The use of high oil corn in broiler diets

The Use of High Oil Corn in Broiler Diets J. A. BENITEZ,* A. G. GERNAT,*,1 J. G. MURILLO,* and M. ARABA† *Escuela Agricola Panamericana, Departamento de Zootecnia, Apartado Postal 93, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and †Quality Grains Research and Development Center, 10700 Justin Drive, Des Moines, Iowa 50322-3703 ABSTRACT We examined the effect of substituting conventional corn (CC; 3.5% crude fat) with high oil corn (HOC; 8.81 and 6.75% crude fat) on broiler performance. In Experiment 1, 100 chicks were assigned to 16 experimental pens consisting of two treatments. Treatment 1, the control group used CC, whereas in Treatment 2, CC was totally replaced with HOC containing 8.81% crude fat. In Experiment 2, 52 chicks were assigned to each of 16 experimental pens divided also into two treatments. Treatment 1 was the control group using CC and in Treatment 2 CC was totally replaced by HOC (6.75% crude fat). Body weight,

cumulative feed intake, and feed efficiency were determined weekly for each pen from 7 to 42 d of age. Carcass weight and percentage yield were determined prechill. Results in Experiment 1 showed no significant differences for any parameter measured. In Experiment 2, body weight was significantly higher (P < 0.05) for birds fed HOC at 42 d of age. There were no significant differences among treatments for the remaining parameters. These results indicate that comparable performance of broilers can be obtained when CC is substituted with HOC.

(Key words: high oil corn, broiler, conventional corn, performance, crude fat) 1999 Poultry Science 78:861–865

the ME content was increased 37.0 kcal/kg for each 1% increase in oil content. Han et al. (1987) and Adams et al. (1994) reported that weight gain and feed efficiency improved in birds fed HOC compared to conventional yellow corn in isocaloric diets. On the other hand, Bartov and Bar-Zur (1995) reported that broilers fed diets containing HOC (6.7% crude fat) showed no difference in feed intake or weight gain, but feed efficiency was better when compared with conventional corn (CC). Mireles et al. (1996) observed that HOC (6.8% crude fat) can substitute for generic corn grain in broiler diets with a minimal effect on carcass composition. Because new varieties of HOC are being developed yearly and because earlier studies are limited and somewhat conflicting, the objective of this study was to measure performance of broilers fed recent varieties of HOC.

INTRODUCTION Corn is one of the most widely used energy-yielding ingredients in poultry diets. Dry dent corn grain contains 8.5% CP and 3,350 kcal ME/kg. Corn breeders have modified its energy content by increasing or decreasing the oil content. Increases in oil content are accomplished by increasing the germ fraction of the grain, which also increases its protein content (Watson and Freeman, 1975). Such selective breeding was initiated at the University of Illinois in 1896 (Dudley, 1974). Currently, strains of high oil corn (HOC) contain 6 to 8% oil and produce yields comparable to commercial strains in production. Use of HOC can be beneficial to the poultry industry by facilitating formulation of higher energy feeds that should improve feed conversion, and perhaps growth, in broilers. This use of HOC would reduce the use of supplemental fats, thus reducing feed costs. Reduction of feed mill dust and improvement in pellet quality have also been observed with HOC (Rand et al., 1997). The nutritional value of HOC for poultry has been evaluated by Dale and Whittle (1991), who reported that

MATERIALS AND METHODS

General (Experiment 1 and 2) In both experiments, 1-d-old straight run Indian River2 chicks were received from a commercial hatchery

Received for publication August 5, 1998. Accepted for publication January 16, 1999. 1To whom correspondence should be addressed: agernat@ zamorano.edu.hn 2Hy-Line Indian River Co., West Des Moines, IA 50265.

Abbreviation Key: CC = conventional corn; HOC = high oil corn; HPC = high protein corn; WOG = without giblets.

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and placed in an open-sided, naturally ventilated broiler house with a photoperiod of 24 h light. Each pen was heated by an electric brooder and provided with a bell waterer and tube feeders. Diets and water were consumed ad libitum. Conventional corn (CC) and HOC were compared in both experiments. Prior to diet formulation, a proximate analysis was done on samples of CC (AOAC, 1990). Nutrient and amino acid analyses of two samples of HOC were done by Optimum Quality Grains3 (Table 1). Diets with both types of corn were formulated to be isonitrogenous with similar levels of ME and to meet or exceed NRC (1994) requirements. Body weight, cumulative feed intakes, and feed efficiency (feed:gain) were determined for each pen weekly between 7 and 42 d of age. Carcass weights and percentage yield (without giblets; WOG) were determined prechill from all birds from each pen.

