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The Use of Reconstituted High-Moisture Corn in Diets of Laying Hens
The Use of Reconstituted High-Moisture Corn in Diets of Laying Hens Department
MIKE KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES of Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
and State
University,
(Received for publication March 15, 1971)
W
EATHER conditions during the harvest season determine whether the crop will dry normally or whether the grain will retain high moisture content and require mechanical drying before it can be stored. The large discount prices on high moisture corn would make it a very attractive feed ingredient if it could be utilized without having to be dried. Giesler (1960) demonstrated that corn containing 21.5% moisture could be successfully fed to swine. Stone (1965) reported that for dairy cattle a pound of dry matter in corn containing 30% moisture was nutritionally equal to the dry matter of corn containing 15% moisture. More recently, Perez and Preston (1970) reported the feeding of both highmoisture (30% moisture) and reconstituted high-moisture corn to broilers. Their diets were formulated on a dry matter basis and they obtained no significant difference in body weights of broilers fed dried corn or ensiled corn having natural high-moisture or reconstituted high-moisture. The initial purpose of this study was to determine whether high-moisture corn could be utilized satisfactorily in the diets of laying hens and if so, what special handling procedures would be required. Natural high-moisture corn was not available so reconstituted high-moisture corn was used. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
A quantity of ground corn was obtained and 6.82 kg. of tap water was added to each of two lots of 45.4 kg. of ground corn. Each lot was blended in a Hobart mixer for five minutes, then sealed in a plastic bag
TABLE 1.—Composition of complete layer diet Ingredients Alfalfa meal (17% protein) Distillers dried grains with solubles Menhaden fish meal (60% protein) Soybean meal (49% protein) Ground limestone Defluorinated rock phosphate Iodized salt Trace mineral mixture 1 Vitamin mixture 2 Ground corn
Percent 2.00 2.00 2.00 16.00 5.70 2.00 0.25 0.05
+
70.00 100.00
1 Provided the following elements in p.p.m. of the diet: manganese 55, zinc 36, iron 36, copper 3.6, and iodine 0.9. 2 Provided the following vitamins and other nutrients per kg. of diet, in units: vitamin A, 5,500; vitamin D 3 , 220; vitamin E, 2.2; and in mg.: menadione sodium bisulfite, 3.52; riboflavin, 4.4; calcium pantothenate, 11; niacin, 33; choline chloride, 250; vitamin B12, 0.007; folic acid, 0.55; DL methionine, 124; and ethoxyquin, 124.
and stored inside a large metal container with a tight fitting lid. The regular corn was prepared in the same manner with the exception that no water was added. Both groups of sealed corn were stored at warehouse temperatures for eight weeks (from August 1 to September 26, 1968). A complete layer diet (Table 1) was formulated to contain approximately 16 percent crude protein and 2820 kilocalories metabolizable energy per kg. A concentrate was made from the non-corn portions of the diets for use in the first experiment. The complete diets were mixed fresh daily by using 30 parts concentrate to 70 parts of either regular or high-moisture corn. Moisture analyses were made on both regular and high-moisture corn as well as the
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M. KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES
feeds made from each, both when the feeds were fresh and after the feed had been in the feed troughs for 24 hours. Caged layers, 47 weeks old, were selected from a larger population on the basis of previous 30-day egg production. Each treatment group consisted of 15 individually caged hens that were selected in a manner such that each group had the same average egg production and covered an identical range of egg production for the previous month. Each treatment consisted of duplicate groups for a total of 30 hens per treatment. In the second experiment, entire diets were prepared from freshly mixed concentrate and freshly reconstituted high-moisture and regular corn. The complete diets were thus sealed in plastic bags and stored for six weeks before feeding. As in the first experiment, the hens were regrouped according to their previous month's egg production in a manner that resulted in all treatment groups having the same average egg production at the start of the experiment. The data obtained were analyzed statistically by the Biomedical Computer Program, BMD 01 V, analysis of variance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
