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The Utilization of Poultry Diets Containing High, Low and Intermediate Levels of Protein of Identical Amino Acid Pattern1
730
L. G. ABENDS, D. L. MILLER AND S. L.
BALLOUN
The Utilization of Poultry Diets Containing High, Low and Intermediate Levels of Protein of Identical Amino Acid Pattern 1 R.
Experimental
E.
SMITH2
Farm, Canada Department
of Agriculture, Nappan, Nova Scotia
(Received for publication October 25. 1966)
E
FFICIENCY of protein utilization depends, among other things, upon the amino acid pattern of the diet. The closer the dietary amino acid pattern matches the pattern required by the animal being fed, 1 Contribution No. 203 from Division of Animal and Poultry Science. 'Present address: Animal Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario.
the more efficiently the protein of the diet is utilized. Dietary amino acid pattern in turn is determined by the choice of protein source materials and the proportions in which they are combined. It can also be modified by supplementation of the diet with crystalline amino acids. Attempts have been made to achieve protein economies in laying rations by feeding less than the accepted 15% crude
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
of species differences in egg production, cium, especially when the diet was low in calcium per egg and feed consumption. phosphorus, significantly lowered bone ash. Since the turkey breeder hen lays fewer REFERENCES eggs and requires more feed for body maintenance, the turkey breeder diet can con- Atkinson, R. L., J. W. Bradley, J. R. Couch and J. H. Quisenberry, 1964. The calcium and tain a lower concentration of calcium and phosphorus requirements of breeder turkeys. still be adequate for maximum reproductive Poultry Sci. 43 : 1301. performance. Balloun, S. L., and D. L. Miller, 1964. Calcium reIt is concluded from this experiment and quirements of turkey breeder hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 378-381. previous work that calcium does play an important role in reproduction in the tur- Jensen, L. S., H. C. Saxena and J. McGinnis, 1963. Nutritional investigations with turkey key, its major influences being on egg prohens. 4. Quantitative requirements for calcium. duction and hatchability of fertile eggs. Poultry Sci. 42 : 604-607. The effects of low dietary calcium were Jensen, L. S., R. K. Wagstaff, J. McGinnis and F. readily demonstrated. Breeder hens fed a Parks, 1964. Further studies on high calcium diets for turkey hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 1577— 0.75% calcium diet ate a considerable 1581. number of the eggs laid. Increasing the calMehring, A. L., and H. W. Titus, 1964. The efcium of the diet from 2.25 to 3.0% did not fects of low levels of calcium in the diet of significantly affect egg production. laying hens. Poultry Sci. 43: 1405-1414. Hatchability was significantly depressed Potter, L. M., A. T. Leighton, Jr. and A. B. Chu, 1966. Calcium, phosphorus and Nopgro as variby calcium levels of 0.75% and 3.0% with ables in diets of breeder turkeys. Poultry Sci. highest hatchability at 2.25% calcium. 45: 1117. Maximum skeletal mineralization was obWaibel, P. E., 1965. Calcium, phosphorus and vitained by a diet containing 2.25% calcium tamin D for turkey breeders. Minnesota Nuand 0.8% phosphorus. Lower levels of caltrition Conference Proceedings, 26: 87-95.
731
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS
TABLE
1 . --Composition
protein diets whereas a greater proportion of soybean meal, a poor source of methionine, is used in formulating diets of higher protein content. In spite of this possibility there is a tendency to believe that responses to these amino acids result from the low protein feeding per se. An alternative method of reducing protein level is to dilute with a non-protein energy source. In this way the amino acid pattern remains unchanged and an unconfounded measure of low protein feeding and amino acid supplementation can be achieved. To test the above reasoning, laying and rearing rations having low, medium and high protein levels were prepared in this manner and the response to supplementary lysine and methionine determined on the laying ration only. METHODS Diets containing 11, IS and 19% protein were tested in both the rearing and laying periods. The lower protein diets were obtained by diluting the grain and protein
1 of low, medium and high protein laying diets
Ingredient Ground wheat Ground corn Soybean meal (44% protein) Corn starch Fish meal (65% protein) Meat meal Dried whey powder Alfalfa meal (17% protein) Dicalcium phosphate Limestone Sodium chloride (iodized)
% 40.00 25.00 20.50
—
1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
31.58 19.74 16.19 17.99 1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
23.16 14.48 11.87 35.99 1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
g-Ag. MnS0 4 Vitamin B, 2 (9 mg./lb.) Riboflavin (4 g./lb.) Dry vitamin D 3 (900,000 I.C.U./lb.) Calculated % crude protein Calculated M.E. (Kcal./kg.) Kilocalorie/protein
.125 .188 .250 .150 19 2560 135
.125 .188 .250 .150
.125 .188 .250 .150 15 2710 181
11 2850 259
1 The diets fed during the rearing period (12-20 wits.) were similar to the above except that oats replaced a portion of the limestone and alfalfa meal.
