and dehydrated cereal grass in both pelleted and unpelleted form. The results of the experiment indicate that while slightly better growth rate was obtained from the lower levels of green feed, even the 20 percent level gave satisfactory results. Much greater differences were found between the pelleted and unpelleted mashes however, than between the levels of the dehydrated products. The weights of all the groups receiving pellets were greater than those of any group receiving mash, significantly so in most cases. More advantage appears to be gained by pelleting mashes containing 15 and 20 percent of dehydrated products than one containing 10 percent. Based on total feed consumption, efficiency of gain tended to be increased by pelleting, but the differences were not marked. REFERENCES
Alder, Byron. Economical turkey production in Utah 1946. Utah Agr. Exp. Sta. Mimeograph Series No. 323, 1946.
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was calculated by dividing the total mash consumed, total grain consumed or total mash plus grain by the total gain in weight. The data presented in Table 2 indicates that on the basis of total feed per pound gain there is little difference in efficiency dependent on the level of green feed used and that pellets give slightly higher feed efficiency than mash. In view of the uneven sex distribution these feed efficiency figures cannot be considered to be too reliable. Past experience had indicated to us that the toms in our strain of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys when reared on wire or slats were prone to develop some foot trouble, chiefly "bumblefoot," and considerable hock trouble of a "perosislike" nature. Since such birds do not always continue to gain weight in a normal manner, it was felt that less error would result if these birds were removed from the experiment as soon as foot or hock abnormalities were noted. This procedure was therefore followed in the present experiment and is the chief reason for the reduction in the number of toms in the groups from 11 to 24 weeks of age. Mortality per se, was not a significant factor in the experiment. During the course of the experiment all groups being fed pellets began to featherpick at a relatively early age. None of the groups fed unpelleted feed developed this vice. However, when the practice became prevalent in the pellet-fed groups, all birds were "bitted," so that it cannot be stated that those groups fed unpelleted feed would not have developed this habit later on, had they not been prevented from doing so. Certainly, pelleting the diets employed caused the birds to resort to this habit at an earlier age than would otherwise have been the case. This is not considered a serious objection to the use of
TURKEY DIETS FOR CONFINEMENT REARING
Carver, J. S., L. A. Wilhelm, and J. W. Cook, 1938. Methods of feeding turkeys. Wash. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 356. Cooney, W. T., J. S. Butts, and L. E. Bacon. Alfalfa meal in chick rations, 1948. Poul. Sci. 27,828-830. Goodearl, G. P., and F. E. Moore, 1941. Turkey feeding II. Feeding of mash in pellet form to growing turkeys. N. Dak. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 303. Milby, T. T., Robert Penquite, and R. B. Thomp-
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son, 1943. Fiber and protein in turkey rations. Substitutes to meet wartime needs. Okla. Agr. Sta. Circ. No. c-111. Motzok, I., D. C. Hill, and H. D. Branion, 1945. The chemical composition of feedingstuffs available in Canada. Sci. Agr. 25: 9. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical methods. 4th ed. Collegiate Press, Inc., Ames, Iowa. Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Uniwersytet Warszawski Biblioteka Uniwersytecka on April 9, 2015