- Email: [email protected]
The Effect of Various Drug Additives on the Vitamin B6 Requirement of Chicks1
1150
J. O. ANDERSON AND D. C. DOBSON
Grau, C. R., 1948. Effect of protein level on the lysine requirement of the chick. J. Nutrition, 36: 99-108. Grau, C. R., and M. Kamei, 19S0. Amino acid imbalance and the growth requirements for lysine and methionine. J. Nutrition, 41: 89-101. Krautmann, B. A., S. M. Hauge, E. T. Mertz and C. W. Carrick, 1957. The arginine level for chicks as influenced by ingredients. Poultry Sci. 36: 935-939. National Research Council, 1954. Nutrient requirement for domestic animals. No. 1. Nutrient re-
quirements for poultry. Snyder, J. M., W. D. Morrison and H. M. Scott, 1956. The arginine requirement of chicks fed purified and corn-soya diets. Poultry Sci. 35: 852— 855. Schwartz, H. G., M. W. Taylor and H. Fisher, 1958. The effect of dietary energy concentration and age on the lysine requirement of growing chicks. J. Nutrition, 65: 25-37. Williams, H. H., 1955. "Essential" amino acid content of animal feeds. Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Memoir 337.
The Effect of Various Drug Additives on the Vitamin B6 Requirement of Chicks 1 HENRY L. FULLER AND W. SIMPSON DUNAHOO Division of Poultry Husbandry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (Received for publication March 20, 1959)
T
HE requirement of chicks for vitamin I$6 was shown by Fuller and Kifer (1959) to be approximately 1.5 mg. per pound of diet under laboratory conditions with purified diets, yet with practical type broiler rations containing 2.5 mg. per pound, slight increases in growth and feed efficiency were obtained when pyridoxine HC1 was added to the diet. A feature of the practical diets was the inclusion of arsanilic acid and a coccidiostat containing nitrofurazone and furazolidone. White-Stevens et al. (1957) found a negative interaction between nitrofurazone and 3-nitro 4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid but no interaction between nitrofurazone and arsanilic acid. Nitrofurazone fed continuously at 0.02% of the diet was shown by Peterson and Hymas (1950) to depress the growth of chicks. This drug was also shown by Harwood and Stunz (1950) to increase both the frequency and severity of a ribo-
1 Journal Paper No. 79 of the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture Experiment Stations.
flavin deficiency. Newberne and McEuen (1957) did not obtain a growth depression in chicks at levels of nitrofurazone below 0.05% of the diet, but at higher levels pathological changes were observed which included symptoms of thiamine and riboflavin deficiency. Workers at Norwich Pharmaceutical Company (Harwood, 1958) found that nitrofurazone increases slightly the pyridoxine requirement of rats. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effect of nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid on the vitamin B6 requirement of chicks. PROCEDURE
A purified diet, shown previously to be deficient in pyridoxine (Fuller and Kifer, 1959) was used in all trials (Table 1). An antibiotic (oxytetracycline) was included in this diet at a level of 9 mg. per pound in order to approximate the level found in practical diets. White Plymouth Rock cockerels purchased from a commercial hatchery were used throughout and were
1151
EFFECT OF DRUGS ON B6 REQUIREMENT
brooded in electrically heated battery brooders. A depletion technique was attempted in the first trial. The basal diet was fed to all chicks from 1 day of age without added pyridoxine, except one lot of 12 chicks which received 5 mg. pyridoxine per pound of diet to serve as a control. A sample lot of chicks was weighed daily en masse to determine the rapidity of depletion. Since the growth rate had slowed down perceptibly within two days, pyridoxine was added to the diet at a "stabilizing" level of 0.5 mg. per pound on the third day. It was thought that this level would be sufficiently suboptimal to equalize the depletion among all chicks and prevent a rapid increase in growth rate but sufficient to prevent mortality. One lot of 12 chicks was continued on the basal diet for observation. At one week of age 96 of the chicks which had received the "stabilizing" level of pyridoxine were randomly divided into 8 lots of 12 chicks each. Pyridoxine HCl was fed to duplicate lots at levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg. per pound of diet. One lot from each pyridoxine level received a combination of nitrofurazone (0.011%) and furazolidone (0.0016%)* plus arsanilic acid (0.01%). The chicks were weighed daily by lot en masse and individually at 14 days of age. A second trial was undertaken to test the possible interaction of these drugs and vitamin B6 which was indicated in the first trial. Nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid were tested in all combinations at the four levels of added pyridoxine used previously (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg./lb.). In addition one series received the combination of nitrofurazone and furazolidone at \ the levels used previously (corresponds to one pound Bifuran® per * Corresponds to Bifuran 8 at 2 lbs. per ton.
