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Studies on the Nutritional Requirements of Poults
Studies on the Nutritional Requirements of Poults JAMES C. FRITZ, JOHN L. HALPIN AND JOHN H. HOOPER The Borden Company, Elgin, Illinois (Received for publication July 27, 1946)
T
The mineral requirements of poults are rather confused. Hammond, McClure, and Kellogg (1944) obtained good growth with rations containing as little as 0.5 percent phosphorus. A previous report from this laboratory indicated that vitamin D requirements were increased when lowlevels of calcium and phosphorus were fed
(Fritz, Hooper and Moore, 1945). Evans and Brant (1945) confirmed this interrelationship of mineral and vitamin D requirements of poults. Matterson, Scott, and Singsen (1946) found poults unable to efficiently utilize phytin phosphorus, especially when the vitamin D was supplied by cod liver oil. This latter report gives us the best available explanation for the different relative efficiencies of vitamin D from different sources when fed to poults. The object of this investigation was to study protein and mineral requirements of young poults under practical conditions of feeding and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Most of the poults used in this study were standard bred Bronze birds hatched from the Experimental Farm flock. A few tests were made with Broad Breasted Bronze poults in an effort to compare the nutritional requirements of the two strains. The groups, with few exceptions, consisted of 15 to 20 poults each. At the start of each test the poults were distributed so as to equalize the average weights of the several groups. The poults were started in electrically heated screen floored batteries under the usual laboratory conditions. In cases where the poults were kept beyond 4 weeks, they were transferred at 4 weeks of age into intermediate growing batteries. The designated diets and tap water were supplied ad libitum. In most cases the analyses shown were obtained by techniques described in the 78
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
HE high nutritional requirements of turkey poults make it essential that these requirements be accurately determined in order to avoid waste of feed during periods of critical shortage. Usually the requirements of poults parallel but exceed those of chicks. The National Research Council bulletin on Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Poultry (Cravens, et al, 1944) suggests that a turkey starting mash should contain 24 percent of protein and that it should include at least 4 to 5 percent of animal protein supplements. Hammond, Haynes, Marsden and Titus (1944) concluded that good results could be obtained with turkey starting rations in which all of the protein was derived from vegetable sources. Most workers prefer to retain some animal protein concentrates. Wilgus and Zander (1945) concluded from their chick work that a small amount of animal protein supplement was necessary in order to obtain optimum growth rates. In most investigations soybean meal has contributed much of the vegetable protein used. It is well recognized that soybean oil meals differ markedly in their growth-promoting values (Marvel, Carrick, Roberts, and Hauge, 1945).
STUDIES ON THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF POULTS
79
TABLE 1.—Data on growth of bronze poults A Gr.com Gr. wheat Gr. oats Bran Middlings Alfalfa Fish meal Meat scrap Soy-meal Ration-Ayd* CaC03 Salt+I 2 &Mn
22.5% — 10.0 10.0 10.0 7.5 2.5 12.5 20.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 25.8 1,258
C
25.5% — 10.0 10.0 10.0 5.0 — 4.5 30.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 24.1 1,366
25.0% 10.0 10.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 — — 35.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 23.4 1,086
Commercial Feeds 1
2
26.0 1,315
24.4 1,189
* Poultry Feed supplement containing whey solubles and fish liver and glandular meal.
A.O.A.C. Book of Methods (1940). In a few cases calculated analyses are given. EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Data on the growth of poults shown in Table 1 illustrates the fact that there is not always an advantage in the use of large percentages of animal protein concentrates. The poorest growth was obtained on a ration which contained only a very small amount of animal protein carried in the vitamin supplement. However, this ration also had the lowest total proTABLE 2.—Data on growth of poults A
B
C
D
Gr. yellow corn Gr. oats Wheat bran St. middlings Alfalfa meal Soybean meal Fish meal Meat scraps Flaydry* Ladpro 100D** Calcium carbonate Salt with I 2 & M n Choline chloride
16.00 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 35.00
15.85 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 35.00
17.00 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 29.50
•— —
— —
—
4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00 0.15
4.50 4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00
28.75 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 17.50 2.00 2.25 4.50 1.50 2.50 1.C0
—
—
Percent protein
22.81
22.70
22.90
21.45
Av. wt. at 8 weeks 1,267
1,174
1,279
1,212
4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00
—
* Poultry feed supplement containing whey solubles. ** Poultry feed supplement containing fish liver and glandular meal.