Experiment 1 Sixteen hundred chicks were weighed, wing-banded, and randomly assigned to each of 16 pens, 3 × 4 m at a density of 8.33 birds per square meter (100 birds per pen). The two treatments, with eight replicates each, were allocated in a randomized complete block design. The control group contained CC, whereas in the treatment group, CC was totally replaced with Dupont’s Optimum #140 HOC with a 8.81% fat content (Table 2). Experiment 1 was replicated exactly in a second trial.

Experiment 2 Eight hundred and thirty-two chicks were weighed, wing-banded, and randomly assigned to each of 16 pens (2 × 3 m) at a density of 8.66 birds per square meter (52 birds per pen). The two treatments with eight replicates were allocated in a randomized complete block design. For the HOC treatment, CC in the control diet was totally replaced with Dupont’s Optimum HOC with a 6.75% fat content (Table 3). Experiment 2 was not replicated.

Statistical Analysis Data from each trial in Experiment 1 were evaluated separately by ANOVA using General Linear Models procedures (SAS Institute, 1991). Preliminary ANOVA indicated a nonsignificant trial effect; therefore, the data were pooled. Experiment 2 contained only one trial. Percentage data were subjected to arcsine square root transformation and treatment means separated by the Least Significant Difference test. A probability of P < 0.05 was required for statements of significance.

3Quality Grains Research and Development Center, Des Moines, IA 50322-3703.

TABLE 1. Nutrient composition of conventional and high oil corn (HOC)

Ingredients Moisture Crude fat Crude protein Metabolizable energy, kcal/kg Amino acid profile Lysine Methionine Cystine Arginine Threonine Tryptophane Histidine Valine Isoleucine Leucine Phenylalanine Glycine Tyrosine Serine

Conventional corn

Optimum #80 HOC1

Optimum #140 HOC1

(%) 13.30 6.75 8.32

13.00 8.81 9.00

13.50 3.35 7.70 3,330

3,475

0.26 0.18 0.18 0.38 0.29 0.06 0.23 0.40 0.29 1.00 0.38 0.33 0.30 0.37

0.27 0.16 0.16 0.40 0.30 0.06 0.30 0.41 0.30 1.13 0.36 0.32 0.32 0.43

5,590 0.33 0.21 0.21 0.49 0.33 0.07 0.26 0.46 0.34 1.09 0.44 0.38 0.41 0.42

1Quality Grains and Research Development Center, Des Moines, IA 50322-3703.

RESULTS Results from Experiment 1 are presented in Table 4. Although birds and feed were weighed weekly, only 14-, 28-, and 42-d results are presented. High oil corn with 8.81% fat content produced results comparable to CC with 3.35% fat content in isocaloric, isonitrogenous diets. Body weight, feed consumption, and feed conversion did not differ significantly through the 6-wk growing period. No significant differences were found for percentage mortality, prechill carcass weight, or percentage carcass yield, WOG. Results from Experiment 2 are presented in Table 5. The body weights of birds fed HOC with 6.75% fat content were significantly heavier (P < 0.05) than those fed CC with 3.35% fat content only at 42 d of age (1,941 vs 1,821 g). There were no significant differences for feed consumption; however, a significant difference in feed conversion (P < 0.05) was observed at 42 d of age, favoring the birds fed HOC. Feed conversion for HOC was 1.72 compared to 1.82 with CC. No significant differences were observed for mortality, prechilled carcass weight, or percentage carcass yield WOG.

DISCUSSION Our results demonstrate that using the latest varieties of HOC in place of CC in isonitrogenous diets with similar energy levels produces equivalent results in broilers (Table 4). In Experiment 2, the 42-d weights and feed conversion values were actually significantly better. A possible reason for this outcome may be that the

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HIGH OIL CORN AND BROILER PERFORMANCE TABLE 2. Composition of experimental diets, Experiment 1 Starter Ingredients and analysis

T11

Grower

T21

T11

Finisher

T21

T11

T21

(%) Ground corn Ground high oil corn2 Soybean meal (48.9% CP) Meat meal (48.2% CP) Dicalcium phosphate Ground limestone Salt (NaCl) Vitamin + mineral premix3 Oxitet T-414 Avatec5 Vegetable oil DL-methionine L-lysine Calculated analyses CP6 ME, kcal/kg Calcium Available phosphorus Methionine Methionine + cystine Lysine

56.93 0.00 31.70 5.00 0.38 0.94 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 4.04 0.20 0.00