TABLE 1.—Basal diet Components
Percent of Ration
Cerelose Drackett assay protein, C-l Salt mix (GBI #446)' Corn oil Non-nutritive fiber Vitamin and A.A. mix2 Vigofac3
60.7 22.0 6.0 5.0 2.0 4.0 0.3 100.0
1 Salt mix (% of ration): NaCl 0.65, K 3 C 6 H 5 0 7 H 2 0 1.42, K2HPO4 0.465, CaHPCv2H 2 0 2.13, CaC0 3 , 1.0, MgCOs 0.25, FeCeHeOy • 3H 2 0 0.1, CuS0 3 . 5H 2 0 0.0011, MnS0 4 0.007, KjAWSO^ •24H 2 0 0.00054, KI 0.0003, CoCl 2 -6H 2 0 0.00054, ZnCOa 0.0003, NaF 0.000005 (Zn(C 2 H 3 0 2 ) 2 0.15 and MnS0 4 -4H 2 0 added in trial 2). 2 Vitamin and amino acid mix (per lb. of ration): Thiamine HCl 2 mg.; riboflavin 4 mg., Ca pantothenate 8 mg., niacin 40 mg., menadione NaHS0 3 1.0 mg., d alpha tocopherol 10 I.U., folic acid 1.5 mg., biotin 0.1 mg., choline CI 800 mg., PABA 36 mg., inositol 454 mg., vitamin Bi2 10 meg., vitamin A 6,000 I.U., vitamin D 3 600 I.C.U., oxytetracycline 9 mg., methionine 3.4 gm., glycine 2.3 gm. 3 Source of unidentified growth factors (Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y.).
ton) plus arsanilic acid at the previous level (0.01%). The experimental treatments are shown in Table 3. Sixteen White Rock cockerels were used in each lot and lots were weighed daily, en masse, and individually at 7 and 14 days. Fourteen-day weights were analyzed statistically by the analysis of variance methods of Snedecor (1946) to determine significance of interaction and by the multiple range test of Duncan (1955) to determine individually significant differences. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Trial 1. The rapidity of depletion and repletion of vitamin B6 in chicks on the purified diet is shown in Figure 1. Growth had noticeably slowed after two days on this diet. The "stabilizing" level of 0.5 mg. pyridoxine HCl per pound of ration, administered on the third day resulted in an immediate and maximal response as compared with the control group receiving 5.0 mg. per pound.
1152
H. L. FULLER AND W. S. DUNAHOO
6
i
2
T~4 Days
5 6 7-8 on Test
9
10 11
FIG. 1. Effect of depletion and repletion on on growth of chicks.