tein content. Two commercial feeds produced by large manufacturers were also included in this test. The data show that the laboratory rations were producing results comparable to those obtained with these leading commercial turkey starters. Good,results were also obtained with the relatively low protein diets shown in Table 2. In this test the additions of either choline or meat scraps to a vegetable protein diet failed to improve the growth rate of the poults. Table 3 summarizes another test in which various animal protein concentrates were used. In this case there were some apparent discrepancies in the growth obtained. In most pens the growth rate was lower than in the previous tests. Meat scraps was the only supplement which produced better results than those obtained with the soybean meal alone, and it is doubtful if we should conclude that meat scraps is superior to fish meal. An attempt was made to compare the nutritional requirements of standard Bronze and Broad Breasted Bronze poults, with special reference to their protein and calcium requirements. The diet used for the lowest levels of both protein and calcium is shown in Table 4. Protein was increased in other diets by replacing
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
% Protein Wt. at8wks.
B
80
JAMES C. FRITZ, JOHN L. HALPIN, AND JOHN H.
TABLE 3.—Effect
Gr. corn Wheat bran St. middlings Gr. oats Alfalfa meal Soybean meal Ration-Ayd Calcium carbonate Salt with li & Mn Meat & bone scrap Fish meal Casein
of supplements to a vegetable protein diet
3456
3457
3458
3459
3463
20.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 35.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
21.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.5 2.0 2.0 1.0 4.5
22.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
23.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.5 2.0 2.0 1.0
32.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 13.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
— — — 22.91 856
— — 22.99 1004
corn with additional soybean meal. Calcium additions were also made by replacing corn with additional calcium carbonate.
—
4.0
— —
— —
—
2.5
10.0
23.13 709
23.04 861
23.53 851
lowest levels of minerals. However, it should be noted that the basal diet contained approximately 160 A.O.A.C. chick units of vitamin D from fish liver sources TABLE 4.—Basal diet (20%) used in comparison of per 100 grams of feed. This is in contrast with the results obtained with lower levels requirements of standard and BB poults of Vitamin D. The specific object in this Gr. yellow corn 39.0% test was to determine whether or not the Rolled oats 10.0 unusually high mineral requirements preWheat bran 10.0 St. middlings 10.0 viously found by Fritz, Hooper, and Alfalfa leaf meal 5.0 Moore (1945) would be desirable if usual Meat & bone scrap 10.0 Fish meal 2.5 levels of Vitamin D were fed. The data Soybean meal 5.0 suggest that more than about five percent Flaydry 1.0 Ladpro 40D 4.0 of these combined mineral supplements Calcium carbonate 2.5 tends to depress growth. Salt with I 2 & Mn 1.0 In another test the mill by-products Calculated percentages of protein, cal- were replaced by ground whole wheat to cium and phosphorus are shown in Table reduce the phosphorus content. The effect 5, together with the average weights of of adding steamed bone meal to this low the poults at 3 weeks and at 7 weeks, of phosphorus diet was then investigated. age. The data show that the higher levels The data are summarized in Table 7. The of protein supported faster growth. When formula shown in Table 4, with soybean calcium additions were increased there meal increased to 20 percent, was modiwas a suggestion that the optimum per- fied so that diets 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 contained centage of calcium may have been passed. ground wheat while the remaining diets A similar ration was used in a succeed- contained 10 percent each of bran and ing test in which the different groups re- middlings to raise the level of cereal ceived graded levels of calcium carbonate phosphorus. The Vitamin D content of and steamed bone meal supplements each ration was approximately 160 added to the basal diet. The results of this A.O.A.C. chick units of Vitamin D per test are summarized in Table 6. Good cal- 100 grams of feed, supplied from fish liver cification was obtained with even the sources. Satisfactory, but perhaps not
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
Percent protein Av. Wt. a t 8 wks.
