Relationships between body weight and bone length at one day and at six weeks of age in male turkeys fed on adequate and low protein starter diets

Male turkey poults were fed on diets containing either adequate (29%) or inadequate (20%) amounts of crude protein from 1 d to 6 weeks of age. Each bird was weighed and the length of its lower‐leg measured at 1 d and at 6 weeks of age.

The initial body weight of adequately‐fed turkeys bore little or no relationship to 6‐week body weight. Length of lower‐leg at 1 d gave a more reliable prediction of body weight ranking at 6 weeks. In contrast initial body weight was more reliable than initial bone length in predicting body weight ranking at 6 weeks when the low‐protein diet was fed.     

Compensatory growth in turkeys: effect of undernutrition on subsequent protein requirements

An adequate and a low protein starter diet (29 and 20 per cent crude protein respectively) were fed from o to 6 weeks of age. The poults receiving only 20 per cent protein were 17 per cent lighter at 6 weeks than the fully fed group. Turkeys from each treatment were then fed one of five levels of protein from 6 to 10 weeks of age. After 10 weeks all groups were fed adequate levels of protein to allow undernourished poults to exhibit compensatory growth.

The percentage protein required for maximum growth in the 6 to 10‐week stage was similar whether turkeys had been fully fed or undernourished from 0 to 6 weeks. But the “ effective “ percentage of protein required in the 6 to 10‐week stage, defined as the level which subsequently allowed maximum body weight at 20 weeks of age, was less for initially fully fed birds. This was because they had smaller growth deficits at 10 weeks and consequently made faster recovery in the limited time allowed.

Turkeys fed 29 and 17 per cent protein or 20 and 22 per cent protein in starter and grower diets respectively reached the same live‐weight at 20 weeks as fully fed turkeys which received 29 per cent protein from o to 6 weeks and 24 per cent protein from 6 to 10 weeks. The compensating turkeys ate about the same total weight of food as fully fed groups, but had a 10 per cent lower total protein intake.     

Compensatory growth after under-nutrition in market turkeys: effect of low protein feeding and realimentation on body composition

Turkey poults were fed starter diets containing either 29 or 20 per cent crude protein. Live‐weight at 6 weeks was depressed by about 30 per cent in poults fed the low protein diet. From 6 to 10 weeks of age four protein levels were fed but carcass studies were restricted to the groups which received adequate amounts of protein at this stage. Sixty poults from each treatment were slaughtered for carcass studies at 6 weeks of age, and also at 7 weeks when the undernourished poults had reached the body weight attained by fully fed groups at 6 weeks. Further samples were taken for carcass analysis at 20 weeks of age.

Percentage body fat was increased and percentage protein in the fat‐free dry matter was decreased by feeding a low protein starter diet from o to 6 weeks. Poults fed the low protein starter diet retained nitrogen more efficiently during the period of undernutrition and in the first stages of recuperation. Following a return to full feeding at six weeks, body protein content was quickly restored, but a longer period was required before their body fat percentage was reduced to the level of fully fed controls.

The organs which were weighed were little affected, except in the case of the gizzard and liver which became proportionately heavier in retarded turkeys at 6 weeks of age. Only spleen weight appeared to have been reduced in relation to total body weight but it occupied a similar proportion in high and low groups when compared on a fat‐free basis. Some, but not all, of the organs weighed were restored to normal proportions by 20 weeks of age. However, dressing percentage and economic value of carcasses at market weight were not materially affected by early nutritional treatment.     

Compensatory growth after under-nutrition in market turkeys

Five levels of protein were fed from o to 6 weeks of age, resulting in groups of poults whose body weights at 6 weeks were depressed by 8, 25 and 50 per cent below maximum. After 6 weeks, all groups were fed adequate amounts of protein and the undernourished poults showed substantial compensatory growth. The treatment which resulted in a mean body weight 25 per cent below controls at 6 weeks gave only a 3 per cent reduction in live‐weight at 14 weeks of age.

Undernourished poults ate more food at any given live‐weight between 6 and 14 weeks of age than did fully fed controls when they were at the same live‐weight. Food conversion was better in undernourished than in fully fed poults in the 6 to 14 week period even after a correction had been made for differences in the food required to maintain different body weights.