The effect of furazolidone, nitrofurazone and arsanilic acid on the response of the chicks to vitamin B6 is shown in Table 2. Medication resulted in a marked growth depression at all levels of vitamin B6 and in much more rapid depletion of this vitamin in the group receiving no added pyridoxine. In the unmedicated groups 0.5 mg. added pyridoxine HC1 per pound of ration appeared to be sufficient for normal growth with no significant difference between this level and 1.0 mg. per pound. In the presence of the drugs, however, the
best growth was attained at the 1.0 mg. per pound level. An interaction was suspected between one or more of the drugs used and vitamin Be since a higher level of this vitamin appeared to be required in the presence of the drugs. Trial 2. As in the first trial the presence of the drugs hastened the depletion of vitamin B6 in chicks receiving no added pyridoxine. Heavy mortality in these groups obscured the significance of the body weight differences between the medicated and non-medicated groups (Table 3). The depressing effect of the drugs on livability at the 0 level of added pyridoxine assumes greater importance than body weight differences. The presence of nitrofurazone at either 0.011% or 0.0055% in any combination (with arsanilic acid or furazolidone, or both) depressed growth significantly in most instances (except where significance was obscured by heavy mortality as indicated above). This growth depression was independent of the level of vitamin B6 in the diet. Furazolidone and arsanilic acid depressed growth significantly in the absence of added pyridoxine but permitted growth which was not significantly lower than the unmedicated controls in the TABLE 3.—Effect
TABLE 2.—Effect
of nitrofurazone, furazolidone,
of various drug combinations and
levels on the response of chicks to added pyridoxine
and arsanilic acid on the response of chicks to added pyridoxine
Added pyridoxine (mg./lb.) Medication
Added pyridoxine
Av. 7-14 day gain (gm.)
(mg./lb.)
Not medicated
Medicated*
0 0.5 1.0 2.0
37 107 112 112
19 76 89 69
* Nitrofurazone 0.011%, furazolidlne 0.0016%, arsanilic acid 0.01%.
0
0.5
1.0
2.0
14-day wt. of chicks (gm.) None NF'+FZ^+AAs NF'+FZ* NF!+AA» FZ2+AA' i(NF+FZ)«+AA
(Survivors) (14) (4) (7) (4) (10) (2)
91 82 74 62* 70* 701
212 168* 197 174* 204 208
234 194* 175* 180* 221 201*
226 179* 177* 175* 219 208*
1 NF =nitrofurazone 0.011%. 2 FZ=furazolidone 0.0016%. 34 AA =arsanilic acid 0.01% KNF+FZ) =nitrofurazone0.0055%,furazolidone0.C'008%. * Significantly different (P <0.05) than controls in same column. t Mortality too heavy to show statistical significance.
EFFECT OF DRUGS ON Be REQUIREMENT
presence of added pyridoxine. The interaction between drug treatments and vitamin B6 was tested statistically and found to be highly significant, indicating that pyridoxine HC1 was able to overcome the ill effects of either furazolidone and arsanilic acid or both. In this trial 1.0 mg. of added pyridoxine HC1 per pound of ration was required for maximum growth and feed efficiency. Since the basal diet was calculated to contain approximately 0.5 mg. vitamin B6 per pound, the total vitamin B6 required by the chicks was 1.5 mg. per pound of ration. This confirms an earlier report by Fuller and Kifer (1959). SUMMARY
In two feeding trials the growth of White Plymouth Rock cockerel chicks was depressed by the presence of various drugs in a purified diet deficient in vitamin B6. Nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid in all possible combinations hastened the onset of deficiency symptoms when no vitamin B6 was added to this diet. In all combinations containing nitrofurazone at 0.011% or 0.0055% of the ration, growth was depressed significantly at all levels of added pyridoxine HC1 in almost every instance. In only one group (at the lower level of nitrofurazone) did this difference fail to approach statistical significance. Furazolidone and arsanilic acid in combination depressed growth only when no pyridoxine was added but supported normal growth in the presence of added pyridoxine HC1 in the ration. A highly significant interaction was found between level of pyridoxine and drug treatment, indicating that added vitamin B6 was able to overcome the growth depression caused by the combination of furazolidone and arsanilic acid. The growth depression caused by nitrofura-
1153