HOOPER
81
STUDIES ON THE N U T R I T I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S OF P O U L T S
TABIE 5.—Effect of varying protein and calcium content of diet on growth of standard and BB bronze poults Av. \vt. m grams Protein
Calcium
Phosphorus
%
%
%
2.32 2.35 2.38 2.41 3.30
3.33 3.36 3.39
1.03 1.07 1.11 1.14 1.02 1.06 1.10 1.13
TABLE 6.—Effect of mineral supplements upon growth of poults Mineral Supplements m T>n„0 ..r, Av. Wt. at %CaCOa %Bone YsTeeks , 6 r weekS s meal (Grams) 49.24 50.76 49.38
4.0 5.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0
50.68 49.57 2.0 2.0
50.64
552 530 550 552 510 520 510 544 537 567 530 610 505 592 542 443 537 472
optimum growth was obtained on all rations tested. DISCUSSION
Commercial turkey starters commonly carry 24-26 percent protein. The data show that in most cases diets containing more than 26 percent protein gave increased growth rates. It would, therefore, seem that this level should be exceeded if most rapid early growth is desired. Soybean meal alone was practically as effective as was a combination of vegetable and animal protein concentrates. It is doubtful if other vegetable protein con-
Broad breast
3 wks.
7 wks.
3 wks.
7 wks.
133 174 190 194 172 154 170 213
520 635 712 734 514 564 625 737
193 236
767 952
' 253
1068
265 208 209 252 242
979 792 720 859 875
TABLE 7.—Influence of inorganic phosphorus supplements upon the growth of poults Diet
Total P
Inorganic P
0.49% 0.64% 0.66% 0.77% 0.79% 0.80% 0.85% 1.00%
0 0 0.18% 0.26%
0.18% 0.31% 0.12% 0.59%
Av. Wt. 6 wks. Grams 666 730 834 703 744 692 716 783
centrates could be depended upon to produce equally good results. Fritz, Hooper, Halpin, and Moore (1946) showed that when used to supply usual levels of total protein many of the vegetable protein concentrates do not supply enough lysine to support good growth and feather pigmentation in turkey poults. The data presented on utilization of cereal phosphorus do not necessarily conflict with the observations of Matterson, Scott, and Singsen (1946) because the phosphorus levels used in this study were considerably higher than in the basal diet of the Connecticut workers. I t must also be remembered that the percentage of the • total phosphorus present in cereals in the phytin combination may vary widely. While high levels of calcium and inorganic phosphorus tend to reduce the Vitamin D requirements, it is doubtful if
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
20.0 23.0 26.0 29.0 20.0 23.0 26.0 29.0
Standard
82
JAMES C. FRITZ, JOHN L. HALPIN, AND JOHN H. HOOPER
SUMMARY
Good results were obtained with vegetable protein diets in turkey starting rations. The growth of poults fed rations containing chiefly soybean meal as the protein supplement were as good as the growth rates on rations containing substantial quantities of animal protein concentrates. For most rapid early growth of poults rations containing more than 26 percent of protein are recommended. When ample Vitamin D is supplied the fastest growth is obtained with moderate levels of calcium and phosphorus. Good results were obtained with 2.0-2.5 percent calcium and 1.0 percent phosphorus. The data suggest that under practical conditions, cereal phosphorus is well utilized by poults when usual levels of fish liver Vitamin D are present in the ration. The protein and calcium requirements
of standard Bronze poults were very similar to those of Broad Breasted Bronze poults. REFERENCES
Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1940. Official and Tentative Methods of Analysis. 5th ed., Washington, D. C. Cravens, W. W., H. J. Almquist, L. C. Norris, R. M. Bethke, and H. W. Titus, 1944. Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Poultry. A report by the Sub-committee on Poultry Nutrition, National Research Council. Evans, R. J. and A. W. Brant, 1945. Calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D interrelationships in turkey poult nutrition. Poultry Sci. 24: 404-407. Fritz, J. C , J. H. Hooper, J. L. Halpin, and H. P. Moore, 1946. Failure of feather pigmentation in bronze poults due to lysine deficiency. J. Nutrition 31: 387-396. Fritz, J. C , J. H. Hooper, and H. P. Moore, 1945. Calcification in the poult. Poultry Sci. 24: 324328. Hammond, J. C , S. K. Haynes, S. J. Marsden, and H. W. Titus, 1944. Vegetable protein diets for turkeys. Poultry Sci. 23:105-109. Hammond, J. C , H. E. McClure, and W. L. Kellogg, 1944. The minimum phosphorus requirements of growing turkeys. Poultry Sci. 23: 239-241. Marvel, J. A., C. W. Carrick, R. E. Roberts, and S. M. Hauge, 1945. Comparison of Soybean oils and soybean oil meals in chick rations containing • distillers' dried solubles. Poultry Sci. 24: 46-52. Matterson, L. D., H. M. Scott, and E. P. Singsen, 1946. The influence of sources of phosphorus on the relative efficiency of Vitamin D s and Cod Liver Oil in promoting calcification in poults. J. Nutrition 31:599-608. Wilgus, H. S., Jr. and D. V. Zander, 1945. The quantity of animal protein required to supplement soybean oil meal for growth. Poultry Sci. 24:41-45.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
mineral levels much above present commercial practice are to be recommended when rapid growth is desired. The data summarized in this report suggest that about 2.0-2.5 percent calcium and 1.0 percent of phosphorus should be desirable mineral levels when both calcification and growth rates are considered. There was little or no difference in the protein or calcium requirements of standard Bronze poults and of Broad Breasted Bronze poults.
T
The mineral requirements of poults are rather confused. Hammond, McClure, and Kellogg (1944) obtained good growth with rations containing as little as 0.5 percent phosphorus. A previous report from this laboratory indicated that vitamin D requirements were increased when lowlevels of calcium and phosphorus were fed
(Fritz, Hooper and Moore, 1945). Evans and Brant (1945) confirmed this interrelationship of mineral and vitamin D requirements of poults. Matterson, Scott, and Singsen (1946) found poults unable to efficiently utilize phytin phosphorus, especially when the vitamin D was supplied by cod liver oil. This latter report gives us the best available explanation for the different relative efficiencies of vitamin D from different sources when fed to poults. The object of this investigation was to study protein and mineral requirements of young poults under practical conditions of feeding and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Most of the poults used in this study were standard bred Bronze birds hatched from the Experimental Farm flock. A few tests were made with Broad Breasted Bronze poults in an effort to compare the nutritional requirements of the two strains. The groups, with few exceptions, consisted of 15 to 20 poults each. At the start of each test the poults were distributed so as to equalize the average weights of the several groups. The poults were started in electrically heated screen floored batteries under the usual laboratory conditions. In cases where the poults were kept beyond 4 weeks, they were transferred at 4 weeks of age into intermediate growing batteries. The designated diets and tap water were supplied ad libitum. In most cases the analyses shown were obtained by techniques described in the 78
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
HE high nutritional requirements of turkey poults make it essential that these requirements be accurately determined in order to avoid waste of feed during periods of critical shortage. Usually the requirements of poults parallel but exceed those of chicks. The National Research Council bulletin on Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Poultry (Cravens, et al, 1944) suggests that a turkey starting mash should contain 24 percent of protein and that it should include at least 4 to 5 percent of animal protein supplements. Hammond, Haynes, Marsden and Titus (1944) concluded that good results could be obtained with turkey starting rations in which all of the protein was derived from vegetable sources. Most workers prefer to retain some animal protein concentrates. Wilgus and Zander (1945) concluded from their chick work that a small amount of animal protein supplement was necessary in order to obtain optimum growth rates. In most investigations soybean meal has contributed much of the vegetable protein used. It is well recognized that soybean oil meals differ markedly in their growth-promoting values (Marvel, Carrick, Roberts, and Hauge, 1945).