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protein. To achieve these lower protein levels however, the proportion of dietary protein coming from grain is usually increased while that from non-grain sources is decreased. The amino acid pattern of the diet is consequently altered with the result that changes in dietary protein level and amino acid pattern are confounded. These changes in amino acid pattern have been counteracted in part by supplementation with crystalline amino acids. For example it has been shown that supplementary lysine can improve the performance of birds fed low protein rations (Thorton et al., 1957; Waibel and Johnson, 1961; Bradley and Quisenberry, 1961; Sell and Hodgson, 1966; Harms and Waldroup, 1962). Methionine supplementation on the other hand appears to be more beneficial at higher protein levels or in low protein diets already supplemented with lysine (Sell, 1964; Harms and Waldroup, 1962; Barton and Stephenson, 1960). This is most likely because grains, which as a class are low in lysine, provide most of the protein in low
732
R. E. SMITH TABLE 2.—Performance of growing birds (12-20 weeks) fed rations containing 3 lewis of protein
Treatment % C.P.
Feed (g.) 76.42" 76.73" 81.27 b
1
Protein (g.)
Kilocalories
8.41 11.51 15.44
218 208 208
Av. body gain (g.) 713" 717" 726"
Age to 50% prod. (da.) 159" 156"b 153b0
Av. egg wt. at 50% prod, (g.) 45.8" 46.8" 47.3":
1 Duncan's multiple range test (Duncan, 1955). Values in each column exhibiting similar letters are not significantly different (p<.05).
supplement portion of the 19% diet with corn starch (Table 1). This resulted in a constant amino acid pattern between diets. The chief difference between the grower and layer diets was in calcium content. The purpose of the laying house treatments was to determine protein requirement using diets of constant amino acid pattern and to measure the response to lysine (0.1%) and methionine (0.1%) supplementation at each protein level. Commercial day-old pullets were reared to 12 weeks under conventional conditions. At this time 1,240 birds were housed in 18 floor pens and 6 pens were allotted to each of the 3 experimental rearing rations. The birds were transferred to 24 laying pens after they had attained 50% production, in such a way that each laying pen contained equivalent numbers of birds from every rearing treatment. The laying pens accommodated 50 birds and were located in two identical houses of 12 pens each. Twelve treatments were then imposed at random within each house. Performance of the birds during the growing period was measured in terms of weight gain, feed consumption and age to reach 50% egg production. In the laying house egg production and feed consumption were measured on a pen basis. Egg weight was determined by weighing one day's production every week. Specific gravity and Haugh unit measurements were taken on one day's production every 28 days. Tests
of significance between treatment averages were made on all data by analysis of variance, single degree of freedom comparisons and Duncan's multiple range test (Duncan, 1955). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the rearing period, body weight gain and egg weight of birds at 50% production were not influenced by the protein levels fed, (Table 2). On the basis of metabolizable energy (M.E.) levels of the diets (Table 1), it was expected that feed consumption would decrease as protein level decreased because the lower protein levels were obtained by dilution with corn starch. The birds on the 19% protein diet did in fact consume more feed than those on the 15 but there was not a comparable difference in consumption between the 15 and 11% diets. It would appear that the birds on the 11% protein diet were overconsuming in an attempt to compensate for inadequate protein. This argument is strengthened by the observation that the birds on the 11% diet had a higher M.E. intake than those on the 15 and 19% diets. Actual protein intake varied widely between diets and protein level had a significant effect on age to 50% production. These results suggest that lower protein levels can be fed in the rearing period to reduce feed costs and to achieve the benefits of delayed sexual maturity. In the laying house, reduction of the pro-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
11 15 19
Daily Consumption
733
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS TABLE 3.—Effect of protein and supplementary amino acids on 336 day laying house performance Consumption
Dietary regime Protein1
Egg prod. 6
Egg wt. (g.)
Sp. gr.
