The Relation of Nutrition to Production and Hatchability of Chicken Eggs. II. Effects of Choline Chloride, Methionine, and Certain Animal and Marine Products. (Received for publication May 22, 1946)
P
REVIOUS investigations at this Station (Bethke et al. 1946) as well as at other research institutions (Byerly and associates (1933a, 1933b), Nestler et al. (1936), Parkhurst'and coworkers (1944, 1945), Wilgus and associates (1941,1945)) showed that a cereal-soybean oil mealalfalfa meal ration was deficient in an unidentified factor (or factors) present in meat scraps,- fish meal, and dried skimmilk. McGinnis, Heuser, and Norris (1944) also reported that meat scraps and a liver preparation (liver paste) supplied the factor. The same investigators noted that the factor was not present in dried brewers' yeast and was different from choline. The present experiments were a continuation of previous trials (Bethke et al. 1946) to obtain further information on the amount of meat scraps that was required in an all-mash soybean oil meal ration for good hatchability and to determine whether choline and/or methionine were the limiting factors. Choline and methionine were selected for study because Almquist and associates (1942), Berry et al. (1943), Bird and Mattingly (1945), and Published with the approval of the Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.
Marvel and co-workers (1945) had found that, under certain conditions, either one or both of these substances were limiting factors in the growth of chicks fed a soybean oil meal ration. Dried pork liver, ] liver extract, and condensed fish solubles I were used because in chick growth studies (unpublished) all three products supplemented a yellow corn-cereal by-product-/ soybean oil meal ration. EXPERIMENTAL
Yearling White Leghorn hens were used in both experiments. These were transferred to indoor quarters where the temperature ranged between 50-75 degrees F. while in the molt. The birds were fed an all-mash stock ration of yellow corn, oats, wheat middlings, wheat bran, dehydrated alfalfa meal, soybean oil meal, minerals, dried fermentation solubles,* vitamins A and D, and 2.5 percent meat scraps. This stock ration was fed lor 80 days in experiment 1, or until the hens were put on the experimental rations. In experiment 2, the stock ration was fed for 40 days, when the meat scraps was replaced by an equivalent amount of soybean oil meal protein and the alfalfa meal reduced from 5.0 to * B.Y. riboflavin supplement.
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R. M. BETHKE, D. C. KENNARD, AND V. D. CHAMBERLIN Department of Animal Industry, Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio
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R. M. BETHKE, D. C. KENNARD, AND V. D. CHAMBERLIN
i Ground yellow corn 43.25 Ground oats 20.00 Standard wheat middlings. 7.50 Standard wheat bran 7.50 Dehydrated alfalfa meal 2.50 Soybean oil meal 15.00 Steamed bone meal 2.50 Ground limestone 1.00 Iodized salt 0.50 Feeding oil 0.25 Manganese sulfate—6 grams per 100 pounds ration.
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The soybean oil meal (expeller) and meat scraps (50% protein) used in both experiments were in each case a mixture of four commercial sources. The dehydrated alfalfa meal was a 17 percent protein meal and the feeding oil contained 2,000 U.S.P. units of vitamin A and 400 A.O.A.C. units of vitamin D per gram. All rations were supplemented With riboflavin so that the total added was not less than 1.13 or 1.36
milligrams per pound ration in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. An adjustment was made in the steamed bone meal level in case of the rations that contained meat scraps so as to maintain approximately the same calcium and phosphorus content as in the other rations. Dried sugar cane litter (Servall) was used, which was renewed at approximately 6-week intervals. Oyster shell was fed ad libitum. RESULTS
The hatchability values for both experiments are the averages of the individual hen results and include only those birds which had fertile eggs in the preliminary and two experimental periods. The results of experiment 1, presented in T a b l e 1, s h o w fhgf either 0,15 p e r c e n t
chcjme_chloridje or methionine did apt increase the percentage of fertile, eggs that hatched, The inclusion of meat scraps increased hatchability but it appears that 2.5 percent was not sufficient to sustain hatchability throughout the experiment. TWr. percpnj; rlrierl pr. r lr liVer gaire j *
marked response in hatchability. In experiment 2, the rations fed to pens 1 and 2 (basal and 5.0% meat scraps, respectively) were interchanged at approximately the middle of the experimental period. At the same time the choline chloride was omitted from the pen 5 ration and 4.0 percent condensed fish solubles added. Additional synthetic riboflavin was added to the ration of pen 6 so that during period 2, the hens in this pen received 2.25 milligrams in place of 1.36 milligrams of added riboflavin per pound of ration. No change was made in the rations fed to pens 3 and 4 (0.2% methionine* and 1.5% liver extract, respectively). The liver ex* We are grateful to Lederle Laboratories, Pearl River, New York, for the liver extract and The E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company for the methionine used in this experiment.