STUDIES ON THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF POULTS
79
TABLE 1.—Data on growth of bronze poults A Gr.com Gr. wheat Gr. oats Bran Middlings Alfalfa Fish meal Meat scrap Soy-meal Ration-Ayd* CaC03 Salt+I 2 &Mn
22.5% — 10.0 10.0 10.0 7.5 2.5 12.5 20.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 25.8 1,258
C
25.5% — 10.0 10.0 10.0 5.0 — 4.5 30.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 24.1 1,366
25.0% 10.0 10.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 — — 35.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 23.4 1,086
Commercial Feeds 1
2
26.0 1,315
24.4 1,189
* Poultry Feed supplement containing whey solubles and fish liver and glandular meal.
A.O.A.C. Book of Methods (1940). In a few cases calculated analyses are given. EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Data on the growth of poults shown in Table 1 illustrates the fact that there is not always an advantage in the use of large percentages of animal protein concentrates. The poorest growth was obtained on a ration which contained only a very small amount of animal protein carried in the vitamin supplement. However, this ration also had the lowest total proTABLE 2.—Data on growth of poults A
B
C
D
Gr. yellow corn Gr. oats Wheat bran St. middlings Alfalfa meal Soybean meal Fish meal Meat scraps Flaydry* Ladpro 100D** Calcium carbonate Salt with I 2 & M n Choline chloride
16.00 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 35.00
15.85 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 35.00
17.00 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 29.50
•— —
— —
—
4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00 0.15
4.50 4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00
28.75 10.00 10.00 15.00 5.00 17.50 2.00 2.25 4.50 1.50 2.50 1.C0
—
—
Percent protein
22.81
22.70
22.90
21.45
Av. wt. at 8 weeks 1,267
1,174
1,279
1,212
4.50 1.50 2.00 1.00
—
* Poultry feed supplement containing whey solubles. ** Poultry feed supplement containing fish liver and glandular meal.
tein content. Two commercial feeds produced by large manufacturers were also included in this test. The data show that the laboratory rations were producing results comparable to those obtained with these leading commercial turkey starters. Good,results were also obtained with the relatively low protein diets shown in Table 2. In this test the additions of either choline or meat scraps to a vegetable protein diet failed to improve the growth rate of the poults. Table 3 summarizes another test in which various animal protein concentrates were used. In this case there were some apparent discrepancies in the growth obtained. In most pens the growth rate was lower than in the previous tests. Meat scraps was the only supplement which produced better results than those obtained with the soybean meal alone, and it is doubtful if we should conclude that meat scraps is superior to fish meal. An attempt was made to compare the nutritional requirements of standard Bronze and Broad Breasted Bronze poults, with special reference to their protein and calcium requirements. The diet used for the lowest levels of both protein and calcium is shown in Table 4. Protein was increased in other diets by replacing
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
% Protein Wt. at8wks.
B
80
JAMES C. FRITZ, JOHN L. HALPIN, AND JOHN H.
TABLE 3.—Effect
Gr. corn Wheat bran St. middlings Gr. oats Alfalfa meal Soybean meal Ration-Ayd Calcium carbonate Salt with li & Mn Meat & bone scrap Fish meal Casein
of supplements to a vegetable protein diet
3456
3457
3458
3459
3463
20.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 35.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
21.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.5 2.0 2.0 1.0 4.5
22.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
23.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 29.5 2.0 2.0 1.0
32.0% 10.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 13.0 2.0 2.0 1.0
— — — 22.91 856
— — 22.99 1004
corn with additional soybean meal. Calcium additions were also made by replacing corn with additional calcium carbonate.
