Protein and Energy Levels for Turkey Starting Diets

EFFECT OF CHLORTETRACYCLINE OF PPL

Van Roekel, H., O. M. Olesiuk and H. A. Peck, 1952. Chronic respiratory disease of chickens. Am. J. Vet. Res. 13: 252-259. White-Stevens, R., and H. G. Zeibel, 1954. The effect of chlortetracycline (Aureomycin) on the growth efficiency of broilers in the presence of

ORGANISMS

767

CRD. Poultry Sci. 33: 1164-1175. Wong, S. C, and C. G. James, 1953. The susceptibility of the agents of chronic respiratory disease of chickens and infectious sinusitis of turkeys to various antibiotics. Poultry Sci. 32: 589-592.

Protein and Energy Levels for Turkey Starting Diets J. H. QUISENBERRY AND J. R. COUCH Departments of Poultry Science and Biochemistry and Nutrition, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, Texas (Received for publication February 6, 1957)

T

HE relationship of protein to energy and fiber and its effect on the growth rate of chicks has been of interest for many years. Robertson et al. (1948) observes satisfactory growth of Leghorn chicks fed a diet containing 800 Calories of productive energy per pound. A similar energy level (850 Calories) was subsequently reported by Panda and Combs (1950) to be required by New Hampshire chicks for rapid growth. Stabilized white grease did not affect the growth of New Hampshire chicks when fed at levels of 2, 4, and 8% of the diet, even though Calories derived from fat were observed to be efficiently utilized at the 2 and 4% levels (Seidler and Schweigert, 1953). White, yellow and brown grease may efficiently be utilized by the chick when fed at the 3 % level, whereas a reduction in caloric efficiency has been noted when the same substances were fed at the 6% level (Seidler et al., 1955). Hydrogenated fats or fatty acids, were found not to be absorbed from the intestinal tract and consequently not utilized by the chick (Carver et al., 1955). The addition of 10% tallow to the diet did not increase the growth rate of chicks until the protein level of the diet was increased from 22 to 25%; indicating an increased

requirement for protein upon the increase of the caloric content of the diet (Aitken etal., 1954). Combs and Romoser (1955) related the energy requirements to the protein level and have suggested that Calorie-protein ratio be used to describe and maintain the proper balance between energy and protein in poultry feeds. Optimum Calorie-protein ratios of 42/1 for starting chicks and 47/1 in finishing diets have been suggested by the same workers. However, the optimum Calorie-protein ratio has been reported to vary with the protein level of the diet (Sunde, 1956). Turkey starter diets, high in protein and energy, have been used in this laboratory for several years with excellent results (Atkinson et al., 1951a, 1953 and 1955). Biely and March (1954) have also observed that the level of protein, efficiently utilized by turkey poults, must be increased when the caloric density of the starter diet is raised by the addition of fat. However, maximum growth and feed efficiency have been realized upon addition of a combination of growth factor sources to a 28% protein diet containing 10% added tallow (Patterson et al., 1955). Though the rate of gain of turkey poults has been shown to be highest

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R. L. ATKINSON, A. A. KURNICK, T. M. FERGUSON, B. L. REID,

768

ATKINSON, KUENICK, FERGUSON, REID, QUISENBERRY AND COUCH

and optimum Calorie-protein ratio of turkey poults during the first eight weeks of the growing period. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Three experiments were conducted using Broad Breasted Bronze poults from dams fed an all-mash breeder ration that was considered to be complete with regard to all known nutrients and unidentified factors. The management of the poults was the same as reported by Atkinson and Couch (1951a). The basal diet consisted of the following (in percent): distillers dried solubles, 2.5; dried whey, 2.5; dehydrated alfalfa leaf meal, 5.0; fish meal, 10.0; dicalcium phosphate, 3.0; oyster shell flour, 2.5; and salt (NaCl), 0.5. The balance of each of the diets was made up of soybean oil meal, ground yellow corn and ground milo, the amounts depending upon the percentage of protein desired. Wood pulp or fat was added to the various diets (Tables 1 and 2), at the expense of soybean

TABLE 1.—Effect of varying the protein and energy of the diet of Broad Breasted Bronze poults for the first eight weeks Experiments 1 and *

Group No.

Protein

%

Productive energy (Cal./lb.)

