Influence of fibre on metabolisable energy of diet and performance of growing pullets in the Tropics

1. Diets in which maize and palm kernel meals were major ingredients and whose metabolisable energy values were varied by the inclusion of graded amounts of maize cob (50 to 200 g/kg diet) were fed to growing pullets for 9 to 21 weeks of age. 2. Apparent metabolisable energy decreased from 11.82 to 9.79 MJ/kg diet as neutral detergent fibre increased from 182 to 330 g/kg. 3. Metabolisable energy intake was significantly reduced when the maize cob content was above 100 g/kg diet. 4. Protein intake was unaffected by treatment but apparent nitrogen retention was significantly depressed for pullets receiving the diet with 200 g/kg maize cob. Birds on the diet did not come into lay during the study.     

Utilisation of dried poultry manure by growing chickens fed on a practical diet

1. Dried poultry manure (DPM) has been tested as a replacement for groundnut cake in poultry diets.

2. Body weight gain, and the efficiency of food conversion were improved when the diet contained 50 g DPM/kg but higher rates of inclusion (100 or 150 g/kg) depressed growth.

3. Birds fed on diets containing 50 g DPM/kg yielded meat of comparable quality to those fed on the control diet whereas those fed on diets containing more DPM yielded meat containing more fat and less water.

4. The percentage moisture in the meat was inversely related to the lipid content.

5. Nitrogen retention was comparable in all groups.     

Use of dried poultry litter in the diet of pregnant and lactating Awassi ewes

Summary Two groups of 45 Awassi ewes, were fed a control diet (group C) or a diet containing 0.30 poultry litter from laying birds (group PL). The experiment began when the rams were put with the ewes and continued through pregnancy and lactation. Mean weight changes of ewes of both groups were small and not significantly different. The numbers of ewes that lambed and the numbers of lambs weaned, as proportions of the number of ewes mated, were 0·91 and 0·73 respectively for group C, and 0·93 and 0·70 for group PL. The mean weaning weight of lambs of group C (20·6 kg) was just significantly greater than the value for group PL (18·4 kg) but the estimated mean daily milk yields, 0·716 and 0·626 kg respectively, did not differ significantly. Differences in breeding and lactation performance, between ewes given the control and those given the poultry litter diet, were small for all the data obtained. Also, there was no disease problem related to the use of poultry litter; and the food products milk and cheese, from ewes given poultry litter, were just as acceptable as those from ewes given the control diet.

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Uso De Cama De Ponedoras En La Dieta De Ovejas Prenadas Y En Lactacion De La Raza Awassi

Resumen Dos grupos de 45 ovejas Awassi, recibieron una dieta control (grupo C), o una dieta con 0·30 de cama de ponedoras (grupo PL). El experimento comenzó cuando los carneros fueron puestos con las hembras y continuó durante la preñez y lactación. Los cambios medios de peso de las ovejas en ambos grupos fueron pequeños y no significativamente diferentes. El número de ovejas que parieron y el número de corderos destetados, como proporción del número de ovejas apareadas, fueron 0·91 y 0·73 respectivamente para el grupo C, y 0·93 y 0·70 para el grupo PL. La media del peso de los corderos al destete pertenecientes al grupo C (20·6 kg) fue significativamente más alto que el valor obtenido para el grupo PL (18·4), pero la media estimada del producido diario de leche de los dos grupos 0·716 y 0·626 kg respectivamente, no difirieron significativamente. No hubo diferencias reproductivas, ni de lactación entre los dos grupos. Tampoco se detectaron enfermedades relacionadas con el suministro de cama de ponedoras. Los productos y subproductos lech y queso, no fueron afectados por la alimentación experimental.