zone in combination with other drugs fed appeared to be independent of this vitamin. In most instances a level of 1.5 mg. of vitamin B6 per pound of ration was required for maximum growth and feed efficiency. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This investigation was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey. The authors are grateful for their generous participation as well as the helpful counsel of Dr. Jack Bauernfiend and Mr. Carl Hasbrouck of that organization. The counsel of Dr. Paul Harwood, Hess and Clark, Inc., Ashland, Ohio is also gratefully acknowledged. The authors are indebted to E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Inc., Wilmington, Delaware for providing the DL-methionine; Nopco Chemical Co., Harrison, New Jersey for vitamin D and niacin; Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey for vitamin A, biotin, riboflavin, vitamin E, pyridoxine HC1, and calcium pantothenate; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois for arsanilic acid and menadione sodium bisulfite; Chas. Pfizer and Co., Brooklyn, New,York for vitamin B12, terramycin, and Vigofac; Dawes Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, for choline chloride; Lederle Laboratories Division of American Cyanamid Co., Pearl River, New York for folic acid, and to Hess and Clark, Inc., Ashland, Ohio for the nitrofurazone and furazolidone used in this trial. REFERENCES Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11(1): 1-42. Fuller, H. L., and P. E. Kifer, 1959. The vitamin B 6 requirement of chicks. Poultry Sci. 38: 255-260. Harwood, P. W., 1958. Personal communication. Harwood, P. W., and D. I. Stunz, 1950. The efficacy of nitrofurazone fed continuously for the control
1154
H. L. FULLER AND W. S. DUNAHOO
of avian coccidiosis under conditions of natural infection. Proc. Helm. Soc. Wash. 17:103-119. Newberne, P. M., and G. L. McEuen, 1957. Studies on drug toxicity in chicks. 4. The influence of various levels of nitrofurazone on growth and development of chicks. Poultry Sci. 36: 737-743. Peterson, E. H., and T. A. Hymas, 1950. Sulfaquinoxaline, nitrofurazone and nitrophenide in prophylaxis of experimental Eimeria necatrix infec-
tion. Am. J. Vet. Res. 11: 278-283. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. The Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa, pp. 400430. White-Stevens, R. H., H. G. Zeibel and B. R. McConville, 1957. Interrelation of arsenicals to coccidiostatic drugs on growth and yield of chickens. Proc. Assoc. So. Agr. Workers, 54th Annual Conf., pp. 245-246.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Content of Poultry Manure and Some Factors Influencing Its Composition 1 M . B. P A R K E R AND H. F .
PERKINS
Division of Agronomy AND
H E N R Y L.
FULLER
Division of Poultry Husbandry, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia, (Received for publication March 23, 1959)
B
ENEFICIAL effects of farm manure on the soil and on plant growth have been recognized for centuries. Early research with farm manures was devoted mostly to manure from large animals. The recent growth of the broiler industry has resulted in the production of large quantities of manure in concentrated areas. In the state of Georgia alone, during 1958, 292.1 million broilers were produced2 which together with the breeder flocks and other poultry deposited an estimated two million tons of broiler manure and a half million tons of hen manure. Research to determine the value of broiler manure has not kept pace with its production. Investigations to determine 1 Joint contribution of the Georgia Mountain Experiment Station, Blairsville, Georgia, and the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia. Journal Paper No. 68 of the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia. 2 U.S.D.A., Georgia Crop Reporting Service release, February 2, 1959.
the N, P, and K content of poultry manure have been limited mainly to hen manures, and these have provided inconsistent results. Some of the differences reported may be attributed to the moisture variable. Poultry manure consists primarily of droppings and litter, usually wood shavings or sawdust, with widely varying moisture content. Feathers and waste feed make up the remainder except in dirt floor houses where soil material may constitute as much as 25% of the total (unpublished data of the authors). Yushok and Bear (1943) report that old litter manure from laying hens contained 47.2% moisture, 1.83% N, 1.43% P 2 0 6 , and 0.76% K 2 0. White et al. (1944) found floor litter manure of 6.35 months of accumulation contained 15.8% moisture, 2.79% N, 2.84% P 2 0 5 , and 1.48% K 2 0. Papanos and Brown (1950) found about 40% moisture, 2% N, 2% P 2 0 5 , and 1% K 2 0, in hen manure composed of a mixture from dropping boards and floor litter.