Haugh unit
Body gain (g.)
Mortality
371 380 377 365
73.7 74.6 75.6 75.8
60.0 60.3 61.3 60.4
1.078 1.078 1.079 1.078
79.9 79.7 81.8 81.1
434 413 388 432
4 10 2 1
14.4
373
74.9
60.5
1.078
80.6
417
4
128 130 127 129
19.2 19.5 19.1 19.4
347 352 344 349
76.1 72.7 73.6 72.6
61.2 61.5 61.2 62.4
1.079 1.079 1.080 1.078
79.2 81.2 81.0 81.4
420 518 411 470
6 0 4 7
Av.
129
19.3
348
73.8
61.6
1.079
80.7
455
4
L M L+M
137 134 136 135
26.0 25.5 25.8 25.7
351 343 348 346
76.0 76.6 76.1 74.6
62.2 61.9 62.8 62.4
1.079 1.079 1.079 1.080
79.0 81.2 79.2 79.8
490 488 461 425
4 2 2 5
Av.
136
25.8
347
75.8
62.3
1.079
79.8
466
3
Kilocalories4
130 133 132 128
14.3 14.6 14.5 14.1
Av.
131
L M L+M
Feed
L M L+M
11
15
19
3
%
1
Level of crude protein fed (%). Supplementary amino acids: L—0.1% L-lysine. M—0.1% DL-methionine. 3 Grams/bird/day. * Kilocalories/bird/day. 6 Percent production on a bird day basis.
2
tein level from 19 to 1 1 % had no adverse effect on egg producton but caused a significant decrease in egg weight and body weight gain (Tables 3 and 4). Feed consumption in the laying house followed the
same pattern as in the rearing period. Highest consumption was on the 19% diet which contained the lowest M.E. level, but there was no difference in consumption between the IS and 11% diets. Caloric intake
TABLE 4.—Summary of analysis of variance of laying house criteria Mean Square Source of variation
Houses (H) Protein level (P) Methionine (M) Lysine (L) MXL PXM PXL PXMXL Error 1
df
Feed cons.
Egg. prod.
Egg wt.
1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 11
48.44** 105.12** 5.36 .41 5.36 2.47 11.13 12.16 3.71
9.75 8.78 0.30 3.15 0.03 4.80 4.02 2.60 3.55
1.13 6.66* 2.04 0.02 0.02 0.11 0.79 0.58 0.55
Variance X10 6 . Variance X10 2 . * Significance at the 5% level. ** Significance at the 1% level.
2
Sp gr-1 4.00 2.00 0.17 0.00 0.17 0.04 0.00 0.08 8.41
Haugh unit
Body gain2
1.26 2.00 3.30 3.60 2.22 2.73 1.85 0.12 0.93
2.35 53.49* 51.92* 32.90 0.15 5.38 49.42* 16.95 8.01
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Protein 3
Amino acids2
734
R. E. SMITH
This study provides no evidence that the required amino acid pattern is altered as a result of changing the dietary protein level. Responses to lysine in low protein diets and methionine in higher protein diets obtained by other investigators must be attributed to the change in amino acid pattern when the protein level is altered by manipulation of the grain and protein supplement portions of the diet.