—
4.0
— —
— —
—
2.5
10.0
23.13 709
23.04 861
23.53 851
lowest levels of minerals. However, it should be noted that the basal diet contained approximately 160 A.O.A.C. chick units of vitamin D from fish liver sources TABLE 4.—Basal diet (20%) used in comparison of per 100 grams of feed. This is in contrast with the results obtained with lower levels requirements of standard and BB poults of Vitamin D. The specific object in this Gr. yellow corn 39.0% test was to determine whether or not the Rolled oats 10.0 unusually high mineral requirements preWheat bran 10.0 St. middlings 10.0 viously found by Fritz, Hooper, and Alfalfa leaf meal 5.0 Moore (1945) would be desirable if usual Meat & bone scrap 10.0 Fish meal 2.5 levels of Vitamin D were fed. The data Soybean meal 5.0 suggest that more than about five percent Flaydry 1.0 Ladpro 40D 4.0 of these combined mineral supplements Calcium carbonate 2.5 tends to depress growth. Salt with I 2 & Mn 1.0 In another test the mill by-products Calculated percentages of protein, cal- were replaced by ground whole wheat to cium and phosphorus are shown in Table reduce the phosphorus content. The effect 5, together with the average weights of of adding steamed bone meal to this low the poults at 3 weeks and at 7 weeks, of phosphorus diet was then investigated. age. The data show that the higher levels The data are summarized in Table 7. The of protein supported faster growth. When formula shown in Table 4, with soybean calcium additions were increased there meal increased to 20 percent, was modiwas a suggestion that the optimum per- fied so that diets 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 contained centage of calcium may have been passed. ground wheat while the remaining diets A similar ration was used in a succeed- contained 10 percent each of bran and ing test in which the different groups re- middlings to raise the level of cereal ceived graded levels of calcium carbonate phosphorus. The Vitamin D content of and steamed bone meal supplements each ration was approximately 160 added to the basal diet. The results of this A.O.A.C. chick units of Vitamin D per test are summarized in Table 6. Good cal- 100 grams of feed, supplied from fish liver cification was obtained with even the sources. Satisfactory, but perhaps not
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
Percent protein Av. Wt. a t 8 wks.
HOOPER
81
STUDIES ON THE N U T R I T I O N A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S OF P O U L T S
TABIE 5.—Effect of varying protein and calcium content of diet on growth of standard and BB bronze poults Av. \vt. m grams Protein
Calcium
Phosphorus
%
%
%
2.32 2.35 2.38 2.41 3.30
3.33 3.36 3.39
1.03 1.07 1.11 1.14 1.02 1.06 1.10 1.13
TABLE 6.—Effect of mineral supplements upon growth of poults Mineral Supplements m T>n„0 ..r, Av. Wt. at %CaCOa %Bone YsTeeks , 6 r weekS s meal (Grams) 49.24 50.76 49.38
4.0 5.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.5 5.0
50.68 49.57 2.0 2.0
50.64
552 530 550 552 510 520 510 544 537 567 530 610 505 592 542 443 537 472
optimum growth was obtained on all rations tested. DISCUSSION
Commercial turkey starters commonly carry 24-26 percent protein. The data show that in most cases diets containing more than 26 percent protein gave increased growth rates. It would, therefore, seem that this level should be exceeded if most rapid early growth is desired. Soybean meal alone was practically as effective as was a combination of vegetable and animal protein concentrates. It is doubtful if other vegetable protein con-
Broad breast
3 wks.
7 wks.
3 wks.
7 wks.