When the plastic bags of reconstituted high-moisture corn were opened, a pleasant but definite lactic acid-type fermentation odor was present. There were no indications of molds or caked corn. There were no unusual odors present when the bags of regular corn were opened. It was observed that once the bags of reconstituted highmoisture corn were opened approximately two cm. of crust formed on top of the highmoisture corn from day to day. It should be noted that excess air was excluded from the plastic bag containing high-moisture corn and the bag was shut each day as soon as the diets were mixed. This procedure reduced the amount of evaporation of mois-
ture from the corn. The regular corn contained 12.8 percent moisture whereas the reconstituted high-moisture corn contained 24.9 percent (Table 2). The fresh feeds from regular and high-moisture corn contained 12.1 and 20.2 percent moisture. Upon standing in the feeders for 24 hours, the feed containing regular corn absorbed moisture from the air whereas the feed made from high-moisture corn lost a little moisture. Fresh feed was mixed daily and all of the previous day's feed remaining in the feeders was weighed and then discarded. The results of the first experiment are shown in Table 3. This experiment lasted for six weeks. All hens were artifically inseminated at the end of the fifth week, and hatchability data were obtained from eggs laid the last week of the experiment. An inspection of these data reveal that there were no significant differences in egg production, egg size or hatchability of fertile eggs as a result of feeding the reconstituted high-moisture corn. These observations indicate that there were no unidentified egg production factors associated with the highmoisture corn. Hens ate more of the feed containing reconstituted high-moisture corn than of the regular corn. When the feed consumption was calculated on a dry matter basis, however, the consumption was not different. TABLE 2.—Moisture content of regular and reconstituted high-moisture corn, and of feeds made from each. Experiment 1 Moisture 1 Regular corn (R) High-moisture corn (HM)
12.8 24.9
Fresh feed (R) Fresh feed (HM)
12.1 20.2
Day old feed (R) Day old feed (HM)
13.4 19.0
1 Averages of 6 samples of each type of corn and 4 samples of each feed.
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HIGH MOISTURE CORN FOR LAYERS
Because the use of reconstituted highmoisture corn appeared to be favorable, it was decided to use another approach to feeding high-moisture corn in the second experiment. The results of this experiment are shown in Table 4. Again there were no significant differences in egg size or production. These observations indicate that complete feeds could be stored for six weeks without detrimental losses of essential nutrients. The results of these experiments indicate that for laying hens the dry matter of reconstituted high-moisture corn is nutritionally equal to that of regular corn. This is in agreement with the reports of Stone (1965) and Perez and Preston (1970). It is not known how long complete feeds could be successfully stored. Hens in the second experiment ate more of the feed made from reconstituted high-moisture corn than regular corn. The feed made from the highmoisture corn had an aroma indicative of fermentation and had a damp feeling. There were no signs of mold in this feed. After opening it had a tendency to form a crust from day to day as did the high-moisture corn alone. Some of the economics of the use of high-moisture corn are presented in Table S. Corn containing 25 percent moisture is usually discounted 28 cents per 25.45 kg.
TABLE 3.—Production data of hens fed diets containing regular or reconstituted high-moisture corn that had been stored in air-tight containers for I weeks. Experiment 1
TABLE 4.—Production data of hens fed complete diets that had been stored in air-tight containers for six weeks and contained regular or reconstituted high-moisture corn. Experiment 2 Corn Regular
Highmoisture
69.4 64.0 112.0
69.0 65.1 127.0*
Egg production (%) Egg weight (g.) Feed consumption per hen/day (g-)
* Significantly higher feed consumption than the regular corn (P<0.05).