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Emploi De La Litere De Volaille Dans La Ration Des Brebis Awassi Gestantes Et Allaitantes

Résumé Deux groupes de 45 brebis Awassi ont reçu un régime témoin (groupe C) et un régime contenant 0,30 de résidu de litière sèche de pondeuses (groupe PL). L'expérience a débuté au moment où les béliers sont introduits parmi les femelles et s'est poursuvie pendant la gestation et l'allaitement. Les variations du poids moyen des brebis des deux groupes ont été faibles et les différences statistiquement non significatives. Le nombre d'agnelages et celui des agneaux sevrés, en tant que proportion par rapport au nombre de brebis accouplées, a été de 0,91 et 0,73, respectivement pour le groupe C, et de 0,93 et 0,70 pour le groupe PL. Le poids moyen au sevrage des agneaux du groupe C (20,6 kg) a été à peine plus élevé que le même facteur pour le groupe PL (18,4 kg), mais le rendement moyen quotidien estimé en lait: 0,716 et 0,626 kg respectivement, n'étaient pas significativement différent. Les différences dans les performances de gestation et de lactation entre les brebis nourries avec la ration témoin (C) et celles recevant le régime avec la litère de volaille séchée (PL) ont été faibles pour toutes les données obtenues. Enfin, il n'y aeu aucun problème sanitaire quant à l'emploi de la litère sèche et les produits alimentaires, lait et fromage de ces animaux étaient aussi acceptables que ceux des témoins

     

A quantitative analysis of the literature concerning the restricted feeding of growing pullets

The sexual maturity of growing pullets can be retarded either by restricting calorie intake or by feeding a diet deficient in one or more essential amino acids, Several methods have been proposed for achieving either of these objectives. In this review the methods have been classified as (a) limiting the birds’ time of access to food, (b) quantitative food restriction, (c) the use of low energy diets and (d) dietary protein restriction.

Food restriction by limiting the time of access to food has given inconsistent results and is an unsatisfactory technique. Birds quickly learn to eat normal quantities of food in a very short space of time.

Quantitative food restriction has been widely used in experiments and is usually applied from about 6 to about 20 weeks of age. The available evidence enables relationships to be established between the degree of food restriction and subsequent body weight and sexual maturity. The effect of rearing treatment on mortality and rate of lay is also examined.

The ad libitum feeding of a low‐energy growing diet has always resulted in greater rearing food costs. This is because moderate reductions in energy content of the diet are offset by higher food intake. Diets sufficiently low in energy to cause a reduction in calorie intake will involve the purchase and handling of very large proportions of non‐nutritive material.

The use of protein‐deficient diets during the growing period, or from one day of age, offers a suitable means of delaying sexual maturity. The effects of such a treatment are apparently very similar to those of restricted feeding, but there is a lack of suitable comparisons of the alternative methods.     

Influence of age on the febrile response to E. coli and S. typhimurium endotoxins in growing pullets.

1. The effect of bacterial endotoxin injection was studied in growing pullets of different ages. Commercial chicks were divided into 5 groups according to age. Bacterial endotoxins (E. coli and S. typhimurium) were injected intravenously and rectal temperature was measured over a period of 300 min. 2. The results showed no significant effect of age on the febrile response induced by bacterial endotoxins, but a slight tendency towards a reduced fever peak was observed with increasing age. The response latency also increased with age.     

Evaluation of brewers' dried grains in the diets of growing chickens

Two trials, one with chicks from o to 8 weeks of age, the other with growers from 8 to 18 weeks of age were carried out to determine the maximum concentration at which brewers’ dried grains may be incorporated into the diet.

On the basis of food consumption, weight gain and good to gain ratio, the concentration of brewers’ grains in starter diets should not exceed 10%. Growing birds, from 8 to 18 weeks of age, should not be fed brewers’ dried grains in excess of 30% of their diet although this level leads to increased food consumption (P < 0·01) and food to gain ratio (P < 0·05). It appears that the utilisation of brewers’ dried grains by poultry is limited by its high crude fibre content.     

The influence of pelleted feed on the response of growing pullets to photoperiods of less than ten hours.

1. An experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that delayed sexual maturity in pullets reared on very short (4 h) constant photoperiods might be partly attributable to limitation of food intake and that offering a pelleted feed might circumvent this effect. 2. The factors investigated were 2 strains (Amber Link and Hyline Brown), 3 photoperiods (4, 7 and 10 h) and 2 forms of food (mash throughout rearing or crumbs from 0 to 4 weeks followed by pellets). All 12 combinations of these factors were tested with 14 replications of 18 pullet chicks allocated to each combination. 3. Mean ages at first egg for 4, 7 and 10 h rearing photoperiods were 189, 184 and 162 d respectively. Pullets given the pelleted diet ate 2% less food to 20 weeks but were 6% heavier at that age. However, the pellet-fed birds were 6 d later in mean age at 50% lay. There was no interaction between form of food and photoperiod in the data for age at first egg. 4. It is concluded that constant short photoperiods during rearing cause delayed sexual maturity entirely due to the effect of light on gonadal development and that limitation of food intake is not a factor in this response.     