Taking the whole period from o to 14 weeks, there was a small improvement in the efficiency of food conversion and a large increase in the efficiency of protein conversion to body weight in favour of the poults which had been undernourished to 6 weeks of age.     

Effects of photostimulation at 18, 24 and 30 weeks of age on the productivity of female turkeys fed ad libitum or restricted until point of lay.

1. Turkey females were fed ad libitum or restricted from 6 weeks of age to achieve mean body weights of 0.6 of ad libitum fed birds on photostimulation at 18, 24 or 30 weeks of age. Body weight, food intake, egg production and hatchability were recorded to 54 weeks of age. 2. Restricted turkeys were fed ad libitum after first egg or 36 weeks of age. Food intake after 30 weeks of age averaged 170 g/bird/d and was similar for all treatments. At 54 weeks of age, restricted turkeys photostimulated at 24 and 30 weeks were not as heavy as turkeys photostimulated at 18 weeks and ad libitum fed turkeys. 3. A large proportion of restricted turkeys photostimulated at 18 weeks of age did not commence lay until 30 to 40 weeks and a significant number of restricted birds photostimulated at 24 weeks had short laying cycles. Restricted birds photostimulated at 30 weeks came into lay and showed similar persistency of lay to ad libitum fed turkeys. 4. Ad libitum fed turkeys laid 115.0, 122.0 and 101.0 and restricted turkeys 92.4, 99.5 and 103.4 eggs when photostimulated at 18, 24 and 30 weeks, respectively. The number of non-settable eggs was lower in restricted compared with ad libitum fed turkeys and declined with age at photostimulation. 5. Egg size at the end of the experiment was similar for ad libitum fed turkeys and restricted birds photostimulated at 18 weeks but was 2.3 g lower for restricted birds photostimulated at 24 and 30 weeks of age. 6. Hatchability was higher, and the proportion of second quality poults was lower with eggs from restricted turkeys. The mean numbers of poults hatched were 59.9, 75.1 and 66.0 for ad libitum fed and 71.7, 65.7 and 79.4 for restricted turkeys photostimulated at 18, 24 and 30 weeks of age.     

Tolerance of young turkey poults to various combinations of dietary furazolidone and salt.

Three feeding trials were conducted to study the tolerance of young turkey poults to furazolidone and to various combinations of salt and furazolidone in the diet. Poults of mixed sexes tolerated up to 0.03% dietary furazolidone from hatch to six weeks of age without harmful effects as judged from the data on mortality rate, feed intake, body weight and plasma composition. High mortality with cardiac dilation and ascites occurred in poults fed the same basal diet containing 0.05 or 0.07% furazolidone. Mortality was positively related to levels of dietary furazolidone, and occurred mainly between two and four weeks of age. The cumulative feed intake and body weight of these poults were significantly lower than those of the control poults at six weeks of age. There was indication of decreased renal function in poults on high furazolidone intake and the mechanism of furazolidone-induced cardiac dilation is discussed. Mortality rate, incidence of cardiac dilation with ascites and heart, liver and body weights and feed efficiency were similar in poults fed diets containing 0.022% furazolidone and varying levels of salts (0.5, 1.0 or 1.5%) compared with the control fed the same basal diet containing 0.5% salt from hatch to eight weeks of age. It is concluded that a starter diet containing 0.022% furazolidone and up to 1.5% salt does not affect the performance of poults from hatch to eight weeks of age.     

Distribution and clearance of aflatoxins B1 and M1 in turkeys fed diets containing 50 or 150 ppb aflatoxin from naturally contaminated corn

Turkeys were fed a diet containing 50 or 150 ppb aflatoxin for 11 or 13 weeks or fed these diets for 11 weeks and then the control diet for 1 or 2 weeks. Aflatoxins B1 and M1 were found in liver, kidney, gizzard, and feces of poults fed the diets for 11 or 13 weeks. However, in turkeys fed the control diet for 1 or 2 weeks after the 11-week feeding trial, no residues of aflatoxin were found in the feces or tissues, except for some aflatoxin B1 remaining in detectable amounts in the gizzard. No mortality was attributable to aflatoxin, and there were no notable differences among groups in weight gains, feed conversion, or histopathologic changes in selected tissues. The response to a second inoculation with sheep erythrocytes was significantly lower in poults given dietary aflatoxin than in controls. This reduced antibody response was not observed when a Pasteurella multocida vaccine was administered.     

