- Email: [email protected]
Response of Hens to Various Dietary Levels of Tannic Acid1
Response of Hens to Various Dietary Levels of Tannic Acid1 J. A. BLAKESLEE and H. R. WILSON Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (Received for publication February 15, 1978)
INTRODUCTION
egg production, and feed consumption.
If bird resistant sorghum varieties are to be used in the diets of breeder hens, it is of interest to determine the hen's response to dietary tannic acid, since bird resistant sorghums contain high levels of related tannin compounds (Harris, 1969). Green (1974) lists 43 sorghum varieties of which 23 have bird resistance with tannic acid equivalent content ranging from 1.4 to 1.9%. Chang and Fuller (1"964) showed the tannin of sorghums and equivalent levels of tannic acid to be toxic to chicks. Growth depression and liver lipid increases were in direct proportion to the amount of tannin in the grain. Others (Damron et al, 1968; Rayudu et al, 1970; Rostagno et al, 1973; Kratzer et al, 1975) have also reported the adverse effects of tannins on growth and/or feed conversion. Potter et al. (1967) observed a significant decrease in the five-week mean for egg production from feeding a 2% level of tannic acid. Tannic acid has been reported to cause a green appearance of the egg yolk and an increase in the incidence and severity of egg yolk mottling (Potter et al, 1967; Fry et al, 1972). However, Fry et al. (1972) estimated that 60% of the yellow corn of laying hen diets could be replaced by birdresistant sorghum without affecting yolk mottling. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of tannic acid on fertility, hatchability,
1 Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 939. 2 Fisher Scientific Company.
1979 Poultry Sci 58:255-256
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE One-hundred-twenty individually caged Babcock B-300 hens, approximately 17 months of age, were utilized with six five-bird replicates per treatment. The basal feed used was a standard corn-soy layer diet as shown in Table 1. Technical grade tannic acid 2 was added to the basal diet to achieve the four treatment levels of 0, 1, 2, and 4% tannic acid. All diets were fed for six weeks. Hens were artificially inseminated weekly with pooled semen. Eggs were incubated and candled at seven days of incubation to determine fertility. Feed consumption, egg production, feed efficiency (eggs/kg feed), percent fertility, and percent hatchability were determined.
TABLE 1. Composition of basal diet Ingredient
(%)
Yellow corn 67.73 Soybean meal (50% protein) 20.60 Alfalfa meal (20% protein) 3.00 Ground limestone 5.81 Defluorinated phosphate (18% P and 3 2% Ca) 1.96 Iodized salt .40 a Microingredients .50 Supplied per kilogram of diet: 6,600 IU vitamin A, 2,200 ICU vitamin D 3 , 500 mg choline chloride, 40 mg niacin, 4.4 mg riboflavin, 13 mg pantothenic acid, 22 meg vitamin B, 2 , 125 mg ethoxyquin, 50 mg iron, 6 mg copper, 200 meg cobalt, 1.1 mg iodine, 35 mg zinc, 60 mg manganese, and 2.2 mg menadione sodium bisulfite.
255
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Pennsylvania State University on May 21, 2015
ABSTRACT One-hundred-twenty Babcock B-300 hens, 17 months of age, were placed one bird per cage with six replicates of five birds each per treatment. Four levels (0, 1, 2, and 4%) of technical grade tannic acid were added to a standard corn-soy layer diet. With the exception of feed consumption during the second and third week, there were no significant differences for feed consumption, egg production, feed efficiency, fertility, or hatchability among the control birds and those receiving tannic acid at the 1% level. The addition of tannic acid at levels of 2 and 4% resulted in significantly decreased feed consumption and egg production during the six-week experimental period. Fertility and hatchability were not significantly affected by dietary tannic acid.
256
BLAKESLEE AND WILSON TABLE 2. Reproductive characteristics and feed efficiency of hens fed four levels of tannic acid Hatchability (%)
Feed consumption (g/bird/day)
Egg production (% H-D)
Fertility
acid (%)
(%)
Fertile
Total
0 1 2 4
104 a 962 80b 53c
56.02 54.22b 39.2b 15.2 C
91.32 90.72 86.82 81.32
86.02 82.52 87.02 91.02
78.22 75.3 a 76.3 a 73.22
2,b,C
Means within a column having no common superscripts are significantly different (P<.05).