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2.5 percent. The modified ration was fed for an additional 58 days, or until the hens were changed to the experimental rations. Twenty-four White Leghorn hens were allotted to each pen in both experiments. The allotment was made on the basis of weight and hatchability while on the preexperimental ration. Two male birds were put in each pen. These were rotated between the pens each week. Individual trap-nest egg records were kept of all pens and the birds were weighed at monthly intervals. For seven weeks prior to changing to the experimental rations, the eggs in both experiments were set at weekly intervals in the same incubator and pedigree hatched. After the start of the experiments, the eggs were pedigree hatched at weekly intervals for 19 consecutive weeks, starting with the eggs laid 2 weeks after the hens were put on the experimental rations in experiment 1 and 1 week in experiment 2. The basal ration used in both experiments had the following composition:
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R E L A T I O N OF N U T R I T I O N TO P R O D U C T I O N AND H A T C H A B I L I T Y
TABLE I.—Hatchability results in experiment 1
Pen
Hens
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
1 2 3 4 5
No. 18 23 21 20 21
No. 474 571 497 417 502
Pet. 80.0 85.3 85.1 81.2 85.1
Period 2
Period 1
Preliminary* Supplements to ration
Nonef 0.15% 2.50% 5.00% 2.00%
choline chloride meat scraps (50% protein) meat scraps (50% protein) dried pork liver
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
No. 735 837 . 790 651 721
Pet. 61.4 59.0 76.4 77.1 89.8
No. 515 565 575 517 530
Pet. 51.3 61.2 69.6 81.6 88.1
tract* was an alcohol insoluble fraction prepared from an aqueous extract of fresh pork and beef liver. It contained approximately 400, 140, 60, and 20 micrograms of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and L. casei factor per gram, respectively, and probably other members of the vitamin B complex. The results of experiment 2 (Table 2) show that the addition of 0.15 percent choline chloride or 0.2 percent methionine alone or in combination to the basal ration did not improve hatchability. The data, in fact, indicate that choline chloride alone or in combination with methionine actually decreased hatchability. A similar depressing effect in hatchability was not
noted in experiment 1 by the inclusion of 0.15 percent choline chloride in the basal r a t i o n . F i v p p e r r e n t m e a t srra.ps and
1.5
percent liver extractjriT ipprn-rimitrljequal in increasing hatchability. The inclusion of additional riboflavin (pen 6) did not affect the percentage of fertile eggs that hatched—showing that the low hatchability noted in this and other pens was not due to a deficiency of riboflavin. T h e o m i s s i o n of c h " H n p rhlnrirfc a n d .trip a d d i t i o n of ij}
p^i-r^nr
rnnHpngpH
fieri
solubles (pen 5) produced s\ marl^n i m mft^iofg
iri^-rgqc» jr)
tViA p p r w n t a prp
0f
fftrtijP!fipr^Sfha.^ha.trhed. A reversal of the basal and meat scraps rations in pens 1 and 2 brought about a slow but progres-
TABLE 2.—Hatchability results in experiment 2 Preliminary* Pen
Hens
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
1
No. 19
No. 437
Pet. 77.0
2
21
499
76.4
3 4 5
22 21 24
518 520 622
72.3 77.7 76.5
6
22
467
70.4
Period 2
Period 1 Supplements to ration
None 5.00% meat scraps (50% protein) 1.50% liver extract 0.20% d.l. methionine 0.15% choline chloride 10.20% d.l. methionine \ \0.15% choline chloride/
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
No. 625
Pet. 46.8
679
77.5
748 718 796
75.5 50.3 38.7
726
28.4
Supplements to ration
5.00% meat scraps (50% protein) None 1.50% liver extract 0.20% d.l. methionine 4.00% fish solubles (0.20 d.l. methionine ] |0.15% choline chloride [ [Additional riboflavin** J
* The preliminary period consisted of 7 weekly settings while all hens were on the same ration. Period 1 consisted of 9 weekly settings—January 29 to March 26. Period 2 consisted of 10 weekly settings—April 2 to June 4. ** 0.9 milligrams per pound ration.
Fertile eggs
Hatch of fertile eggs
No. 537
Pet.57.1.
580
62.3
546 631 702
80.4 53.5 86.2
641
28.6
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* The preliminary period consisted of 7 weekly settings while all hens were on the same ration. Period 1 consisted of 10 weekly settings—February 7 to April 10. Period 2 consisted of 9 weekly settings—April 17 to June 12. 10.15% d.l. methionine added to basal ration during period 2.