Effect of field beans and supplemental methionine on growth of turkey poults

Male poults housed at 10 and 15 birds/pen and female poults housed at 15 birds/ pen were fed, from 6 to 10 weeks, on diets containing o, 15, 30 and 30% field beans (Vicia faba L.). The difference between the last two diets was in the level of methio‐nine; one contained 1.6 and the other 1.9%. From 10 to 16 weeks of age birds were fed on diets containing 0 or 20% field beans. At 10 weeks birds given diets with 30% beans were significantly lighter than other poults. At 16 weeks only the poults previously given a diet with 1.9% methionine were significantly lighter than control birds. Males given 0.37 m² of floor space were significantly heavier at 16 weeks than those given 0.25 m².     

Effect of Dietary Lactose on the Productive Performance of Young Turkeys

Studies were conducted to assess the performance of turkeys fed diets containing lactose. Study 1 consisted of 96, mixed-sex turkey poults that were housed in battery cages and fed diets containing 0 (8% cornstarch), 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 8% lactose from 0 to 6 wk. Study 2 used 360, mixed-sex turkey poults that were raised in floor pens and fed a commercial diet and diets containing 0 (4% starch), 0.5, 1, 2, or 4% lactose from 0 to 6 wk. Diets and water were offered ad libitum throughout both trials. The objectives were 1) to determine the effect of lactose on turkey performance and 2) to establish the optimum level for lactose inclusion in diets. In Study 1, feed intake, BW, fecal ammonia and nitrogen, and feed efficiency were determined. Diet composition, BW, feed intake, total body and carcass composition, cecal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and lactic acid were measured in Study 2. Turkeys consuming the 4% lactose diet gained the most weight (P < 0.01) compared with other treatments in Study 1, and lactose improved feed efficiency. In Study 2, all lactose diets resulted in heavier BW (P < 0.05) compared with the commercial diet. Turkeys consuming diets with 0.5, 1, 2 or 4% lactose had less total body fat compared with turkeys consuming a commercial or 0% lactose diet (P < 0.05).     

Genetic and environmental control of ovarian function in turkeys at sexual maturity.

1. The relationships between the numbers of ovarian yellow follicles and body weight was investigated in four strains of turkeys photostimulated at 24 or 30 weeks of age. The birds were fed ad libitum or control fed to reach 0.8 or 0.6 of the body weight of ad libitum-fed birds at 24 weeks of age. 2. There were more yellow follicles at 24 compared with 30 weeks of age. 3. The number of yellow follicles was higher in bigger strains. 4. Body weight control reduced the number and the proportion of similar sized yellow follicles. The effect decreased with increasing strain body weight. 5. There was a linear relationship of 0.633 between log yellow follicle number and log body weight. The intercept was higher in turkeys photostimulated at 24 compared with 30 weeks of age.     

Evaluation of crab meal as a dietary ingredient for young Turkeys

Adding 3 or 6% crab meal to the diets of turkeys between 1 d and 4 weeks of age resulted in their average body weight being increased by 5.2 or 6.8% and food consumption by 4.2 or 5.8%. Efficiency of food utilisation was not significantly changed. However, the addition of 5% crab meal to the diets of turkeys between 4 and 8 weeks of age resulted in average body weight gain and food consumption being increased by 1.4 and 1.3% respectively (P>0.05).

By adding 5% herring fish meal to the diets of poults from 4 to 8 weeks, body weight gain was increased by 2.0% (0.05<P<0.1), but food consumption was decreased by 2.3% and efficiency of food utilisation was increased by 4.2% indicating that fish meal contains a larger quantity of metabolisable energy than crab meal.