Fertility and hatchability were n o t significantly affected by t h e tannic acid t r e a t m e n t s (Table 2). However, fertility was numerically lower in b o t h t h e 2 and 4% tannic acid treatm e n t s . This m a y have been an indirect effect associated with t h e severe decreased egg p r o d u c t i o n . It is concluded t h a t dietary tannic acid h a d n o direct effect on fertility and h a t c h ability. REFERENCES Chang, S. I., and H. L. Fuller, 1964. Effect of tannin
content of grain sorghums on their feeding value for growing chicks. Poultry Sci. 43:30—36. Damron, B. L., G. M. Prine, and R. H. Harms, 1968. Evaluations of various bird-resistant and non-resistant varieties of grain sorghum for use in broiler diets. Poultry Sci. 47:1648-1650. Fry, J. L., G. M. Herrick, G. M. Prine, and R. H. Harms, 1972. Effect of bird resistant sorghums and tannic acid on yolk motding. Poultry Sci. 5 1 : 1540-1543. Green, V. E., 1974. Yield and digestibility of bird resistant and non-bird resistant grain sorghum. Soil and Crop Sci. Soc. of Florida 33:13—16. Harris, H. B., 1969. Bird resistance in sorghum. Proc. 24th Annu. Corn and Sorghum Res. Conf., Chicago, IL 113-122. Kratzer, F. H., V. L. Singleton, R. Kadirvel, and G. V. N. Rayudu, 1975. Characterization and growthdepressing activity for chickens of several natural phenolic materials. Poultry Sci. 54:2124-2127. Potter, D. K., H. L. Fuller, and C. D. Blackshear, 1967. Effect of tannic acid on egg production and egg yolk mottling. Poultry Sci. 46:1508-1512. Rayudu, G. V. N., R. Kadirvel, P. Vodhra, and F. H. Kratzer, 1970. Toxicity of tannic acid and its metabolites for chickens. Poultry Sci. 4 9 : 9 5 7 - 9 6 0 . Rostagno, H. S., W. R. Featherston, and J. C. Rogler, 1973. Studies on the nutritional value of sorghum grains with varying tannin contents for chicks. 1. Growth studies. Poultry Sci. 52:765-772.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Pennsylvania State University on May 21, 2015
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION There were n o significant differences between t h e m e a n s of t h e zero and 1% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t s for any of t h e parameters tested (Table 2). C o m p a r e d t o t h e zero t r e a t m e n t level, t h e 2 and 4% t a n n i c acid t r e a t m e n t s significantly reduced feed c o n s u m p t i o n and egg p r o d u c t i o n . Egg p r o d u c t i o n was observed t o decrease during t h e t h i r d week for t h e birds on t h e 2% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t and during t h e second week for t h o s e o n t h e 4% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t . This is in general agreement with t h e results of P o t t e r et al. ( 1 9 6 7 ) .
INTRODUCTION
egg production, and feed consumption.
If bird resistant sorghum varieties are to be used in the diets of breeder hens, it is of interest to determine the hen's response to dietary tannic acid, since bird resistant sorghums contain high levels of related tannin compounds (Harris, 1969). Green (1974) lists 43 sorghum varieties of which 23 have bird resistance with tannic acid equivalent content ranging from 1.4 to 1.9%. Chang and Fuller (1"964) showed the tannin of sorghums and equivalent levels of tannic acid to be toxic to chicks. Growth depression and liver lipid increases were in direct proportion to the amount of tannin in the grain. Others (Damron et al, 1968; Rayudu et al, 1970; Rostagno et al, 1973; Kratzer et al, 1975) have also reported the adverse effects of tannins on growth and/or feed conversion. Potter et al. (1967) observed a significant decrease in the five-week mean for egg production from feeding a 2% level of tannic acid. Tannic acid has been reported to cause a green appearance of the egg yolk and an increase in the incidence and severity of egg yolk mottling (Potter et al, 1967; Fry et al, 1972). However, Fry et al. (1972) estimated that 60% of the yellow corn of laying hen diets could be replaced by birdresistant sorghum without affecting yolk mottling. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of tannic acid on fertility, hatchability,
1 Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 939. 2 Fisher Scientific Company.
1979 Poultry Sci 58:255-256
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE One-hundred-twenty individually caged Babcock B-300 hens, approximately 17 months of age, were utilized with six five-bird replicates per treatment. The basal feed used was a standard corn-soy layer diet as shown in Table 1. Technical grade tannic acid 2 was added to the basal diet to achieve the four treatment levels of 0, 1, 2, and 4% tannic acid. All diets were fed for six weeks. Hens were artificially inseminated weekly with pooled semen. Eggs were incubated and candled at seven days of incubation to determine fertility. Feed consumption, egg production, feed efficiency (eggs/kg feed), percent fertility, and percent hatchability were determined.