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R. M. BETHKE, D. C. KENNAED, AND V. D. CHAMBERLIN
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SETTINGS
FIG. 1. The weekly hatchability of the fertile eggs from pens 1, 2, and 5 in experiment 2.
sive increase in the hatchability of the eggs by the inclusion of meat scraps and a gradual decrease in the percentage of fertile eggs that hatched by changing from the meat scraps to the basal ration. In order to have a clearer interpretation of the hatchability results presented in Table 2, the weekly values for pens 1, 2, and 5, which involved changes in rations during the experimental period, are presented graphically in Figure 1. It will be noted that the hatchability of the eggs produced on the basal ration and the basal ration plus 0.15 choline chloride decreased rapidly during the first few weeks on experiment and then tended to level off for the remainder of the period. Similar trends (not shown in Figure 1) were noted in case of the 0.2 percent methionine (pen 4) and 0.2 percent methionine and 0.15 percent choline chloride (pen 6) fed
pens. In contrast the values for the eggs produced on the meat scraps ration during period 1 were more or less on the order of a straight line. Figure 1 also shows the gradual increase noted in the hatchability of the eggs when the hens were changed from the basal to the 5.0 percent meat scraps ration and the progressive decrease 'in the hatchability of the eggs by changing from the meat scraps to the basal ration. It is also of interest to note that the marked increase observed in the hatchability of the eggs due to the inclusion of 4.0 percent condensed fish solubles in the ration occurred in less than 2 weeks and continued throughout the experimental period. SUMMARY Two experiments with White Leghorn hens showed that a ration of yellow corn, oats, wheat by-products, dehydrated al-
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90
RELATION OF NUTRITION TO PRODUCTION AND HATCHABILITY
REFERENCES
Almquist, H. J., E. Mecchi, F . H. Kratzer, and C. R. Grau, 1942. Soybean protein as a source of amino acids for the chick. J. Nutrition 24: 385392. Berry, E. P., C. W. Carrick, R. E. Roberts, and S. M. Hauge, 1943. A deficiency of available choline in soybean oil and soybean oil meal. Poultry Sci. 22: 442-445. Bethke, R. M., P. R. Record, D. C. Kennard, and V. D. Chamberlin, 1946. The relation of nutrition to egg production and hatchability in chickens.
I. Effect of protein supplements and alfalfa meal. Poultry Sci. (In Press) Bird, H. R., and J. P. Mattingly, 1945. Addition of d.l. methionine to starting and growing mashes. Poultry Sci. 24: 29-33. Byerly, T. C , H. W. Titus, and N. R. Ellis, 1933a. Production and hatchability of eggs as affected by different kinds and quantities of proteins in the diet of laying hens. Jour. Agr. Res. 46:1-22. , 1933b. Effect of diet on egg composition. I I . Mortality of embryos in eggs from hens on diets containing protein supplements of different origin. J. Nutrition 6: 225-242. McGinnis, J., G. F. Heuser, and L; C. Norris, 19.44. The need for a new unidentified factor for reproduction in chickens. Poultry Sci. 23: 553 (Abstract). Marvel, J. A., C. W. Carrick, R. E. Roberts, and S. M. Hague, 1945. A comparison of soybean oils and soybean oil meals in chick rations containing distillers' dried solubles. Poultry Sci. 24: 46-52. Nestler, R. B., T. C. Byerly, N . R. Ellis, and H. W. Titus, 1936. A new factor, not vitamin G, necessary for hatchability. Poultry Sci. 15:67-70. Parkhurst, R. T., and J. W. Kuzmeski, 1944. Supplementing distillers' dried by-products in breeding rations. Poultry Sci. 23: 554 (Abstract). Parkhurst, R. T., C. R. Fellers, and J. W. Kuzmeski, 1945. Corn distillers' by-products in poultry rations. I I . Laying and breeding rations. Poultry Sci. 24: 8-19. Wilgus, H. S., and F . X. Gassner, 1941. Effect of soybean meal on avian reproduction. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 46: 291. Wilgus, H. S., and D. V. Zander, 1945. Minimum levels of animal protein for reproduction. Poultry Sci. 23: 3*44-346.
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falfa meal, soybean oil meal (expeller), minerals and adequate vitamins A, D, and riboflavin is deficient in a factor (or factors) essential for good hatchability. Choline chloride and d.l. methionine, either alone or in combination, were not the limiting factor (or factors) in the ration used. Meat scraps, dried pork liver, liver extract, and condensed fish solubles increased the hatchability of the eggs significantly when added to the basal ration. The results showed that dried pork liver, liver extract, and condensed fish solubles contained more of the essential factor (or factors) than meat scraps. Evidence was obtained that 2.5 percent meat scraps was not adequate to sustain good hatchability over an extended period under the experimental conditions employed.
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