0.00 62.85 28.60 5.00 0.41 1.09 0.38 0.30 0.12 0.12 1.00 0.21 0.00

60.86 0.00 28.98 5.00 0.18 0.71 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 3.33 0.13 0.00

0.00 65.28 26.71 5.00 0.20 0.85 0.38 0.30 0.12 0.12 1.00 0.14 0.00

67.75 0.00 21.63 5.00 0.24 0.74 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 3.70 0.13 0.10

0.00 73.63 18.18 5.00 0.27 0.88 0.38 0.30 0.12 0.12 1.00 0.14 0.00

23.09 3,125 0.95 0.47 0.58 0.93 1.30

23.19 3,149 1.00 0.47 0.58 0.92 1.24

21.20 3,170 0.82 0.42 0.50 0.83 1.25

21.03 3,190 0.87 0.42 0.50 0.82 1.19

18.12 3,210 0.82 0.41 0.46 0.75 1.00

18.18 3,282 0.87 0.41 0.46 0.74 1.00

= control; T2 = Optimum #140 high oil corn. #140. 3The vitamin and mineral premix provide the following quantities per kilogram of diet: vitamin A, 10,000 IU (all-trans-retinal); cholecalciferol, 2,500 IU; vitamin E, 10 IU (dl-a-tocopheryl); menadione, 2 mg; riboflavin, 5 mg; niacin, 35 mg; D-calcium pantothenic acid, 10 mg; choline chloride, 250 mg; vitamin B12, 12 mg; folic acid, 0.75 mg; biotin, 22 mg; pyrodoxine, 18 mg; thiamin, 15 mg; manganese, 70 mg; zinc, 50 mg; iron, 30 mg; copper, 10 mg; iodine, 1.5 mg; cobalt, 0.15 mg; selenium, 0.10 mg; mold inhibitor, 7 mg; antioxidant, 10 mg. 4Oxitet T-41, broad spectrum antibiotic, 89 g oxytetracycline/kg. 5Avatec, prevention of coccidiosis in broilers, 150 g lasalocid sodium/kg. 6Determined analyses. 1T1

2Optimum

energy and amino acid content of the ingredients being displaced by the HOC might have been overestimated. Alternatively, there might have been variations in the quality of the CC, which might have affected subsequent chick growth. In general, these results agree with those of several workers. Bartov and Bar-Zur (1995) found no differences in weight gain or feed intake in broilers when imported corn, Israeli HOC, or CC supplemented with corn oil to equalize fat and protein content, were compared. Mello et al. (1997a) found that body weight and feed conversion were unaffected in 6-wk-old broilers fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing CC, HOC, or high protein corn (HPC). Stillborn et al. (1997) also found that HOC and CC produced similar results when energy and amino acid levels were similar in both diets. In another study, Mello et al. (1997b) found that CC, HOC, and HPC formulated in isocaloric, isonitrogenous diets with similar amino acid profiles did not affect 6-wk body weight, weight gain, mortality, or feed conversion of broilers, although feed intake for birds fed CC was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of the others. Thus, these three varieties of corn produced comparable results. In agreement with one of our studies, Mireles et al. (1996) found that complete substitution of CC (3.6%

crude fat) with #80 HOC in isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets produced significantly better feed conversions with similar carcass yields. Viera et al. (1997) found that chicks on starter diets (1 to 21 d of age) responded better to a CC diet supplemented with corn oil than chicks on diets with HOC. However, birds on a grower or finisher diet (21 to 42 d of age) showed no differences in performance due to the type of corn utilized. It was suggested that the immature digestive system of the chick was inefficient in digesting the intracellular oil present in HOC. Han et al. (1987) showed that HOC varieties were superior to CC for poultry, due to the fact that these varieties contained higher concentrations of ME, protein, lysine, and carotenoids than CC, thus improving growth and feed efficiency of broilers. Adams et al. (1994) found that substituting HOC for CC improved performance when diets were formulated to take advantage of the superior energy and amino acid content of HOC. At similar levels of dietary energy, the performance of birds was similar for all types of corn. Results from these studies indicate that using HOC can result in improved broiler performance, if feed is formulated to take advantage of the superior energy content of HOC.