TABLE 1. Composition of basal diet Ingredient
(%)
Yellow corn 67.73 Soybean meal (50% protein) 20.60 Alfalfa meal (20% protein) 3.00 Ground limestone 5.81 Defluorinated phosphate (18% P and 3 2% Ca) 1.96 Iodized salt .40 a Microingredients .50 Supplied per kilogram of diet: 6,600 IU vitamin A, 2,200 ICU vitamin D 3 , 500 mg choline chloride, 40 mg niacin, 4.4 mg riboflavin, 13 mg pantothenic acid, 22 meg vitamin B, 2 , 125 mg ethoxyquin, 50 mg iron, 6 mg copper, 200 meg cobalt, 1.1 mg iodine, 35 mg zinc, 60 mg manganese, and 2.2 mg menadione sodium bisulfite.
255
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Pennsylvania State University on May 21, 2015
ABSTRACT One-hundred-twenty Babcock B-300 hens, 17 months of age, were placed one bird per cage with six replicates of five birds each per treatment. Four levels (0, 1, 2, and 4%) of technical grade tannic acid were added to a standard corn-soy layer diet. With the exception of feed consumption during the second and third week, there were no significant differences for feed consumption, egg production, feed efficiency, fertility, or hatchability among the control birds and those receiving tannic acid at the 1% level. The addition of tannic acid at levels of 2 and 4% resulted in significantly decreased feed consumption and egg production during the six-week experimental period. Fertility and hatchability were not significantly affected by dietary tannic acid.
256
BLAKESLEE AND WILSON TABLE 2. Reproductive characteristics and feed efficiency of hens fed four levels of tannic acid Hatchability (%)
Feed consumption (g/bird/day)
Egg production (% H-D)
Fertility
acid (%)
(%)
Fertile
Total
0 1 2 4
104 a 962 80b 53c
56.02 54.22b 39.2b 15.2 C
91.32 90.72 86.82 81.32
86.02 82.52 87.02 91.02
78.22 75.3 a 76.3 a 73.22
2,b,C
Means within a column having no common superscripts are significantly different (P<.05).
Fertility and hatchability were n o t significantly affected by t h e tannic acid t r e a t m e n t s (Table 2). However, fertility was numerically lower in b o t h t h e 2 and 4% tannic acid treatm e n t s . This m a y have been an indirect effect associated with t h e severe decreased egg p r o d u c t i o n . It is concluded t h a t dietary tannic acid h a d n o direct effect on fertility and h a t c h ability. REFERENCES Chang, S. I., and H. L. Fuller, 1964. Effect of tannin
content of grain sorghums on their feeding value for growing chicks. Poultry Sci. 43:30—36. Damron, B. L., G. M. Prine, and R. H. Harms, 1968. Evaluations of various bird-resistant and non-resistant varieties of grain sorghum for use in broiler diets. Poultry Sci. 47:1648-1650. Fry, J. L., G. M. Herrick, G. M. Prine, and R. H. Harms, 1972. Effect of bird resistant sorghums and tannic acid on yolk motding. Poultry Sci. 5 1 : 1540-1543. Green, V. E., 1974. Yield and digestibility of bird resistant and non-bird resistant grain sorghum. Soil and Crop Sci. Soc. of Florida 33:13—16. Harris, H. B., 1969. Bird resistance in sorghum. Proc. 24th Annu. Corn and Sorghum Res. Conf., Chicago, IL 113-122. Kratzer, F. H., V. L. Singleton, R. Kadirvel, and G. V. N. Rayudu, 1975. Characterization and growthdepressing activity for chickens of several natural phenolic materials. Poultry Sci. 54:2124-2127. Potter, D. K., H. L. Fuller, and C. D. Blackshear, 1967. Effect of tannic acid on egg production and egg yolk mottling. Poultry Sci. 46:1508-1512. Rayudu, G. V. N., R. Kadirvel, P. Vodhra, and F. H. Kratzer, 1970. Toxicity of tannic acid and its metabolites for chickens. Poultry Sci. 4 9 : 9 5 7 - 9 6 0 . Rostagno, H. S., W. R. Featherston, and J. C. Rogler, 1973. Studies on the nutritional value of sorghum grains with varying tannin contents for chicks. 1. Growth studies. Poultry Sci. 52:765-772.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Pennsylvania State University on May 21, 2015
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION There were n o significant differences between t h e m e a n s of t h e zero and 1% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t s for any of t h e parameters tested (Table 2). C o m p a r e d t o t h e zero t r e a t m e n t level, t h e 2 and 4% t a n n i c acid t r e a t m e n t s significantly reduced feed c o n s u m p t i o n and egg p r o d u c t i o n . Egg p r o d u c t i o n was observed t o decrease during t h e t h i r d week for t h e birds on t h e 2% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t and during t h e second week for t h o s e o n t h e 4% tannic acid t r e a t m e n t . This is in general agreement with t h e results of P o t t e r et al. ( 1 9 6 7 ) .