J. O. ANDERSON AND D. C. DOBSON
Grau, C. R., 1948. Effect of protein level on the lysine requirement of the chick. J. Nutrition, 36: 99-108. Grau, C. R., and M. Kamei, 19S0. Amino acid imbalance and the growth requirements for lysine and methionine. J. Nutrition, 41: 89-101. Krautmann, B. A., S. M. Hauge, E. T. Mertz and C. W. Carrick, 1957. The arginine level for chicks as influenced by ingredients. Poultry Sci. 36: 935-939. National Research Council, 1954. Nutrient requirement for domestic animals. No. 1. Nutrient re-
quirements for poultry. Snyder, J. M., W. D. Morrison and H. M. Scott, 1956. The arginine requirement of chicks fed purified and corn-soya diets. Poultry Sci. 35: 852— 855. Schwartz, H. G., M. W. Taylor and H. Fisher, 1958. The effect of dietary energy concentration and age on the lysine requirement of growing chicks. J. Nutrition, 65: 25-37. Williams, H. H., 1955. "Essential" amino acid content of animal feeds. Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Memoir 337.
The Effect of Various Drug Additives on the Vitamin B6 Requirement of Chicks 1 HENRY L. FULLER AND W. SIMPSON DUNAHOO Division of Poultry Husbandry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (Received for publication March 20, 1959)
T
HE requirement of chicks for vitamin I$6 was shown by Fuller and Kifer (1959) to be approximately 1.5 mg. per pound of diet under laboratory conditions with purified diets, yet with practical type broiler rations containing 2.5 mg. per pound, slight increases in growth and feed efficiency were obtained when pyridoxine HC1 was added to the diet. A feature of the practical diets was the inclusion of arsanilic acid and a coccidiostat containing nitrofurazone and furazolidone. White-Stevens et al. (1957) found a negative interaction between nitrofurazone and 3-nitro 4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid but no interaction between nitrofurazone and arsanilic acid. Nitrofurazone fed continuously at 0.02% of the diet was shown by Peterson and Hymas (1950) to depress the growth of chicks. This drug was also shown by Harwood and Stunz (1950) to increase both the frequency and severity of a ribo-
1 Journal Paper No. 79 of the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture Experiment Stations.
flavin deficiency. Newberne and McEuen (1957) did not obtain a growth depression in chicks at levels of nitrofurazone below 0.05% of the diet, but at higher levels pathological changes were observed which included symptoms of thiamine and riboflavin deficiency. Workers at Norwich Pharmaceutical Company (Harwood, 1958) found that nitrofurazone increases slightly the pyridoxine requirement of rats. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effect of nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid on the vitamin B6 requirement of chicks. PROCEDURE
A purified diet, shown previously to be deficient in pyridoxine (Fuller and Kifer, 1959) was used in all trials (Table 1). An antibiotic (oxytetracycline) was included in this diet at a level of 9 mg. per pound in order to approximate the level found in practical diets. White Plymouth Rock cockerels purchased from a commercial hatchery were used throughout and were
1151
EFFECT OF DRUGS ON B6 REQUIREMENT
brooded in electrically heated battery brooders. A depletion technique was attempted in the first trial. The basal diet was fed to all chicks from 1 day of age without added pyridoxine, except one lot of 12 chicks which received 5 mg. pyridoxine per pound of diet to serve as a control. A sample lot of chicks was weighed daily en masse to determine the rapidity of depletion. Since the growth rate had slowed down perceptibly within two days, pyridoxine was added to the diet at a "stabilizing" level of 0.5 mg. per pound on the third day. It was thought that this level would be sufficiently suboptimal to equalize the depletion among all chicks and prevent a rapid increase in growth rate but sufficient to prevent mortality. One lot of 12 chicks was continued on the basal diet for observation. At one week of age 96 of the chicks which had received the "stabilizing" level of pyridoxine were randomly divided into 8 lots of 12 chicks each. Pyridoxine HCl was fed to duplicate lots at levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg. per pound of diet. One lot from each pyridoxine level received a combination of nitrofurazone (0.011%) and furazolidone (0.0016%)* plus arsanilic acid (0.01%). The chicks were weighed daily by lot en masse and individually at 14 days of age. A second trial was undertaken to test the possible interaction of these drugs and vitamin B6 which was indicated in the first trial. Nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid were tested in all combinations at the four levels of added pyridoxine used previously (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg./lb.). In addition one series received the combination of nitrofurazone and furazolidone at \ the levels used previously (corresponds to one pound Bifuran® per * Corresponds to Bifuran 8 at 2 lbs. per ton.