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BENITEZ ET AL. TABLE 3. Composition of experimental diets, Experiment 2 Starter Ingredients and analysis

T11

Grower

T21

T11

Finisher

T21

T11

T21

(%) Ground corn Ground high oil corn2 Soybean meal (48.9% CP) Meat meal (48.2% CP) Dicalcium phosphate Ground limestone Salt (NaCl) Vitamin + mineral premix3 Oxitet T-414 Avatec5 Vegetable oil DL-methionine L-lysine Calculated analyses CP6 ME, kcal/kg Calcium Available phosphorus Methionine Methionine + cystine Lysine

54.05 0.00 34.24 5.00 0.35 0.94 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 4.42 0.19 0.00

0.00 56.89 33.05 5.00 0.36 1.94 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 2.74 0.21 0.00

59.90 0.00 29.14 5.00 0.18 0.71 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 4.14 0.13 0.00

0.00 63.04 27.82 5.00 0.19 0.71 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 2.27 0.15 0.00

67.55 0.00 21.66 5.00 0.24 0.74 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 3.77 0.13 0.10

0.00 71.06 20.18 5.00 0.25 0.75 0.36 0.30 0.12 0.12 1.68 0.15 0.11

22.90 3,125 0.95 0.47 0.58 0.94 1.36

23.13 3,125 0.95 0.47 0.58 0.96 1.35

21.23 3,170 0.82 0.42 0.50 0.83 1.22

21.19 3,170 0.82 0.42 0.50 0.85 1.20

18.01 3,210 0.82 0.41 0.46 0.75 1.10

18.16 3,210 0.82 0.41 0.46 0.77 1.10

= control; T2 = Optimum #80 HOC. #80. 3The vitamin and mineral premix provide the following quantities per kilogram of diet: vitamin A, 10,000 IU (all-trans-retinal); cholecalciferol, 2,500 IU; vitamin E, 10 IU (dl-a-tocopheryl); menadione, 2 mg; riboflavin, 5 mg; niacin, 35 mg; D-calcium pantothenic acid, 10 mg; choline chloride, 250 mg; vitamin B12, 12 mg; folic acid, 0.75 mg; biotin, 22 mg; pyrodoxine, 18 mg; thiamin, 15 mg; manganese, 70 mg; zinc, 50 mg; iron, 30 mg; copper, 10 mg; iodine, 1.5 mg; cobalt, 0.15 mg; selenium, 0.10 mg; mold inhibitor, 7 mg; antioxidant, 10 mg. 4Oxitet T-41, broad spectrum antibiotic, 89 g oxytetracycline/kg. 5Avatec, prevention of coccidiosis in broilers, 150 g lasalocid sodium/kg. 6Determined analyses. 1T1

2Optimum

TABLE 4. The effect of high oil corn (8.81% oil content) on body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, carcass weight and yield, Experiment 1

Parameter Body weight, g Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Cumulative feed consumption, g/bird Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Cumulative feed conversion, g feed:g body weight Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Mortality, % Carcass weight,3 g Carcass yield,4 % 1,2No

Conventional corn1

High oil corn2

346 1,034 1,910

332 1,010 1,926

18.2 36.1 61.3

456 1,690 3,496

445 1,668 3,517

41.5 67.7 129.9

1.41 1.64 1.84 4.40 1,307 69.3

1.41 1.65 1.83 3.60 1,316 68.0

significant differences were found in any comparison between types of corn. weight. 4Without giblets. 3Prechill

SEM

0.055 0.050 0.083 0.06 33.60 1.59

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HIGH OIL CORN AND BROILER PERFORMANCE TABLE 5. The effect of high oil corn (6.75% oil content) on body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, carcass weight, and carcass yield, Experiment 2

Parameter Body weight, g Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Cumulative feed consumption, g/bird Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Cumulative feed conversion, g feed:g body weight Day 14 Day 28 Day 42 Mortality, % Carcass weight,1 g Carcass yield,2 %

Conventional corn

High oil corn

337 1,046 1,821b

395 1,093 1,941a

19.0 38.0 73.5

400 1,561 3,325

456 1,562 3,353

44.4 54.4 126.9

1.18 1.49 1.82b 4.82 1,243 68.4

1.15 1.42 1.72a 4.21 1,309 67.4

SEM

0.032 0.055 0.077 0.09 29.30 1.43

a,bMeans

in rows with no common superscript differ significantly (P < 0.05). weight. 2Without giblets. 1Prechill

Also, the need to supplement rations with concentrated oils or fats could be reduced by using HOC and at the same time still meet the energy requirements of broilers but at a lower cost.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors from the Escuela Agricola Panamericana wish to thank Miloud Araba and Dupont’s Quality Grains Research and Development Center, 10700 Justin Drive, Des Moines, IA 50322-3703 for their contribution of Optimum High Oil Corn. We also thank Nick Dale, University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service, Poultry Science Department, Four Towers Building, Athens, GA 30602-4356 for his valuable technical and personal contribution; it is greatly appreciated.

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