to maintain a constant amino acid pattern between treatments. The diets fed in the laying house were also supplemented with methionine (0.1%) and lysine (0.1%) singly and in combination. During the rearing period the 11% protein diet caused a delay in sexual maturity but did not depress body gain. There was evidence that the birds on the 11% diet consumed beyond their energy requirement in an attempt to compensate for the low level of dietary protein. In the laying pens the three protein levels tested (11, 15, 19%) resulted in no differences in egg production. Egg weight and body weight on the other hand responded to increased protein. There was again evidence that birds on the 11% protein diet exceeded their energy requirement in an attempt to obtain more protein. Supplementation of the laying diets with methionine and lysine singly and in combination failed to improve any of the performance criteria, indicating that neither of these amino acids was limiting. It is concluded that the required amino acid pattern of the laying hen is not altered as a result of changing the dietary protein level. The influence of protein level on responses to amino acid supplementation obtained by other investigators must therefore be attributed to the change in amino acid pattern which occurs when the grain and protein supplement portions of the diets are manipulated. REFERENCES
SUMMARY
Commercial pullets were raised from 12 weeks to 50% production and then were maintained through the laying year on rearing and laying rations which contained 11, 15 and 19% protein. The lower protein diets were prepared by diluting the grain and protein supplement portions of the 19% protein diet with corn starch in order
Barton, L., and E. L. Stephenson, 1960. Dietary interrelationships between levels of protein, fat and supplementary methionine hydroxy analogue for both egg type and meat type hens. Poultry Sci. 39: 1233. Bradley, J., and J. H. Quisenberry, 1961. Lysine and methionine supplementation of 14, 16, and 18% protein laying diets. Poultry Sci. 40: 1381. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 1 1 : 1-42. Harms, R. H., and P. W. Waldroup, 1962. The ef-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
was comparable on the 19 and 15% diets but was considerably higher on the 11% diet suggesting that the latter birds were over-consuming to compensate for the low level of dietary protein. Shell quality and interior egg quality did not differ between treatments. Supplementing the three protein diets with lysine (0.1%) and methionine (0.1%) had no influence on any of the performance criteria studied except body weight gain. Methionine appeared to depress gain at all protein levels. The lysine X protein level interaction appears to be anomalous. Failure to obtain a response to amino acid supplementation of the IS and 19% protein diets is not surprising. At the 11% protein level the lack of response to lysine and methionine demonstrated that neither of these amino acids was limiting. Consequently, the decline in egg weight and body gain at the 11% protein level must be interpreted as due to a lack of total protein or possibly due to the deficiency of one or more essential amino acids other than lysine or methionine.
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS
Thornton, P. A., L. G. Blaylock and R. E. Moreng, 1957. Protein level as a factor in egg production. Poultry Sci. 36: 552-557. Waibel, P. E., and E. L. Johnson, 1961. Effect of low protein corn-soybean oil meal diets and amino acid supplementation on performance of laying hens. Poultry Sci. 40: 293-298.
Effect of Tylosin on the Reproductive Performance of Turkeys and the Growth Rate of Their Offspring R. L. ATKINSON, C. F. HALL, J. W. BRADLEY AND J. H. QUISENBERRY Departments of Poultry Science and Veterinary Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 AND
D. I. GARD AND J. E. WACHSTETTER Eli Lilly and Company, Greenfield, Indiana 46140 (Received for publication October 28, 1966)
G
ARD and Means (1958) studied the; effects of penicillin and tylosin oni chick growth and layer performance. Thesei workers used 50 White Rock cockerelss and 50 White Rock pullets per treatmentt and reported that penicillin improvedi growth and feed efficiency when comparedi to the control. Tylosin, at a level of 4\ grams per ton of feed, improved growthl and feed efficiency over that produced byy penicillin. When added to the ration of laying birds, at a level of 20 grams per ton,:, tylosin improved egg production and feedi efficiency slightly. Barnes et al. (1958) found the antibioticc to be highly effective in the treatment off experimentally induced Mycoplasma gal-',lisepticum (PPLO) infection when injectedd intramuscularly or intraperitoneally at 5 mgs./lb. body weight or when added too water at a level of 3 gms./gal. These samee workers found in later studies (1960) thatit tylosin effectively controlled experimentalil Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections of>f young chickens when given in the drinkingg water for seven days, administered as a
dust inhalant 3 times at 24 hour intervals, or injected once parenterally. Effectiveness of control was determined by weight gain, serology, occurrence of lesions and by the cultural isolation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Ellis and Barnes (1961) studied the effect of tylosin on the elimination of Mycoplasma gallisepticum from selected tissues of experimentally infected chickens. Three daily subcutaneous injections of 12.5 or 25 mg. of tylosin per kg. of body weight resulted in a marked reduction in isolation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum from the tissues and in the incidence and severity of air sac lesions. The effect of dipping eggs in antibiotic solutions on Mycoplasma gallisepticum transmission in chickens was studied by Levine and Fabricant (1962). Eggs experimentally infected with S6 Mycoplasma gallisepticum were dipped for either 5 or 15 minutes in erythromycin and tylosin solutions at 5°C. which contained either 1,200 or 1,500 p.p.m. No Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolations were obtained from pipped
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
feet of supplemental lysine and methionine in low protein laying diets. Poultry Sci. 4 1 : 1648. Sell, J. L., 1964. Low-protein, wheat-soybean meal rations for laying hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 1360-1361. Sell, J. L., and G. C. Hodgson, 1966. Wheat-soybean meal rations for laying hens. Poultry Sci. 45: 247-253.