The addition of erythromycin at a rate of 13.5 or 20.4 mg/kg increased body weight gain by 4.5% and efficiency of food utilisation by 4.4% during the period between 4 and 8 weeks of age. No significant interactions among the dietary factors on the measurements studied in these experiments were observed.     

Effects of dietary calcium and phosphorus on mineral retention,growth, feed efficiency and walking ability in growing turkeys

1. Large White male turkeys from a heavy commercial male-line were fed on 16 diets containing 4 concentrations of calcium (6, 10, 14 and 18 g/kg) and available phosphorus (3, 5, 7, 9 g/kg) in a 4 x 4 factorial experiment with three replicates (pens). Turkeys were weighed and food intakes recorded from 4 to 7, 8 to 10 and 11 to 13 weeks of age. 2. The diets containing 6 g/kg calcium and 5, 7 or 9 g/kg available phosphorus concentrations were associated with lower body weighs at 10 and 13 weeks of age. 3. Fewer than 6% of the turkeys had an abnormal gait at 13 weeks of age. 4. The optimum dietary concentrations were 10 g/kg of calcium and 3 g/kg of available phosphorus. It was concluded that these concentrations should be fed at least to 13 weeks of age. 5. Retentions of dietary calcium and phosphorus averaged 300 g/kg of intake. 6. Utilisation of dietary phytate ranged from 5 to 11 g/kg and it is recommended that organic phosphorus should be ignored in the formulation of diets for growing turkeys unless they are supplemented with a phytase enzyme.     

Effect of oral Escherichia coli inoculation on performance of young turkeys

A strain of Escherichia coli isolated from the yolk sac of stunted turkey poults was administered orally to day-old large white poults. Poults were inoculated with either 0.1 ml of sterile broth or 0.1 ml of a 10(-2) dilution of a 24-hr E. coli culture containing 3.4 x 10(8) viable bacteria per ml. Two levels of dietary protein (28 or 22%) were fed from 1 day to 3 weeks of age. Following E. coli inoculation of 3.4 x 10(5) viable bacteria at day one, body weight gain and feed consumption from 0 to 3 weeks of age were numerically increased 4.5 and 2.1%, respectively, and feed efficiency was significantly increased 2.4%. E. coli had a greater effect on performance of poults fed the 28% protein diet than on poults fed the 22% protein diet. Metabolism studies, conducted from 7 to 10 and from 17 to 20 days postinoculation, showed no significant changes in the measurements of nutrient utilization due to E. coli other than a 17% increase in nitrogen retention from 17 to 20 days by those poults fed the 28% protein diet.     

白羽王鸽屠宰性能与体尺性状的相关性及多元回归分析

[目的]解析白羽王鸽屠宰性能与体尺性状的关联性,为今后在贵州地区科学系统地培养白羽王鸽积累参考数据。[方法]对30日龄白羽王鸽的体尺和屠宰性能指标进行了测定,并对测定指标进行显著性检验和相关性分析。[结果]白羽王鸽在30日龄时具有较高的屠宰率（87.200%）,平均活重（429.960±51.781）g,全净膛重（319.253±40.342）g,全净膛率74.610%,具有较好的肉用性能。白羽王鸽屠宰性能和体尺性状的相关分析结果显示,白羽王鸽胫长、活重和屠宰重与体斜长具有显著（P<0.05）相关性,翅重与体斜长极显著（P<0.01）相关;龙骨长与胸深、胸宽、全净膛重、胸肌重呈现极显著（P<0.01）正相关;胸深与胸宽极显著（P<0.01）正相关,与胫围极显著（P<0.01）负相关,与活重、屠宰重、胸肌重和腿肌重呈现显著（P<0.05）正相关;屠宰重、全净膛重、胸肌重、腿肌重、头重和翅重与活重呈现极显著（P<0.01）正相关;全净膛重、胸肌重、腿肌重、头重、翅重与屠宰重呈现极显著（P<0.01）正相关。该研究设立了白羽王鸽屠宰性能与体尺性状之间的多元回归方程,同时对白羽王鸽活重、屠宰重、全净膛重、胸肌重和腿肌重与体斜长、龙骨长、胫长和胫围分别建立了回归模型,模型拟合度F检验均达显著或极显著水平。[结论]以上研究结果可为白羽王鸽的相关研究提供参考。     