TABLE 1.—Basal diet Components
Percent of Ration
Cerelose Drackett assay protein, C-l Salt mix (GBI #446)' Corn oil Non-nutritive fiber Vitamin and A.A. mix2 Vigofac3
60.7 22.0 6.0 5.0 2.0 4.0 0.3 100.0
1 Salt mix (% of ration): NaCl 0.65, K 3 C 6 H 5 0 7 H 2 0 1.42, K2HPO4 0.465, CaHPCv2H 2 0 2.13, CaC0 3 , 1.0, MgCOs 0.25, FeCeHeOy • 3H 2 0 0.1, CuS0 3 . 5H 2 0 0.0011, MnS0 4 0.007, KjAWSO^ •24H 2 0 0.00054, KI 0.0003, CoCl 2 -6H 2 0 0.00054, ZnCOa 0.0003, NaF 0.000005 (Zn(C 2 H 3 0 2 ) 2 0.15 and MnS0 4 -4H 2 0 added in trial 2). 2 Vitamin and amino acid mix (per lb. of ration): Thiamine HCl 2 mg.; riboflavin 4 mg., Ca pantothenate 8 mg., niacin 40 mg., menadione NaHS0 3 1.0 mg., d alpha tocopherol 10 I.U., folic acid 1.5 mg., biotin 0.1 mg., choline CI 800 mg., PABA 36 mg., inositol 454 mg., vitamin Bi2 10 meg., vitamin A 6,000 I.U., vitamin D 3 600 I.C.U., oxytetracycline 9 mg., methionine 3.4 gm., glycine 2.3 gm. 3 Source of unidentified growth factors (Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y.).
ton) plus arsanilic acid at the previous level (0.01%). The experimental treatments are shown in Table 3. Sixteen White Rock cockerels were used in each lot and lots were weighed daily, en masse, and individually at 7 and 14 days. Fourteen-day weights were analyzed statistically by the analysis of variance methods of Snedecor (1946) to determine significance of interaction and by the multiple range test of Duncan (1955) to determine individually significant differences. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Trial 1. The rapidity of depletion and repletion of vitamin B6 in chicks on the purified diet is shown in Figure 1. Growth had noticeably slowed after two days on this diet. The "stabilizing" level of 0.5 mg. pyridoxine HCl per pound of ration, administered on the third day resulted in an immediate and maximal response as compared with the control group receiving 5.0 mg. per pound.
1152
H. L. FULLER AND W. S. DUNAHOO
6
i
2
T~4 Days
5 6 7-8 on Test
9
10 11
FIG. 1. Effect of depletion and repletion on on growth of chicks.