735
L. G. ABENDS, D. L. MILLER AND S. L.
BALLOUN
The Utilization of Poultry Diets Containing High, Low and Intermediate Levels of Protein of Identical Amino Acid Pattern 1 R.
Experimental
E.
SMITH2
Farm, Canada Department
of Agriculture, Nappan, Nova Scotia
(Received for publication October 25. 1966)
E
FFICIENCY of protein utilization depends, among other things, upon the amino acid pattern of the diet. The closer the dietary amino acid pattern matches the pattern required by the animal being fed, 1 Contribution No. 203 from Division of Animal and Poultry Science. 'Present address: Animal Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario.
the more efficiently the protein of the diet is utilized. Dietary amino acid pattern in turn is determined by the choice of protein source materials and the proportions in which they are combined. It can also be modified by supplementation of the diet with crystalline amino acids. Attempts have been made to achieve protein economies in laying rations by feeding less than the accepted 15% crude
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
of species differences in egg production, cium, especially when the diet was low in calcium per egg and feed consumption. phosphorus, significantly lowered bone ash. Since the turkey breeder hen lays fewer REFERENCES eggs and requires more feed for body maintenance, the turkey breeder diet can con- Atkinson, R. L., J. W. Bradley, J. R. Couch and J. H. Quisenberry, 1964. The calcium and tain a lower concentration of calcium and phosphorus requirements of breeder turkeys. still be adequate for maximum reproductive Poultry Sci. 43 : 1301. performance. Balloun, S. L., and D. L. Miller, 1964. Calcium reIt is concluded from this experiment and quirements of turkey breeder hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 378-381. previous work that calcium does play an important role in reproduction in the tur- Jensen, L. S., H. C. Saxena and J. McGinnis, 1963. Nutritional investigations with turkey key, its major influences being on egg prohens. 4. Quantitative requirements for calcium. duction and hatchability of fertile eggs. Poultry Sci. 42 : 604-607. The effects of low dietary calcium were Jensen, L. S., R. K. Wagstaff, J. McGinnis and F. readily demonstrated. Breeder hens fed a Parks, 1964. Further studies on high calcium diets for turkey hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 1577— 0.75% calcium diet ate a considerable 1581. number of the eggs laid. Increasing the calMehring, A. L., and H. W. Titus, 1964. The efcium of the diet from 2.25 to 3.0% did not fects of low levels of calcium in the diet of significantly affect egg production. laying hens. Poultry Sci. 43: 1405-1414. Hatchability was significantly depressed Potter, L. M., A. T. Leighton, Jr. and A. B. Chu, 1966. Calcium, phosphorus and Nopgro as variby calcium levels of 0.75% and 3.0% with ables in diets of breeder turkeys. Poultry Sci. highest hatchability at 2.25% calcium. 45: 1117. Maximum skeletal mineralization was obWaibel, P. E., 1965. Calcium, phosphorus and vitained by a diet containing 2.25% calcium tamin D for turkey breeders. Minnesota Nuand 0.8% phosphorus. Lower levels of caltrition Conference Proceedings, 26: 87-95.
731
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS
TABLE
1 . --Composition
protein diets whereas a greater proportion of soybean meal, a poor source of methionine, is used in formulating diets of higher protein content. In spite of this possibility there is a tendency to believe that responses to these amino acids result from the low protein feeding per se. An alternative method of reducing protein level is to dilute with a non-protein energy source. In this way the amino acid pattern remains unchanged and an unconfounded measure of low protein feeding and amino acid supplementation can be achieved. To test the above reasoning, laying and rearing rations having low, medium and high protein levels were prepared in this manner and the response to supplementary lysine and methionine determined on the laying ration only. METHODS Diets containing 11, IS and 19% protein were tested in both the rearing and laying periods. The lower protein diets were obtained by diluting the grain and protein
1 of low, medium and high protein laying diets
Ingredient Ground wheat Ground corn Soybean meal (44% protein) Corn starch Fish meal (65% protein) Meat meal Dried whey powder Alfalfa meal (17% protein) Dicalcium phosphate Limestone Sodium chloride (iodized)
% 40.00 25.00 20.50
—
1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
31.58 19.74 16.19 17.99 1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
23.16 14.48 11.87 35.99 1.25 1.25 1.00 3.20 2.00 5.00 .50
g-Ag. MnS0 4 Vitamin B, 2 (9 mg./lb.) Riboflavin (4 g./lb.) Dry vitamin D 3 (900,000 I.C.U./lb.) Calculated % crude protein Calculated M.E. (Kcal./kg.) Kilocalorie/protein
.125 .188 .250 .150 19 2560 135