(1 bushel). Calculations showed a discount of $11.00 per 1000 kg. of corn because of high-moisture. The higher the moisture the greater the discount. If a complete layer feed contains 70 percent corn, then a feed made from 25 percent moisture corn would cost $7.70 per 1000 kg. less than if made from corn containing 15 percent moisture or less. If the egg production and feed consumption figures from the first experiment are used, then it required 152 g. of feed to produce an egg from the regular corn diet and 162 g. of feed to produce an egg from the 25 percent moisture corn diet. Based upon the above calculations, cost of producing an egg from the high-moisture corn diet was 0.065 cents less than from the diet containing regular corn. If a hen laid 250 eggs per year, the high-moisture corn diet would return 16 cents more per hen than TABLT; 5.—Economics of using reconstituted highmoisture corn for laying hens Corn
Corn Regular Egg production (%) 76.2 Egg weight (g.) 60.8 Feed consumption/hen/day (g.) 116.0 Feed consumption on dry mat- 102.0 ter basis (g.) Hatchability of fertile eggs (%) 96.1
Re
^« n 3 &
High moisture 77.7 61.1 126.0* 101.0 94.9
* Significantly higher than regular corn (P<0.05).
Corn price per 100 kg. ($1 Price of feed per 100 kg. ($) Egg production (%) Feed consumption/hen/day (g.) Feed/egg (g.) Feed cost per egg (c) 1
S.03 6.02 76.20 116.00
3.93 5.25 77.70 126.00
152.00 0.915
162.00 0.850
Calculated at 25% moisture.
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M. KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES
the regular corn diet. For commercial usage, it would seem logical to assume that high-moisture corn would have to be stored in air-tight silos and blended with concentrate at the farms. The storage costs of high-moisture corn varies considerably and would directly influence the economics of its use. The amount of feed blended should not exceed the daily consumption of the hens in order to reduce the chance of their feed becoming moldy. The addition of 0.25 percent calcium propionate could be used to help prevent molds from growing in the finished feed. SUMMARY
Diets containing 70 percent reconstituted high-moisture corn (25 percent total moisture) were fed to caged layers. There were no adverse effects of this corn when compared to normal corn (12.8 percent moisture) upon egg production, egg
weights or hatchability of fertile eggs. Feed consumption was greater for hens fed the diet containing reconstituted high-moisture corn but dry matter consumption was equal whether the hens were fed regular or highmoisture corn diets. The use of reconstituted high-moisture corn in these experiments resulted in lower feed ingredient cost per egg. REFERENCES Dixon, W. J., 1967. BMD Biomedical Computer Programs. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. Giesler, F. L., 1960. Feed high-moisture corn? Hoards Dairyman, 105 : 1007. Perez, R., and T. R. Preston, 1970. Effect of ensiling high-moisture grain sorghum or maize on the performance of broilers. Abstracts of Scientific Communications of the XIV Convention of the World's Poultry Science Association; Madrid, Spain, p. 622. Stone, J. B., 1965. How to feed high-moisture corn. Hoards Dairyman, 110: 1103.
Acquired Immunity of Buquinolate-Medicated Chickens to Eimeria Tenella Infection WILLIAM D. LEATHEM AND ROBERT E. KOHLS Division of Veterinary Research, The Norwich Pharmacal Company, Norwich, New York 13815 (Received for publication March 18, 1971) INTRODUCTION
T
HE most widely used program for coccidiosis control in replacement flocks reared under floor pen conditions depends on accidental exposure of chickens to infective oocysts while using a coccidiostat in the feed (Reid et al., 1968). Ideally, the coccidiostat of choice permits a low level of infection to proceed, thus allowing the host to gradually acquire protective immunity to the coccidial species present without losing weight or showing clinical signs of disease. Studies in this laboratory (unpublished) show that, in the case of Eimeria tenella, buquinolate is an ideal coccidiostat for use in cage layer replacement pullets.