The effect of furazolidone, nitrofurazone and arsanilic acid on the response of the chicks to vitamin B6 is shown in Table 2. Medication resulted in a marked growth depression at all levels of vitamin B6 and in much more rapid depletion of this vitamin in the group receiving no added pyridoxine. In the unmedicated groups 0.5 mg. added pyridoxine HC1 per pound of ration appeared to be sufficient for normal growth with no significant difference between this level and 1.0 mg. per pound. In the presence of the drugs, however, the
best growth was attained at the 1.0 mg. per pound level. An interaction was suspected between one or more of the drugs used and vitamin Be since a higher level of this vitamin appeared to be required in the presence of the drugs. Trial 2. As in the first trial the presence of the drugs hastened the depletion of vitamin B6 in chicks receiving no added pyridoxine. Heavy mortality in these groups obscured the significance of the body weight differences between the medicated and non-medicated groups (Table 3). The depressing effect of the drugs on livability at the 0 level of added pyridoxine assumes greater importance than body weight differences. The presence of nitrofurazone at either 0.011% or 0.0055% in any combination (with arsanilic acid or furazolidone, or both) depressed growth significantly in most instances (except where significance was obscured by heavy mortality as indicated above). This growth depression was independent of the level of vitamin B6 in the diet. Furazolidone and arsanilic acid depressed growth significantly in the absence of added pyridoxine but permitted growth which was not significantly lower than the unmedicated controls in the TABLE 3.—Effect
TABLE 2.—Effect
of nitrofurazone, furazolidone,
of various drug combinations and
levels on the response of chicks to added pyridoxine
and arsanilic acid on the response of chicks to added pyridoxine
Added pyridoxine (mg./lb.) Medication
Added pyridoxine
Av. 7-14 day gain (gm.)
(mg./lb.)
Not medicated
Medicated*
0 0.5 1.0 2.0
37 107 112 112
19 76 89 69
* Nitrofurazone 0.011%, furazolidlne 0.0016%, arsanilic acid 0.01%.
0
0.5
1.0
2.0
14-day wt. of chicks (gm.) None NF'+FZ^+AAs NF'+FZ* NF!+AA» FZ2+AA' i(NF+FZ)«+AA
(Survivors) (14) (4) (7) (4) (10) (2)
91 82 74 62* 70* 701
212 168* 197 174* 204 208
234 194* 175* 180* 221 201*
226 179* 177* 175* 219 208*
1 NF =nitrofurazone 0.011%. 2 FZ=furazolidone 0.0016%. 34 AA =arsanilic acid 0.01% KNF+FZ) =nitrofurazone0.0055%,furazolidone0.C'008%. * Significantly different (P <0.05) than controls in same column. t Mortality too heavy to show statistical significance.
EFFECT OF DRUGS ON Be REQUIREMENT
presence of added pyridoxine. The interaction between drug treatments and vitamin B6 was tested statistically and found to be highly significant, indicating that pyridoxine HC1 was able to overcome the ill effects of either furazolidone and arsanilic acid or both. In this trial 1.0 mg. of added pyridoxine HC1 per pound of ration was required for maximum growth and feed efficiency. Since the basal diet was calculated to contain approximately 0.5 mg. vitamin B6 per pound, the total vitamin B6 required by the chicks was 1.5 mg. per pound of ration. This confirms an earlier report by Fuller and Kifer (1959). SUMMARY
In two feeding trials the growth of White Plymouth Rock cockerel chicks was depressed by the presence of various drugs in a purified diet deficient in vitamin B6. Nitrofurazone, furazolidone, and arsanilic acid in all possible combinations hastened the onset of deficiency symptoms when no vitamin B6 was added to this diet. In all combinations containing nitrofurazone at 0.011% or 0.0055% of the ration, growth was depressed significantly at all levels of added pyridoxine HC1 in almost every instance. In only one group (at the lower level of nitrofurazone) did this difference fail to approach statistical significance. Furazolidone and arsanilic acid in combination depressed growth only when no pyridoxine was added but supported normal growth in the presence of added pyridoxine HC1 in the ration. A highly significant interaction was found between level of pyridoxine and drug treatment, indicating that added vitamin B6 was able to overcome the growth depression caused by the combination of furazolidone and arsanilic acid. The growth depression caused by nitrofura-
1153