Effect of low protein diets for growing Leghorn pullets upon subsequent laying performance

An experiment was conducted with White Leghorn pullets to study the effect on laying performance of dietary protein content and amino acid supplementation during the growing period. From 0 to 6 weeks of age birds fed on diets containing either 149 g protein/kg supplemented with methionine and lysine or 182 g protein/kg grew faster than those fed on a diet containing 149 g protein/kg alone. However, only those fed on the supplemented diet utilised their food more efficiently. From 7 to 20 weeks of age neither body weight gain nor food utilisation was affected by the dietary protein content. Pullets fed the low protein diet supplemented with 2 g methionine/kg and 2.5 g lysine/kg during the period of 0 to 6 weeks of age had significantly better egg production than birds fed the low protein diet alone. The dietary protein content during 7 to 20 weeks of age did not influence subsequent egg production.     

Mineral and vitamin supplementation of a whole wheat diet for developing pullets

1. Light hybrid pullets kept in floor pens or in cages received one of five dietary treatments: a conventional developer diet (controls) or whole wheat unsupplemented (B) or supplemented with minerals (C), minerals and vitamins (D), or minerals and B vitamins only (E). The control diet was fed from 8 to 20 weeks and other diets from either 8 or 12 to 20 weeks of age. All groups received the same layers’ diet from 20 to 68 weeks of age.

2. Controls grew best and matured first: maturation was delayed by about 2.lb5 d with each 100 g reduction in body weight at 20 weeks. Body weights at 20 weeks, taking controls as 100, were 50, 70, 78 and 73 for B, C, D and E applied from 8 weeks and 72, 87, 87 and 86 when applied from 12 weeks. Lower‐leg length was increased by mineral but not by vitamin supplementation. Birds in floor pens grew faster than those in cages.

3. Mortality was nearly 30% in pullets receiving diet B from 8 to 20 weeks of age: feeding the diet from 12 weeks, or supplementing it with minerals (C), reduced mortality to 4% or less, but vitamins had no beneficial effect.

4. Conventionally fed birds laid more eggs than other groups.     

The determination of the methionine requirement of laying pullets by a diet dilution technique

A method for the determination of amino acid requirements of laying hens is described. This involves the dilution of a high protein “ summit” diet with an isocaloric nitrogen‐free mixture. By ensuring that the amino acid to be assayed is first‐limiting in the summit diet, the response to dilution can be interpreted as a response to a single amino acid.

The method is applied to the determination of methionine requirement and it is shown that the response to methionine obtained is virtually independent of the protein level of the diet and is not influenced by direct effects of the dilution mixture.

From the results of the present and other published experiments, the “ available “ methionine required for maximum egg yield of pullets in the early stages of lay is estimated to be 275 mg per bird per day.     

Phosphorus requirements of poultry. VI. The phosphorus requirements of growing pullets between 8 and 18 weeks of age

With pullet chicks during the first 8 weeks of life there were no significant advantages in mortality, growth, feed consumption or in the efficiency of the conversion of food to live‐weight through supplementing a basal diet composed of feeding stuffs of plant origin with inorganic phosphorus.

During the period 8–18 weeks the results showed a similar pattern. The birds in all groups grew satisfactorily and appeared normal. No consistent or significant differences occurred between the rearing groups in mortality, growth, food consumption of feed efficiency.

The results of the present experiments provide further confirmation that pullet chicks can be reared satisfactorily to 18 weeks of age on diets containing neither animal protein nor phosphorus supplements.     

Effect of diet composition and feed intake level on diet digestibility and ruminal metabolism in growing lambs.