Photosensitizing effects of Cymopterus watsonii and Cymopterus longipes in chickens and turkey poults

Two-week-old straight-run white broiler chicks and 2-week-old straight-run white turkey poults were fed seed or whole plants Cymopterus watsonii or seed of Cymopterus longipes at 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6% of body weight, and then placed in sunlight for 5 hours each day for 7 days. All plant material produced moderate to severe photosensitivity in chicks. Toxic signs included photophobia; red discoloration of beak, comb, and feet; loss of feathers in the periorbital area; dried serous fluid on comb and edge of beak; keratoconjunctivitis; and multiple lesions on feet and legs. Turkey poults showed a syndrome similar to that of chicks. Mortality was particularly high in turkeys fed C. longipes seed. Toxic signs in turkeys 6 weeks after treatment included tremors in the legs; upturning and shortening of the upper beak; and shortening disfigurement, and gangrene of the toes. Two phototoxic furocoumarins, oxypeucedanin and isoimperitorin, were isolated from C. longipes seed. Either compound, administered orally, produced photosensitivity in 2-week-old chicks.     

Growth,nutrient digestibility,ileal digesta viscosity,and energy metabolizability of growing turkeys fed diets containing malted sorghum sprouts supplemented with enzyme or yeast

Growth, apparent nutrient digestibility, ileal digesta viscosity, and energy metabolizability of growing turkeys fed diets containing malted sorghum sprouts (MSP) supplemented with enzyme or yeast were investigated using 120, 28‐day‐old male turkeys. Six treatments were laid out in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with three dietary inclusion levels of MSP (0, 50, and 100 g/kg) and supplemented with 200 mg/kg yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or 200 mg/kg of a commercial enzyme. The experiment lasted for the starter (day 28–56) and grower phases (day 57–84) of the birds. Each treatment group consisted of 20 turkeys replicated four times with five birds each. Data were analysed using analysis of variance while polynomial contrast was used to determine the trends (linear and quadratic) of MSP inclusion levels. Irrespective of dietary supplementation with enzyme or yeast, final body weight (BW), total BW gain, and feed intake for turkey poults from day 29–56 was reduced (p < 0.05) with increasing inclusion level of MSP. Dietary supplementation with yeast resulted in increased (p < 0.05) feed intake while enzyme supplementation improved (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio of the poults. Turkeys fed enzyme‐supplemented MSP diets had higher (p < 0.05) BW gain than their counterparts fed yeast‐supplemented MSP diets. Apparent ash digestibility reduced linearly (p < 0.05) with increasing inclusion levels of MSP. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) with MSP inclusion levels . Enzyme supplementation reduced (p < 0.05) ileal viscosity but had no effect (p > 0.05) on AME. Inclusion of MSP resulted in poor growth performance. This confirms earlier studies that utilization of MSP by poultry is rather poor. Supplementation with enzyme or yeast did not lead to any appreciable improvement in performance of turkeys in this study.     

Chronic effects of moniliformin in broiler and turkeys fed dietary treatments to market age

Floor pen studies were conducted, with broilers from 1 to 7 wk of age and with turkeys from 1 to 14 wk of age, to evaluate the chronic effects of moniliformin (M). Fusarium fujikuroi (M-1214) culture material was added to typical corn-soybean basal diets to supply 0, 25, or 50 mg M/kg diet (broilers) or 0, 12.5, 25, 37.5, or 50 mg M/kg diet (turkeys). Compared with controls, chicks fed diets containing 50 mg M/kg consumed more feed, had lower body weight gain, were less efficient in converting feed to body weight gain, and had increased relative heart and proventriculus weights. Chicks fed the diet containing 50 mg M/kg also had significantly higher mortality and decreased mean corpuscular volumes compared with controls. Broilers fed 25 and 50 mg M/kg also had increased serum gamma glutamyltransferase activities. Feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion of turkeys fed dietary M were not affected. At 6 and 14 wk, turkeys fed 25, 37.5, or 50 mg M/kg diet had increased (P < 0.05) relative heart weights when compared with controls. At week 14, turkeys fed diets containing 37.5 or 50 mg M/kg also had increased (P < 0.05) relative liver weights compared with turkeys fed 0, 12.5, or 25 mg M/kg diet. Lesions, observed only in the hearts of broilers and turkeys fed 50 mg M/kg, were loss of cardiomyocyte cross striations, increased cardiomyocyte nuclear size, and an increased number of cardiomyocyte mitotic figures (turkeys only). Results indicate that > or = 37.5 mg M/kg is hepatoxic and > or = 25 mg M/kg is cardiotoxic to turkeys and 50 mg M/kg diet is toxic to broilers fed to market age.     