C/P ratio 1

1 2 3

26 26 26

624 702 780

4 5 6

28 28 28

672 756 840

Experiment 2

Wood pulp or fat (%)

Ave. 8-wk. wt. (gm.)

Mortality

Wood pulp or fat (%)

Ave. 8-wk. wt. (gm.)

Mortality

24 27 30

14.0 WP 2 7.0 W P

1,333 1,659 1,910

16.9 10.1 14.6

14.0 WP2 7.0 W P

1,336 1,712 1,793

22.2 6.7 24.5

24 27 30

7.0 W P

13.4 11.2 10.0

7.0 W P

%

Ave. 1,614

Ave. 1,637 1,704 1,912 2,111 Ave. 1,912 30 30 30

720 810 900

24 27 30

l.OWP 4.5 Fat 9.5 F a t

10 11 12

32 32 32

768 864 960

24 27 30

3.5 F a t 9.5 F a t 15.0 F a t

1,967 1,963 2,081

l.OWP 4.5 M E 9.5 M E

2,000 2,157 2,114

10.1 6.7 8.9

3.5 M E 9.5 M E 15.0 M E

2,062 1,998 1,920

4.5 8.9 4.5

Ave. 1,933

Ave. 2,091 L.S.D 0.05 (b tween a n y tv,ro groups' 96.9 L.S.D 0.01 (b( tween any tv'0 groups] 128.6

Calories of productive energy per pound for each percent of crude protein in the diet. Wood pulp. 3 Stabilized white animal fat. A product containing 70% methyl esters derived from cottonseed oil. 4

13.4 2.3 13.4

Ave. 1,843 6.7 10.0 5.6

Ave.2,004

1 2

1,712 1,874 1,942

4 . 5 ME<

4.5Fat» 7 8 9

%

1,919 1,947 2,013 Ave. 1,960 136.0 180.0

4.5 24.0 2.2

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when fed a 30% protein diet containing 880 Calories per pound, the data indicated that maximum growth was not obtained with this treatment (Lockhart and Thayer, 1955). Studies on the quantitative Calorieprotein ratio have indicated that a ratio of 29/1 produced the best growth in both male and female turkeys when the protein level was kept constant at 26% (Ferguson et al., 1956a). The same workers reported that the growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults was increased when the level of protein was increased from 24 to 28%. However, when each protein level was supplemented with 0.05% DL-methionine, additional growth increases were observed (Ferguson et al., 1956b). The experiments reported herein were designed (1) to determine whether a product containing 70% methyl esters of the fatty acids derived from cottonseed oil could be used as a source of energy for turkey poults; and (2) to obtain additional information on the protein requirements

PROTEIN AND ENERGY LEVELS IN TURKEY DIETS TABLE 2.—Analysis of variance

Experiments 1 and 3 Source of y^ variability Total 959 Treatment 23 Replications 1 Protein Level 3 Energy Level 2 RXP 3 RXE 2 PXE 6 RXPXE 6 17

Sum of Mean ~ squares squares 138,031,997 54,219,605 2,357,374 62,778 62,778 0.08 27,402,662 9,134,221 12.10f 13,905,298 6,952,649 9.20f 1,355,526 451,842 2,014,563 1,007,282 6,946,755 1,157,793 2,532,023 422,004 12,848,867 755,816*