133 174 190 194 172 154 170 213
520 635 712 734 514 564 625 737
193 236
767 952
' 253
1068
265 208 209 252 242
979 792 720 859 875
TABLE 7.—Influence of inorganic phosphorus supplements upon the growth of poults Diet
Total P
Inorganic P
0.49% 0.64% 0.66% 0.77% 0.79% 0.80% 0.85% 1.00%
0 0 0.18% 0.26%
0.18% 0.31% 0.12% 0.59%
Av. Wt. 6 wks. Grams 666 730 834 703 744 692 716 783
centrates could be depended upon to produce equally good results. Fritz, Hooper, Halpin, and Moore (1946) showed that when used to supply usual levels of total protein many of the vegetable protein concentrates do not supply enough lysine to support good growth and feather pigmentation in turkey poults. The data presented on utilization of cereal phosphorus do not necessarily conflict with the observations of Matterson, Scott, and Singsen (1946) because the phosphorus levels used in this study were considerably higher than in the basal diet of the Connecticut workers. I t must also be remembered that the percentage of the • total phosphorus present in cereals in the phytin combination may vary widely. While high levels of calcium and inorganic phosphorus tend to reduce the Vitamin D requirements, it is doubtful if
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
20.0 23.0 26.0 29.0 20.0 23.0 26.0 29.0
Standard
82
JAMES C. FRITZ, JOHN L. HALPIN, AND JOHN H. HOOPER
SUMMARY
Good results were obtained with vegetable protein diets in turkey starting rations. The growth of poults fed rations containing chiefly soybean meal as the protein supplement were as good as the growth rates on rations containing substantial quantities of animal protein concentrates. For most rapid early growth of poults rations containing more than 26 percent of protein are recommended. When ample Vitamin D is supplied the fastest growth is obtained with moderate levels of calcium and phosphorus. Good results were obtained with 2.0-2.5 percent calcium and 1.0 percent phosphorus. The data suggest that under practical conditions, cereal phosphorus is well utilized by poults when usual levels of fish liver Vitamin D are present in the ration. The protein and calcium requirements
of standard Bronze poults were very similar to those of Broad Breasted Bronze poults. REFERENCES
Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1940. Official and Tentative Methods of Analysis. 5th ed., Washington, D. C. Cravens, W. W., H. J. Almquist, L. C. Norris, R. M. Bethke, and H. W. Titus, 1944. Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Poultry. A report by the Sub-committee on Poultry Nutrition, National Research Council. Evans, R. J. and A. W. Brant, 1945. Calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D interrelationships in turkey poult nutrition. Poultry Sci. 24: 404-407. Fritz, J. C , J. H. Hooper, J. L. Halpin, and H. P. Moore, 1946. Failure of feather pigmentation in bronze poults due to lysine deficiency. J. Nutrition 31: 387-396. Fritz, J. C , J. H. Hooper, and H. P. Moore, 1945. Calcification in the poult. Poultry Sci. 24: 324328. Hammond, J. C , S. K. Haynes, S. J. Marsden, and H. W. Titus, 1944. Vegetable protein diets for turkeys. Poultry Sci. 23:105-109. Hammond, J. C , H. E. McClure, and W. L. Kellogg, 1944. The minimum phosphorus requirements of growing turkeys. Poultry Sci. 23: 239-241. Marvel, J. A., C. W. Carrick, R. E. Roberts, and S. M. Hauge, 1945. Comparison of Soybean oils and soybean oil meals in chick rations containing • distillers' dried solubles. Poultry Sci. 24: 46-52. Matterson, L. D., H. M. Scott, and E. P. Singsen, 1946. The influence of sources of phosphorus on the relative efficiency of Vitamin D s and Cod Liver Oil in promoting calcification in poults. J. Nutrition 31:599-608. Wilgus, H. S., Jr. and D. V. Zander, 1945. The quantity of animal protein required to supplement soybean oil meal for growth. Poultry Sci. 24:41-45.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of North Dakota on May 27, 2015
mineral levels much above present commercial practice are to be recommended when rapid growth is desired. The data summarized in this report suggest that about 2.0-2.5 percent calcium and 1.0 percent of phosphorus should be desirable mineral levels when both calcification and growth rates are considered. There was little or no difference in the protein or calcium requirements of standard Bronze poults and of Broad Breasted Bronze poults.