When chickens fed this coccidiostat are artifically infected with E. tenella they show no clinical signs of disease but still pass small numbers of oocysts (Brewer and Reid, 1967; Edgar and Flanagan, 1966). This observation suggests that the use of buquinolate does not interfere with the ability of the host to acquire immunity to subsequent infection with that coccidial species. Little information is available regarding the immune state of buquinolate-medicated chickens following drug withdrawal. Brewer and Reid (1967) in battery studies, and Womack (1968) in floor pen studies, found that buquinolate retarded the devel-
MIKE KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES of Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
and State
University,
(Received for publication March 15, 1971)
W
EATHER conditions during the harvest season determine whether the crop will dry normally or whether the grain will retain high moisture content and require mechanical drying before it can be stored. The large discount prices on high moisture corn would make it a very attractive feed ingredient if it could be utilized without having to be dried. Giesler (1960) demonstrated that corn containing 21.5% moisture could be successfully fed to swine. Stone (1965) reported that for dairy cattle a pound of dry matter in corn containing 30% moisture was nutritionally equal to the dry matter of corn containing 15% moisture. More recently, Perez and Preston (1970) reported the feeding of both highmoisture (30% moisture) and reconstituted high-moisture corn to broilers. Their diets were formulated on a dry matter basis and they obtained no significant difference in body weights of broilers fed dried corn or ensiled corn having natural high-moisture or reconstituted high-moisture. The initial purpose of this study was to determine whether high-moisture corn could be utilized satisfactorily in the diets of laying hens and if so, what special handling procedures would be required. Natural high-moisture corn was not available so reconstituted high-moisture corn was used. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
A quantity of ground corn was obtained and 6.82 kg. of tap water was added to each of two lots of 45.4 kg. of ground corn. Each lot was blended in a Hobart mixer for five minutes, then sealed in a plastic bag
TABLE 1.—Composition of complete layer diet Ingredients Alfalfa meal (17% protein) Distillers dried grains with solubles Menhaden fish meal (60% protein) Soybean meal (49% protein) Ground limestone Defluorinated rock phosphate Iodized salt Trace mineral mixture 1 Vitamin mixture 2 Ground corn
Percent 2.00 2.00 2.00 16.00 5.70 2.00 0.25 0.05
+
70.00 100.00
1 Provided the following elements in p.p.m. of the diet: manganese 55, zinc 36, iron 36, copper 3.6, and iodine 0.9. 2 Provided the following vitamins and other nutrients per kg. of diet, in units: vitamin A, 5,500; vitamin D 3 , 220; vitamin E, 2.2; and in mg.: menadione sodium bisulfite, 3.52; riboflavin, 4.4; calcium pantothenate, 11; niacin, 33; choline chloride, 250; vitamin B12, 0.007; folic acid, 0.55; DL methionine, 124; and ethoxyquin, 124.
and stored inside a large metal container with a tight fitting lid. The regular corn was prepared in the same manner with the exception that no water was added. Both groups of sealed corn were stored at warehouse temperatures for eight weeks (from August 1 to September 26, 1968). A complete layer diet (Table 1) was formulated to contain approximately 16 percent crude protein and 2820 kilocalories metabolizable energy per kg. A concentrate was made from the non-corn portions of the diets for use in the first experiment. The complete diets were mixed fresh daily by using 30 parts concentrate to 70 parts of either regular or high-moisture corn. Moisture analyses were made on both regular and high-moisture corn as well as the
1489
1490
M. KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES
feeds made from each, both when the feeds were fresh and after the feed had been in the feed troughs for 24 hours. Caged layers, 47 weeks old, were selected from a larger population on the basis of previous 30-day egg production. Each treatment group consisted of 15 individually caged hens that were selected in a manner such that each group had the same average egg production and covered an identical range of egg production for the previous month. Each treatment consisted of duplicate groups for a total of 30 hens per treatment. In the second experiment, entire diets were prepared from freshly mixed concentrate and freshly reconstituted high-moisture and regular corn. The complete diets were thus sealed in plastic bags and stored for six weeks before feeding. As in the first experiment, the hens were regrouped according to their previous month's egg production in a manner that resulted in all treatment groups having the same average egg production at the start of the experiment. The data obtained were analyzed statistically by the Biomedical Computer Program, BMD 01 V, analysis of variance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