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one day of age. Experiment 3 was started April 12, 1956, using 44 birds of mixed sex per treatment. The poults were maintained on litter throughout the 8-week experimental periods. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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The growth of poults in groups fed 28, 30 and 32% protein Was statistically Error 936 83,812,392 89,543 greater than that of poults fed the 26% * Mean square for the sum of all of the interactions was used protein diet. The 30 and 32% protein diets as the appropriate error term for testing replications, protein level and energy level. also produced poults which were heavier t Significant at the 0.01% level of probability. than those fed the lower protein levels. oil meal and grain. In Experiments 1 and 3 These results were common to all studies stabilized animal fat was used to increase reported herein (Table 1). the Calorie content of the diets, and a In each study, some of the diets had product containing 70% methyl esters of added animal fat to increase the caloric fatty acids and mono-, di-, and triglycerides density. In Experiment 2, the caloric conderived from cottonseed oil was used in tent of the diet was increased by the addiExperiment 2. tion of the product containing 70% methyl All diets were supplemented as indicated esters derived from cottonseed oil instead on a per pound basis: MnS0 4 • SH 2 0, 160 of the animal fat used in Experiments 1 and mg.; aureomycin, 5 mg.; penicillin, 2 mg.; 3. The average weight of the poults at 8 bacitracin, 5 mg.; vitamin A, 6,500 I.U.; weeks was essentially the same in all of vitamin D 3 , 2,000 I.C.U.; vitamin E, 10 the experiments, whether animal fat or the mg.; menadione, 2 mg.; riboflavin, 4 mg.; cottonseed oil product was included into calcium pantothenate, 20 mg.; niacin, 40 the diet. mg.; choline chloride, 600 mg.; and vitamin The results of Experiments 1 and 3 B 12 , 10 meg. AH diets were further supple- (Table 1) were analyzed together since mented with 0.02% sulfaquinoxaline and there appeared to be no appreciable differ0.0055% furazolidone. ence in the results from the two experiThe productive energy values of Frapes ments. The analysis of variance (Table 2) (1946) were used to calculate the energy further indicated the similarity between content of the diets with the exception of the results of the two experiments. When the stabilized white fat and the methyl ester each protein and energy level was tested by product for which the figure of 2,900 Calo- the appropriate mean square, both were ries per pound was used in both instances. found to be significant at the 0.01% level The protein content was calculated by using of probability. standard crude protein values for the feed The individual and combined average ingredients used; wood pulp was arbitrarily weight gains and feed conversion (feed/unit given protein and energy values of zero. gain) data of poults in Experiment 1 and Experiments 1 and 2, which started Feb- 3 are shown graphically in Figure 1, for ruary 29, 1956, were conducted concur- each protein series. Within each protein rently. Forty-five birds of mixed sex were level, a gradual improvement in both started on each experimental treatment at growth and feed conversion was noted with

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increasing C/p ratios. Likewise, a similar trend holds true when the combined group average gains or feed conversion values of each protein series were compared. However, when comparing the combined values, it should be noted that each higher protein series also represents an increase in total productive energy as well. Thus the increase observed between protein series could not be attributed to increases in protein intake alone. In Experiments 1 and 3 (Table 1; Figure 1), the 30/1 Calorie-protein ratio produced the greatest growth response in the 26, 28 and 30% protein diets. At 32% protein, Calorie-protein ratios of 27/1 and 30/1 produced poults with weights which were significantly greater than those obtained at

the 24/1 ratio. There was a highly significant increase in growth when the 27/1 and 30/1 Calorie-protein diets were fed at the 26 and 28% protein levels (Experiment 2, Table 1), compared to the 24/1 ratio at these protein levels. The weights of the poults in 26, 28 and 32% protein levels was greatest in each instance when the 30/1 Calorie level was fed. One variation was in the group fed the 30% protein in which the 24/1 Calorie-protein ratio produced the heavier birds. However, the weights of the birds in this group at the 24/1 ratio was not significantly greater than weights of birds fed diets containing a Calorie-protein ratio of 27/1, but was significantly greater than the results obtained with the 30/1 ratio.

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PROTEIN AND ENERGY LEVELS IN TURKEY DIETS

771

TABLE 3.—Eject of varying the protein and energy level of the diet on the feed utilization of Broad Breasted Bronze poults for the first eight weeks Experiments 1 a n d 3 C/P ratio 1

1 2 3

26 26 26

624 702 780

4 5 6

28 28 28

7 8 9 10 11 12

Protein

1

Experiment 2

Feed/unit gain

Cal. prod. energy/gm. gain

g m . protein/gm. gain

Feed/unit gain

Cal. prod. energy/gm. gain

gm. protein/gm. gain

24 27 30

3.45 2.65 2.16

4.73 4.11 3.72

0.90 0.69 0.56

3.47 2.61 2.27

4.75 4.05 3.90

0.90 0.68 0.59

672 756 840

24 27 30

2.84 2.24 2.05

4.20 3.74 3.79

0.80 0.63 0.57

2.81 2.27 2.26

4.16 3.79 4.18

0.79 0.64 0.63

30 30 30

720 810 900

24 27 30

2.43 2.20 2.04

3.86 3.92 4.04

0.73 0.66 0.61

2.39 2.28 2.20

3.80 4.06 4.36

0.72 0.68 0.66

32 32 32

768 864 960

24 27 30

2.29 2.12 2.06

3.87 4.03 4.35

0.73 0.68 0.66

2.28 2.23 2.02

3.85 4.24 4.26

0.73 0.71 0.65

Calories of productive energy per pound for each percent of crude protein in the diet.