.125 .188 .250 .150
.125 .188 .250 .150 15 2710 181
11 2850 259
1 The diets fed during the rearing period (12-20 wits.) were similar to the above except that oats replaced a portion of the limestone and alfalfa meal.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
protein. To achieve these lower protein levels however, the proportion of dietary protein coming from grain is usually increased while that from non-grain sources is decreased. The amino acid pattern of the diet is consequently altered with the result that changes in dietary protein level and amino acid pattern are confounded. These changes in amino acid pattern have been counteracted in part by supplementation with crystalline amino acids. For example it has been shown that supplementary lysine can improve the performance of birds fed low protein rations (Thorton et al., 1957; Waibel and Johnson, 1961; Bradley and Quisenberry, 1961; Sell and Hodgson, 1966; Harms and Waldroup, 1962). Methionine supplementation on the other hand appears to be more beneficial at higher protein levels or in low protein diets already supplemented with lysine (Sell, 1964; Harms and Waldroup, 1962; Barton and Stephenson, 1960). This is most likely because grains, which as a class are low in lysine, provide most of the protein in low
732
R. E. SMITH TABLE 2.—Performance of growing birds (12-20 weeks) fed rations containing 3 lewis of protein
Treatment % C.P.
Feed (g.) 76.42" 76.73" 81.27 b
1
Protein (g.)
Kilocalories
8.41 11.51 15.44
218 208 208
Av. body gain (g.) 713" 717" 726"
Age to 50% prod. (da.) 159" 156"b 153b0
Av. egg wt. at 50% prod, (g.) 45.8" 46.8" 47.3":
1 Duncan's multiple range test (Duncan, 1955). Values in each column exhibiting similar letters are not significantly different (p<.05).
supplement portion of the 19% diet with corn starch (Table 1). This resulted in a constant amino acid pattern between diets. The chief difference between the grower and layer diets was in calcium content. The purpose of the laying house treatments was to determine protein requirement using diets of constant amino acid pattern and to measure the response to lysine (0.1%) and methionine (0.1%) supplementation at each protein level. Commercial day-old pullets were reared to 12 weeks under conventional conditions. At this time 1,240 birds were housed in 18 floor pens and 6 pens were allotted to each of the 3 experimental rearing rations. The birds were transferred to 24 laying pens after they had attained 50% production, in such a way that each laying pen contained equivalent numbers of birds from every rearing treatment. The laying pens accommodated 50 birds and were located in two identical houses of 12 pens each. Twelve treatments were then imposed at random within each house. Performance of the birds during the growing period was measured in terms of weight gain, feed consumption and age to reach 50% egg production. In the laying house egg production and feed consumption were measured on a pen basis. Egg weight was determined by weighing one day's production every week. Specific gravity and Haugh unit measurements were taken on one day's production every 28 days. Tests
of significance between treatment averages were made on all data by analysis of variance, single degree of freedom comparisons and Duncan's multiple range test (Duncan, 1955). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the rearing period, body weight gain and egg weight of birds at 50% production were not influenced by the protein levels fed, (Table 2). On the basis of metabolizable energy (M.E.) levels of the diets (Table 1), it was expected that feed consumption would decrease as protein level decreased because the lower protein levels were obtained by dilution with corn starch. The birds on the 19% protein diet did in fact consume more feed than those on the 15 but there was not a comparable difference in consumption between the 15 and 11% diets. It would appear that the birds on the 11% protein diet were overconsuming in an attempt to compensate for inadequate protein. This argument is strengthened by the observation that the birds on the 11% diet had a higher M.E. intake than those on the 15 and 19% diets. Actual protein intake varied widely between diets and protein level had a significant effect on age to 50% production. These results suggest that lower protein levels can be fed in the rearing period to reduce feed costs and to achieve the benefits of delayed sexual maturity. In the laying house, reduction of the pro-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of California Santa Barbara/Davidson Library on June 22, 2015
11 15 19
Daily Consumption
733
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS TABLE 3.—Effect of protein and supplementary amino acids on 336 day laying house performance Consumption
Dietary regime Protein1
Egg prod. 6
Egg wt. (g.)
Sp. gr.
Haugh unit
Body gain (g.)