When the plastic bags of reconstituted high-moisture corn were opened, a pleasant but definite lactic acid-type fermentation odor was present. There were no indications of molds or caked corn. There were no unusual odors present when the bags of regular corn were opened. It was observed that once the bags of reconstituted highmoisture corn were opened approximately two cm. of crust formed on top of the highmoisture corn from day to day. It should be noted that excess air was excluded from the plastic bag containing high-moisture corn and the bag was shut each day as soon as the diets were mixed. This procedure reduced the amount of evaporation of mois-
ture from the corn. The regular corn contained 12.8 percent moisture whereas the reconstituted high-moisture corn contained 24.9 percent (Table 2). The fresh feeds from regular and high-moisture corn contained 12.1 and 20.2 percent moisture. Upon standing in the feeders for 24 hours, the feed containing regular corn absorbed moisture from the air whereas the feed made from high-moisture corn lost a little moisture. Fresh feed was mixed daily and all of the previous day's feed remaining in the feeders was weighed and then discarded. The results of the first experiment are shown in Table 3. This experiment lasted for six weeks. All hens were artifically inseminated at the end of the fifth week, and hatchability data were obtained from eggs laid the last week of the experiment. An inspection of these data reveal that there were no significant differences in egg production, egg size or hatchability of fertile eggs as a result of feeding the reconstituted high-moisture corn. These observations indicate that there were no unidentified egg production factors associated with the highmoisture corn. Hens ate more of the feed containing reconstituted high-moisture corn than of the regular corn. When the feed consumption was calculated on a dry matter basis, however, the consumption was not different. TABLE 2.—Moisture content of regular and reconstituted high-moisture corn, and of feeds made from each. Experiment 1 Moisture 1 Regular corn (R) High-moisture corn (HM)
12.8 24.9
Fresh feed (R) Fresh feed (HM)
12.1 20.2
Day old feed (R) Day old feed (HM)
13.4 19.0
1 Averages of 6 samples of each type of corn and 4 samples of each feed.
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HIGH MOISTURE CORN FOR LAYERS
Because the use of reconstituted highmoisture corn appeared to be favorable, it was decided to use another approach to feeding high-moisture corn in the second experiment. The results of this experiment are shown in Table 4. Again there were no significant differences in egg size or production. These observations indicate that complete feeds could be stored for six weeks without detrimental losses of essential nutrients. The results of these experiments indicate that for laying hens the dry matter of reconstituted high-moisture corn is nutritionally equal to that of regular corn. This is in agreement with the reports of Stone (1965) and Perez and Preston (1970). It is not known how long complete feeds could be successfully stored. Hens in the second experiment ate more of the feed made from reconstituted high-moisture corn than regular corn. The feed made from the highmoisture corn had an aroma indicative of fermentation and had a damp feeling. There were no signs of mold in this feed. After opening it had a tendency to form a crust from day to day as did the high-moisture corn alone. Some of the economics of the use of high-moisture corn are presented in Table S. Corn containing 25 percent moisture is usually discounted 28 cents per 25.45 kg.
TABLE 3.—Production data of hens fed diets containing regular or reconstituted high-moisture corn that had been stored in air-tight containers for I weeks. Experiment 1
TABLE 4.—Production data of hens fed complete diets that had been stored in air-tight containers for six weeks and contained regular or reconstituted high-moisture corn. Experiment 2 Corn Regular
Highmoisture
69.4 64.0 112.0
69.0 65.1 127.0*
Egg production (%) Egg weight (g.) Feed consumption per hen/day (g-)
* Significantly higher feed consumption than the regular corn (P<0.05).