The Calorie-protein ratio was apparently less critical at the high protein levels, as indicated by the smaller growth differentials between groups fed the higher protein levels (30 and 32%) with increasing C/p ratios. There was also an indication that increasing the energy level decreases the protein requirement, since excellent growth was obtained at the 26% protein level with a Calorie-protein ratio of 30/1 (Table 1) and since less protein was required per unit of gain whenever the C/p ratio was increased (Table 3). This differs from the results of Aitken et al. (1954) with chicks, in which it was reported that increasing the energy of chicks also increases the requirement for protein. However, the possible sparing effect of energy on protein as reported by Donaldson et al. (19S6) is evident from these data (Table 3). Feed conversion (Table 3) appears to be directly related to the energy level of the diet; since regardless of the protein level there was an improvement in feed conversion. Calculated number of Calories required per unit of gain decreased with increased C/p ratio in the 26 and 28 protein series but increased in the groups fed the higher protein levels (30-32%). The results reported herein are in general agree-

ment with Ferguson et al. (1956a, b, 1957) in regard to the optimum Calorie-protein ratio, and feed conversion for turkey poults at 8 weeks of age. Early mortality was somewhat less (Table 1) among poults fed the higher protein diet. It is possible that poults fed higher protein diets might be able to survive on a lower feed intake, since the higher protein diets in this study also furnished more productive energy per pound of feed than did the lower protein diets. Those which were slow in getting started would be more likely to live if the protein and energy levels of the diet were high. This leads to the suggestion that it might be advisable to start poults on a high protein diet (30 to 32%) containing at least 720 Calories of productive energy per pound and after the first week or ten days, change to a diet containing 28% protein if optimum results in poult feeding are to be obtained. Although the growth rate of birds receiving the white grease was slightly greater than that of birds receiving the methyl ester product, it was not found to be statistically significant, and therefore it appears that the poult is able to utilize the energy supplied by the methyl ester product. There was no apparent difference in feed efficiency

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%

Productive energy (Cal./lb.)

Group No.

772

ATKINSON, KURNICK, FERGUSON, REID, QUISENBERRY AND COUCH

or in early mortality between results produced by the two products. SUMMARY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from Marco Chemical Company, Fort Worth, Texas. The following products were supplied through the courtesies as indicated: aureomycin, Lederle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, New York; stabilized vitamin A, Stabilized Vitamins, Inc., Brooklyn, New York; vitamin E, Distillation Products Industries, Rochester, New York; and menadione and the B vitamins, Merck and Company, Inc., Rah way, New Jersey. REFERENCES Aitken, J. R., G. S. Lindblad and W. G. Hunsaker, 1954. Beef tallow as a source of energy in broiler rations. Poultry Sci. 33: 1038. Atkinson, R. L., and J. R. Couch, 1951a. Vitamin B12, and APF concentrate, aureomycin, streptomycin, liver "L," fish meal and fish solubles in the nutrition of the poult. J. Nutrition, 44: 249263. Atkinson, R. L., and J. R. Couch, 1951b. The effect of feeding an APF concentrate and fish

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1. Poults were able to utilize efficiently a cottonseed oil product containing 70% methyl esters of the fatty acids for their energy requirements. 2. Under the conditions of these studies, a diet containing at least 28% protein with a Calorie-protein ratio of 30/1 (840 Calorie-protein energy) was required for optimum growth and feed efficiency for turkey poults to 8 weeks. 3. The Calorie-protein ratio was less critical in high protein diets than when low protein diets were fed. 4. Less protein was found to be required per unit of gain when the productive energy of the diet, within each protein series, was increased.