zone in combination with other drugs fed appeared to be independent of this vitamin. In most instances a level of 1.5 mg. of vitamin B6 per pound of ration was required for maximum growth and feed efficiency. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This investigation was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey. The authors are grateful for their generous participation as well as the helpful counsel of Dr. Jack Bauernfiend and Mr. Carl Hasbrouck of that organization. The counsel of Dr. Paul Harwood, Hess and Clark, Inc., Ashland, Ohio is also gratefully acknowledged. The authors are indebted to E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Inc., Wilmington, Delaware for providing the DL-methionine; Nopco Chemical Co., Harrison, New Jersey for vitamin D and niacin; Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey for vitamin A, biotin, riboflavin, vitamin E, pyridoxine HC1, and calcium pantothenate; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois for arsanilic acid and menadione sodium bisulfite; Chas. Pfizer and Co., Brooklyn, New,York for vitamin B12, terramycin, and Vigofac; Dawes Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, for choline chloride; Lederle Laboratories Division of American Cyanamid Co., Pearl River, New York for folic acid, and to Hess and Clark, Inc., Ashland, Ohio for the nitrofurazone and furazolidone used in this trial. REFERENCES Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11(1): 1-42. Fuller, H. L., and P. E. Kifer, 1959. The vitamin B 6 requirement of chicks. Poultry Sci. 38: 255-260. Harwood, P. W., 1958. Personal communication. Harwood, P. W., and D. I. Stunz, 1950. The efficacy of nitrofurazone fed continuously for the control
1154
H. L. FULLER AND W. S. DUNAHOO
of avian coccidiosis under conditions of natural infection. Proc. Helm. Soc. Wash. 17:103-119. Newberne, P. M., and G. L. McEuen, 1957. Studies on drug toxicity in chicks. 4. The influence of various levels of nitrofurazone on growth and development of chicks. Poultry Sci. 36: 737-743. Peterson, E. H., and T. A. Hymas, 1950. Sulfaquinoxaline, nitrofurazone and nitrophenide in prophylaxis of experimental Eimeria necatrix infec-
tion. Am. J. Vet. Res. 11: 278-283. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. The Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa, pp. 400430. White-Stevens, R. H., H. G. Zeibel and B. R. McConville, 1957. Interrelation of arsenicals to coccidiostatic drugs on growth and yield of chickens. Proc. Assoc. So. Agr. Workers, 54th Annual Conf., pp. 245-246.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Content of Poultry Manure and Some Factors Influencing Its Composition 1 M . B. P A R K E R AND H. F .
PERKINS
Division of Agronomy AND
H E N R Y L.
FULLER
Division of Poultry Husbandry, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia, (Received for publication March 23, 1959)
B
ENEFICIAL effects of farm manure on the soil and on plant growth have been recognized for centuries. Early research with farm manures was devoted mostly to manure from large animals. The recent growth of the broiler industry has resulted in the production of large quantities of manure in concentrated areas. In the state of Georgia alone, during 1958, 292.1 million broilers were produced2 which together with the breeder flocks and other poultry deposited an estimated two million tons of broiler manure and a half million tons of hen manure. Research to determine the value of broiler manure has not kept pace with its production. Investigations to determine 1 Joint contribution of the Georgia Mountain Experiment Station, Blairsville, Georgia, and the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia, College of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia. Journal Paper No. 68 of the College Experiment Station, University of Georgia. 2 U.S.D.A., Georgia Crop Reporting Service release, February 2, 1959.
the N, P, and K content of poultry manure have been limited mainly to hen manures, and these have provided inconsistent results. Some of the differences reported may be attributed to the moisture variable. Poultry manure consists primarily of droppings and litter, usually wood shavings or sawdust, with widely varying moisture content. Feathers and waste feed make up the remainder except in dirt floor houses where soil material may constitute as much as 25% of the total (unpublished data of the authors). Yushok and Bear (1943) report that old litter manure from laying hens contained 47.2% moisture, 1.83% N, 1.43% P 2 0 6 , and 0.76% K 2 0. White et al. (1944) found floor litter manure of 6.35 months of accumulation contained 15.8% moisture, 2.79% N, 2.84% P 2 0 5 , and 1.48% K 2 0. Papanos and Brown (1950) found about 40% moisture, 2% N, 2% P 2 0 5 , and 1% K 2 0, in hen manure composed of a mixture from dropping boards and floor litter.