Effect of dietary fat concentration and energy to protein ratio on the performance,yield of carcass components and composition of skin and meat of turkeys as related to age

The effects of up to 12.9% added dietary fat (ADF) and a 10% variation in the relative energy to protein ratio (E : P) on performance to 24 weeks and the carcass composition of male turkeys at 4‐weekly intervals were determined. Poults given a low level of ADF required a narrower E : P to 4 weeks and were more sensitive to E : P imbalance than those given higher levels of ADF. The E : P requirement was less critical after 4 weeks. Energy conversion was more efficient with lower ADF to 4 weeks but became more efficient with higher ADF as the birds approached maturity. Energy utilisation was more, and protein utilisation less, efficient with narrower than with wider E : P's. Increased deposition of tissue fat at high ADF levels may explain the increased energy tolerance of poults fed on fat‐rich diets.

Carcass finish and tissue fat deposition were influenced more strongly by the level of ADF than by varying the E : P. The pronounced influence of ADF on the skin and tissue fat of immature turkeys indicates the potential value of increased ADF in diets for early marketed small turkeys.

The yield of carcass components other than skin was not strongly influenced by either ADF or E : P. The percentage eviscerated carcass and edible meat yield increased with age. The percentage yield of wing segments and drumstick decreased with age. Skin yield and tissue fat content first decreased, then increased with age.

Equations were derived to express the relationship of fat content with protein, moisture and age in thigh and breast meat.     

Efficacy of a commercial turkey coryza vaccine (Art-Vax) in turkey poults

Four laboratory experiments were designed to study the efficacy of the only available commercial vaccine for turkey coryza, Art-Vax. Poults were vaccinated either once or twice at different ages and challenged with pathogenic Alcaligenes faecalis. In another study, commercial turkeys vaccinated at 1 and 12 days of age on a commercial farm were brought to the laboratory for challenge with pathogenic A. faecalis. Both the laboratory- and field-vaccinated poults were given the manufacturer's recommended dosage of the vaccine strain. Regardless of the vaccine schedule or source of poults, the vaccine was not effective in protecting challenged turkeys from infection. Furthermore, the vaccine was not effective in protecting poults less than 3 weeks of age from disease, but it was effective in protecting poults more than 3 weeks of age from disease. These results indicate that although vaccinated turkeys older than 3 weeks of age were not susceptible to disease, they were susceptible to infection and could act as carriers of field strains of A. faecalis, thus perpetuating the risk of infection to flocks subsequently raised in the same buildings.     

Protein requirements for early finishing of male and female Turkeys

Five diets each calculated to contain about 3.0 kcal ME/g, with determined crude protein levels of 17.5, 19.8, 21.7, 23.2 and 24.4% were fed to male and female turkeys from 8 to 12 weeks of age. The 23.2 and 24.4% protein diets were estimated to contain about 115 and 125% respectively of the lysine and methionine allowances recommended for maximum growth at this stage. But for both sexes growth increments increased progressively as dietary protein increased up to the highest level fed, indicating that protein requirements for maximum growth were in this case considerably in excess of currently recommended levels.

There was no consistent effect of sex or diet on visual assessment of carcass finish or conformation at 12 weeks of age. “Skin‐pinch” thickness was significantly greater for females than for males. In the case of females there was a tendency for skin‐pinch thickness to decrease with increasing dietary protein level and body weight.