Mortality
371 380 377 365
73.7 74.6 75.6 75.8
60.0 60.3 61.3 60.4
1.078 1.078 1.079 1.078
79.9 79.7 81.8 81.1
434 413 388 432
4 10 2 1
14.4
373
74.9
60.5
1.078
80.6
417
4
128 130 127 129
19.2 19.5 19.1 19.4
347 352 344 349
76.1 72.7 73.6 72.6
61.2 61.5 61.2 62.4
1.079 1.079 1.080 1.078
79.2 81.2 81.0 81.4
420 518 411 470
6 0 4 7
Av.
129
19.3
348
73.8
61.6
1.079
80.7
455
4
L M L+M
137 134 136 135
26.0 25.5 25.8 25.7
351 343 348 346
76.0 76.6 76.1 74.6
62.2 61.9 62.8 62.4
1.079 1.079 1.079 1.080
79.0 81.2 79.2 79.8
490 488 461 425
4 2 2 5
Av.
136
25.8
347
75.8
62.3
1.079
79.8
466
3
Kilocalories4
130 133 132 128
14.3 14.6 14.5 14.1
Av.
131
L M L+M
Feed
L M L+M
11
15
19
3
%
1
Level of crude protein fed (%). Supplementary amino acids: L—0.1% L-lysine. M—0.1% DL-methionine. 3 Grams/bird/day. * Kilocalories/bird/day. 6 Percent production on a bird day basis.
2
tein level from 19 to 1 1 % had no adverse effect on egg producton but caused a significant decrease in egg weight and body weight gain (Tables 3 and 4). Feed consumption in the laying house followed the
same pattern as in the rearing period. Highest consumption was on the 19% diet which contained the lowest M.E. level, but there was no difference in consumption between the IS and 11% diets. Caloric intake
TABLE 4.—Summary of analysis of variance of laying house criteria Mean Square Source of variation
Houses (H) Protein level (P) Methionine (M) Lysine (L) MXL PXM PXL PXMXL Error 1
df
Feed cons.
Egg. prod.
Egg wt.
1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 11
48.44** 105.12** 5.36 .41 5.36 2.47 11.13 12.16 3.71
9.75 8.78 0.30 3.15 0.03 4.80 4.02 2.60 3.55
1.13 6.66* 2.04 0.02 0.02 0.11 0.79 0.58 0.55
Variance X10 6 . Variance X10 2 . * Significance at the 5% level. ** Significance at the 1% level.
2
Sp gr-1 4.00 2.00 0.17 0.00 0.17 0.04 0.00 0.08 8.41
Haugh unit
Body gain2
1.26 2.00 3.30 3.60 2.22 2.73 1.85 0.12 0.93
2.35 53.49* 51.92* 32.90 0.15 5.38 49.42* 16.95 8.01
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Protein 3
Amino acids2
734
R. E. SMITH
This study provides no evidence that the required amino acid pattern is altered as a result of changing the dietary protein level. Responses to lysine in low protein diets and methionine in higher protein diets obtained by other investigators must be attributed to the change in amino acid pattern when the protein level is altered by manipulation of the grain and protein supplement portions of the diet.