Lambs (29 +/- 2.5 kg) were fed three diets at various intakes to determine whether diet composition or level of intake was reflected in changes in diet digestibility or ruminal fluid characteristics. In Exp. 1, a 90% concentrated, pelleted diet or a whole shelled corn diet with a pelleted protein supplement was fed at three levels of intake: ad libitum and 92.5 and 85% of ad libitum (n = 15). Exp. 2 compared the 90% concentrate diet with diets in which the energy density was diluted to 55 or 72.5% concentrate by including alfalfa hay as a possible method of restricting energy intake (n = 6). Lambs were adapted to diets for 13 d; feces were collected for 6 d and ruminal fluid was collected 0, 3, and 6 h after feeding on the day following fecal collection. Restricting intake in Exp. 1 did not affect DM digestibility or digestibility of CP or starch. Digestibility of ADF was increased (P less than .10) by restricting intake. Ruminal fluid pH, ammonia concentration and VFA concentrations were affected little by either restricted intake level. Digestibility of DM was 4% higher (P less than .001) and starch 5% higher (P less than .001) for the whole shelled corn diet than for the pelleted, high-concentrate diet. Ruminal pH of lambs fed the whole shelled corn diet was higher and fluctuated less than the ruminal pH of lambs fed the high-concentrate, pelleted diet. In Exp. 2, diet digestibility was reduced (P less than .01) and ruminal pH was increased (P less than .002) by addition of hay. Restricted feeding of lambs did not seem to increase diet digestibility or alter ruminal conditions.     

酒糟蛋白饲料在猪日粮中的应用

酒糟是酿酒副产品,包括干燥可溶性酒糟、酒糟干颗粒和可溶性酒糟干颗粒,是一种较优质的饲料原料,广泛应用于猪配合日粮中。本文主要阐述了可溶性酒糟干颗粒的养分组成及其在养猪生产中的应用。     

Effects of dietary sorghum dried distiller's grains with solubles on growth performance,diet nutrient digestibility,carcass characteristics and immunity in growing rabbits

Sorghum dried distiller's grains with solubles (S‐DDGS) are distillation extract residues from the ethanol fuel industry. In this experiment, two hundred 42‐day‐old rabbits were randomly allocated to five experimental diets containing 0 g/kg (control), 75, 150, 225 and 300 g/kg S‐DDGS. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. No difference was found in the average daily feed intake (ADFI; p > 0.05). With increasing sorghum inclusion, the average daily gain (ADG) was linearly (p < 0.001) and quadratically (p = 0.039) reduced, while, conversely, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly (p < 0.001) increased. Increasing the amount of S‐DDGS in the diet linearly decreased (p < 0.001) the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and ash. Carcass weight, carcass yield, heart and liver weights were linearly decreased by an increase in the amount of S‐DDGS added to diets (p < 0.001), but no difference was observed between the 0, 75 and 150 g/kg S‐DDGS groups (p > 0.05). Serum IL‐6, IL‐10 and SIgA linearly increased (p = 0.008) with increasing levels of S‐DDGS in the diet. Rabbits fed 0, 75 and 150 g/kg of S‐DDGS had similar IL‐6 and IL‐10 levels. Statistically significant differences in SIgA were observed between rabbits fed control diets and feed mixtures containing S‐DDGS (p < 0.01). To conclude, S‐DDGS can safely be added up to 75 g/kg, to the diet of rabbits. Increasing dietary S‐DDGS inclusion may decrease the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass traits, and activate immune responses.     

Phosphorus requirements of poultry. IV. The effects on growing pullets of feeding diets containing no animal protein or supplementary phosphorus

Pullets reared to 18 weeks of age on diets containing no animal protein supplements and to which no source of inorganic phosphorus was added showed no clinical symptoms of rickets and no significant differences in average body weight, feed consumption, efficiency of feed conversion or livability compared with pullets reared on comparable diets supplemented with inorganic phosphorus.

The results indicate that growing pullets are able to use effectively organic sources of dietary phosphorus for growth and bone formation and can be reared satisfactorily on starter diets containing lower levels of total phosphorus than currently recommended.

Replacing protein of animal origin in pullet starter and growers' diets by soyabean meal and DL‐methionine or by extracted soyabean meal and extracted sunflower seed meal did not result in any adverse effects.