(1 bushel). Calculations showed a discount of $11.00 per 1000 kg. of corn because of high-moisture. The higher the moisture the greater the discount. If a complete layer feed contains 70 percent corn, then a feed made from 25 percent moisture corn would cost $7.70 per 1000 kg. less than if made from corn containing 15 percent moisture or less. If the egg production and feed consumption figures from the first experiment are used, then it required 152 g. of feed to produce an egg from the regular corn diet and 162 g. of feed to produce an egg from the 25 percent moisture corn diet. Based upon the above calculations, cost of producing an egg from the high-moisture corn diet was 0.065 cents less than from the diet containing regular corn. If a hen laid 250 eggs per year, the high-moisture corn diet would return 16 cents more per hen than TABLT; 5.—Economics of using reconstituted highmoisture corn for laying hens Corn
Corn Regular Egg production (%) 76.2 Egg weight (g.) 60.8 Feed consumption/hen/day (g.) 116.0 Feed consumption on dry mat- 102.0 ter basis (g.) Hatchability of fertile eggs (%) 96.1
Re
^« n 3 &
High moisture 77.7 61.1 126.0* 101.0 94.9
* Significantly higher than regular corn (P<0.05).
Corn price per 100 kg. ($1 Price of feed per 100 kg. ($) Egg production (%) Feed consumption/hen/day (g.) Feed/egg (g.) Feed cost per egg (c) 1
S.03 6.02 76.20 116.00
3.93 5.25 77.70 126.00
152.00 0.915
162.00 0.850
Calculated at 25% moisture.
1492
M. KELLY AND C. E. HOLMES
the regular corn diet. For commercial usage, it would seem logical to assume that high-moisture corn would have to be stored in air-tight silos and blended with concentrate at the farms. The storage costs of high-moisture corn varies considerably and would directly influence the economics of its use. The amount of feed blended should not exceed the daily consumption of the hens in order to reduce the chance of their feed becoming moldy. The addition of 0.25 percent calcium propionate could be used to help prevent molds from growing in the finished feed. SUMMARY
Diets containing 70 percent reconstituted high-moisture corn (25 percent total moisture) were fed to caged layers. There were no adverse effects of this corn when compared to normal corn (12.8 percent moisture) upon egg production, egg
weights or hatchability of fertile eggs. Feed consumption was greater for hens fed the diet containing reconstituted high-moisture corn but dry matter consumption was equal whether the hens were fed regular or highmoisture corn diets. The use of reconstituted high-moisture corn in these experiments resulted in lower feed ingredient cost per egg. REFERENCES Dixon, W. J., 1967. BMD Biomedical Computer Programs. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. Giesler, F. L., 1960. Feed high-moisture corn? Hoards Dairyman, 105 : 1007. Perez, R., and T. R. Preston, 1970. Effect of ensiling high-moisture grain sorghum or maize on the performance of broilers. Abstracts of Scientific Communications of the XIV Convention of the World's Poultry Science Association; Madrid, Spain, p. 622. Stone, J. B., 1965. How to feed high-moisture corn. Hoards Dairyman, 110: 1103.
Acquired Immunity of Buquinolate-Medicated Chickens to Eimeria Tenella Infection WILLIAM D. LEATHEM AND ROBERT E. KOHLS Division of Veterinary Research, The Norwich Pharmacal Company, Norwich, New York 13815 (Received for publication March 18, 1971) INTRODUCTION
T
HE most widely used program for coccidiosis control in replacement flocks reared under floor pen conditions depends on accidental exposure of chickens to infective oocysts while using a coccidiostat in the feed (Reid et al., 1968). Ideally, the coccidiostat of choice permits a low level of infection to proceed, thus allowing the host to gradually acquire protective immunity to the coccidial species present without losing weight or showing clinical signs of disease. Studies in this laboratory (unpublished) show that, in the case of Eimeria tenella, buquinolate is an ideal coccidiostat for use in cage layer replacement pullets.
When chickens fed this coccidiostat are artifically infected with E. tenella they show no clinical signs of disease but still pass small numbers of oocysts (Brewer and Reid, 1967; Edgar and Flanagan, 1966). This observation suggests that the use of buquinolate does not interfere with the ability of the host to acquire immunity to subsequent infection with that coccidial species. Little information is available regarding the immune state of buquinolate-medicated chickens following drug withdrawal. Brewer and Reid (1967) in battery studies, and Womack (1968) in floor pen studies, found that buquinolate retarded the devel-