to maintain a constant amino acid pattern between treatments. The diets fed in the laying house were also supplemented with methionine (0.1%) and lysine (0.1%) singly and in combination. During the rearing period the 11% protein diet caused a delay in sexual maturity but did not depress body gain. There was evidence that the birds on the 11% diet consumed beyond their energy requirement in an attempt to compensate for the low level of dietary protein. In the laying pens the three protein levels tested (11, 15, 19%) resulted in no differences in egg production. Egg weight and body weight on the other hand responded to increased protein. There was again evidence that birds on the 11% protein diet exceeded their energy requirement in an attempt to obtain more protein. Supplementation of the laying diets with methionine and lysine singly and in combination failed to improve any of the performance criteria, indicating that neither of these amino acids was limiting. It is concluded that the required amino acid pattern of the laying hen is not altered as a result of changing the dietary protein level. The influence of protein level on responses to amino acid supplementation obtained by other investigators must therefore be attributed to the change in amino acid pattern which occurs when the grain and protein supplement portions of the diets are manipulated. REFERENCES
SUMMARY
Commercial pullets were raised from 12 weeks to 50% production and then were maintained through the laying year on rearing and laying rations which contained 11, 15 and 19% protein. The lower protein diets were prepared by diluting the grain and protein supplement portions of the 19% protein diet with corn starch in order
Barton, L., and E. L. Stephenson, 1960. Dietary interrelationships between levels of protein, fat and supplementary methionine hydroxy analogue for both egg type and meat type hens. Poultry Sci. 39: 1233. Bradley, J., and J. H. Quisenberry, 1961. Lysine and methionine supplementation of 14, 16, and 18% protein laying diets. Poultry Sci. 40: 1381. Duncan, D. B., 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 1 1 : 1-42. Harms, R. H., and P. W. Waldroup, 1962. The ef-
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was comparable on the 19 and 15% diets but was considerably higher on the 11% diet suggesting that the latter birds were over-consuming to compensate for the low level of dietary protein. Shell quality and interior egg quality did not differ between treatments. Supplementing the three protein diets with lysine (0.1%) and methionine (0.1%) had no influence on any of the performance criteria studied except body weight gain. Methionine appeared to depress gain at all protein levels. The lysine X protein level interaction appears to be anomalous. Failure to obtain a response to amino acid supplementation of the IS and 19% protein diets is not surprising. At the 11% protein level the lack of response to lysine and methionine demonstrated that neither of these amino acids was limiting. Consequently, the decline in egg weight and body gain at the 11% protein level must be interpreted as due to a lack of total protein or possibly due to the deficiency of one or more essential amino acids other than lysine or methionine.
PROTEIN LEVEL AND AMINO ACIDS
Thornton, P. A., L. G. Blaylock and R. E. Moreng, 1957. Protein level as a factor in egg production. Poultry Sci. 36: 552-557. Waibel, P. E., and E. L. Johnson, 1961. Effect of low protein corn-soybean oil meal diets and amino acid supplementation on performance of laying hens. Poultry Sci. 40: 293-298.
Effect of Tylosin on the Reproductive Performance of Turkeys and the Growth Rate of Their Offspring R. L. ATKINSON, C. F. HALL, J. W. BRADLEY AND J. H. QUISENBERRY Departments of Poultry Science and Veterinary Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 AND
D. I. GARD AND J. E. WACHSTETTER Eli Lilly and Company, Greenfield, Indiana 46140 (Received for publication October 28, 1966)
G
ARD and Means (1958) studied the; effects of penicillin and tylosin oni chick growth and layer performance. Thesei workers used 50 White Rock cockerelss and 50 White Rock pullets per treatmentt and reported that penicillin improvedi growth and feed efficiency when comparedi to the control. Tylosin, at a level of 4\ grams per ton of feed, improved growthl and feed efficiency over that produced byy penicillin. When added to the ration of laying birds, at a level of 20 grams per ton,:, tylosin improved egg production and feedi efficiency slightly. Barnes et al. (1958) found the antibioticc to be highly effective in the treatment off experimentally induced Mycoplasma gal-',lisepticum (PPLO) infection when injectedd intramuscularly or intraperitoneally at 5 mgs./lb. body weight or when added too water at a level of 3 gms./gal. These samee workers found in later studies (1960) thatit tylosin effectively controlled experimentalil Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections of>f young chickens when given in the drinkingg water for seven days, administered as a
dust inhalant 3 times at 24 hour intervals, or injected once parenterally. Effectiveness of control was determined by weight gain, serology, occurrence of lesions and by the cultural isolation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Ellis and Barnes (1961) studied the effect of tylosin on the elimination of Mycoplasma gallisepticum from selected tissues of experimentally infected chickens. Three daily subcutaneous injections of 12.5 or 25 mg. of tylosin per kg. of body weight resulted in a marked reduction in isolation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum from the tissues and in the incidence and severity of air sac lesions. The effect of dipping eggs in antibiotic solutions on Mycoplasma gallisepticum transmission in chickens was studied by Levine and Fabricant (1962). Eggs experimentally infected with S6 Mycoplasma gallisepticum were dipped for either 5 or 15 minutes in erythromycin and tylosin solutions at 5°C. which contained either 1,200 or 1,500 p.p.m. No Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolations were obtained from pipped
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feet of supplemental lysine and methionine in low protein laying diets. Poultry Sci. 4 1 : 1648. Sell, J. L., 1964. Low-protein, wheat-soybean meal rations for laying hens. Poultry Sci. 4 3 : 1360-1361. Sell, J. L., and G. C. Hodgson, 1966. Wheat-soybean meal rations for laying hens. Poultry Sci. 45: 247-253.
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