solubles on the growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys. Poultry Sci. 30: 81-85. Atkinson, R. L., B. L. Reid, J. H. Quisenberry and J. R. Couch, 1953. Antibiotics, methionine and unidentified growth factors in the nutrition of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults. J. Nutrition, 5 1 : 53-64. Atkinson, R. L., T. M. Ferguson and J. R. Couch, 1955. Further studies on unidentified growth factor sources for Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 34: 855-861. Biely, J., and B. March, 1954. Fat studies in poultry. 2. Fat supplements in chick and poult rations. Poultry Sci. 33: 1220-1227. Carver, D. S., E. E. Rice, R. E. Gray and P. E. Mone, 1955. The utilization of fats of different melting points added to broiler feeds. Poultry Sci. 34: 544-546. Combs, G. F., and G. L. Romoser, 1955. A new approach to poultry feed formulation. Maryland Agr. Exp. Sta. Misc. Pub. No. 226. Donaldson, W. E., G. F. Combs and G. L. Romoser, 1956. Studies on energy levels in poultry rations. 1. The effect of Calorie-protein ratio of the ration on growth, nutrient utilization and by composition of chicks. Poultry Sci. 35: 1100-1105. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1956a. The effect of amino acid supplements to the diet of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults fed various levels of protein and productive energy. Poultry Sci: 35: 1069-1073. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1956b. Growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults fed a 26% protein diet with different levels of productive energy. Poultry Sci. 35: 1305-1308. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1957. The effect of different levels of productive energy, protein and methionine upon the growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 36: 124-128. Fraps, G. S., 1946. Composition and productive energy of poultry feeds and rations. Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. 678. Lockhart, W. C , and R. H. Thayer, 1955. Energy-protein relationships in turkey poult starters. Poultry Sci. 34: 1208. Panda, J. N., and G. F. Combs, 1950. Studies on the energy requirement of the chick for rapid growth. Poultry Sci. 29: 774-775. Patterson, E. B., J. R. Hunt, J. McGinnis and

PROTEIN AND ENERGY LEVELS IN TURKEY DIETS L. S. Jensen, 1955. Effect of protein level and tallow on growth response of poults to sources of unidentified factors. Poultry Sci. 34: 12151216. Robertson, E. I., R. F. Miller and G. F. Heuser, 1948. The relation of energy to fiber in chick rations. Poultry Sci. 27: 736-741. Siedler, A. J., and B. S. Schweigert, 1953. Effect of feeding graded levels of fat with and without

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choline and antibiotic +Bi 2 supplements to chicks. Poultry Sci. 32: 449-454. Siedler, A. J., and B. S. Schweigert, 1955. Effects of different grades of animal fats on the performance of chicks. Poultry Sci. 34: 411-414. Sunde, M. L., 1956. A relationship between protein level and energy level in chick rations. Poultry Sci. 35: 350-354.

ELBERT J. DAY AND JAMES E. HILL Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station, State College, Mississippi (Received for publication February 7, 1957)

E

XPERIMENTAL data have shown that there is a need for a suitable balance between energy and protein in poultry rations for optimum efficiency and that rations high in energy content tend to promote more rapid growth as well as better feed conversion (Scott et al., 1947; Biely and March, 1954; Combs and Romoser, 1955; Matterson et al., 1955; and Patterson, 1955). Baldini and Rosenberg (1955) extended this work and showed that an amino acid, methionine, was required in greater amounts in the diets as the energy level of the diet was increased. Sunde (1956) showed that rations high in protein and low in energy reduced growth and efficiency of feed utilization. Although more work has-been done with chickens than with turkeys, several reports have recently been published concerning the optimum Calorie-protein ratio for turkeys (Lockhart and Thayer, 1955; Atkinson et al., 1956; Ferguson et al., 1956; and Waibel, 1956). In general these workers obtained best results when poults (0-8 weeks) were fed rations containing high levels of energy and protein, with the most desirable Calorie-protein ratio (productive

Calories per pound for each 1% of protein) ranging from 27:1 to approximately 31:1. Supplementary fat along with additional protein was necessary for optimum growth rate. At least part of the beneficial effect obtained from fat supplementation of poult rations can be attributed to increased density and its effect on palatability as evidenced by such reports as that of Pepper et al. (1956), who reported a beneficial effect as a result of adding fat to poult rations containing 28% protein. However, if the ration was pelleted, supplementary fat did not increase the growth rate. More recently, Donaldson et al. (1956) showed that the Calorie-protein ratio for chicks was influenced by the energy level of the ration, being narrow for low energy diets and wide for high energy diets. As the proportion of Calories from dietary fat to those from other sources increased, a wider Calorieprotein ratio was tolerated without adversely affecting growth. Growing turkeys (8-16 weeks) may be able to tolerate a greater range in the Calorie-protein ratio than poults, according to the results reported by Carter and Wyne (1956). In two trials, using Large

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The Effect of Calorie-Protein Ratio of the Ration on Growth and Feed Efficiency of Turkeys