The nutritive value of triticale and rye for the laying hen

1. The crude compositions of samples of triticale and rye are given together with more detailed analyses for the protein and carbohydrate fractions.

2. By regression analysis of absorption on intake, the true digestibilities of the crude protein, using colostomised birds, were calculated to be 85.2 and 72.0%, those of the crude fat 94.4 and 89.7% and those of the carbohydrate 82.0 and 75.5% for triticale and rye respectively.

3. The classical metabolisable energy values of the triticale and rye samples were found to be 14.08 and 12.51 MJ/kg (3.36 and 2.99 Mcal/kg) respectively.

4. It is concluded that triticale is a better food source for the chicken than either wheat or rye.     

The laying performance of two strains of hens offered diets containing dried poultry manure during the laying stage

1. Light‐weight (Babcock B300) and medium‐weight (Warren‐SSL) hens were offered diets, containing 0, 100 or 200 g dried poultry manure (DPM) and 11.49, 11.12 or 10.83 MJ metabolisable energy/kg respectively, between 18 and 70 weeks of age. The true protein, metabolisable energy, calcium and phosphorus contents of the DPM, from caged layer hens, were used in the diet formulation.

2. The hen‐housed laying performance of hens offered the DPM‐containing diets was significantly better for number of eggs laid and total egg mass produced but the performance of the control groups was lower than would normally be expected of those stocks. The reason for the lower rate of lay and higher mortality of hens fed on the control diet was not identified. The amount of food consumed increased as the energy content of the diet decreased and the efficiency of food conversion (EFC) of the lightweight strain was reduced; there was no significant effect on the EFC of the medium‐weight hens.

3. The inclusion of DPM in the diets had no effect on albumen quality or on the incidence of hair‐cracked, cracked or broken eggs. However, with both strains of hens, shell weight and shell thickness were poorer when 100 or 200 g DPM/kg diets were fed.     

Renal function changes in laying hens fed on dried poultry manure.

1. Renal function was studied in laying hens which had been fed on diets containing 0 (controls), 10 or 20% dried poultry manure (DPM) for one year. 2. Birds fed on 20% DPM showed increased rates of effective renal plasma flow and increased renal tubular secretion of urate during the infusion of large amounts of urate. 3. Renal hypertrophy was not detected in any group.     

Replacement of groundnut cake by dried poultry manure in the diets of laying hens

1. The effect on food consumption by pullets when dried poultry manure (DPM) replaced part of dietary groundnut cake depended on the strain of the birds: in two of the three hybrids food consumption was not affected when up to 100 g DPM/kg was fed.

2. Increases in food consumption were accompanied by increases in egg production.

3. The food required per dozen eggs was improved by up to 100 g dietary DPM/kg and variation in the sizes of eggs laid depended on the hybrid.

4. Concentrations of DPM up to 100 g/kg did not affect the water‐soluble nitrogen content of the egg but the crude albumen nitrogen content was depressed at concentrations of 80 g/kg or above.

5. Feeding DPM to laying pullets depressed body weight.     

卵黄抗体的提纯及应用

卵黄抗体因具有价格便宜、制备方便等其它抗体无可比拟的优点,而成为当今生物科学领域研究的一个热点。卵黄抗体已被越来越广泛地应用于许多疾病,尤其是家禽传染病的防治,并获得了显著的效果。此外,它还被应用于免疫学技术和疾病的监测等方面,显示出多方面的应用价值。本文对其提纯方法及应用作一综述。     

Recycled dried poultry manure in chick starter diets

1. Dried poultry manure (DPM) collected from 1‐d to 3‐week‐old chicks, reared in electrical battery brooders, incorporated at a level of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% in a chick starter diet, was recycled four times.

2. There was a linear decrease in body weight and efficiency of food utilisation with each percentage increase in DPM.

3. The amount of dried droppings recovered as a percentage of food consumed was proportional to the amount of DPM included in the diet and remained fairly constant during the recycling.

4. Body weights and efficiency of food utilisation were substantially the same during the first three recycling periods but declined significantly during the fourth period.

5. Mortality was negligible and all chicks appeared healthy and vigorous.

6. Chicks fed on 10% DPM in an isocaloric and isonitrogenous (protein‐N) diet grew and utilised food as well as those fed on the basal diet; chicks fed on 20% DPM did not consume enough to meet their requirements.     

The effects on rearing and subsequent laying performance of rearer diets containing two levels of protein and dried poultry manure or urea

1. Six hundred and seventy‐two light‐hybrid pullets aged 6 weeks were allocated to eight experimental treatments and cage‐reared to 18 weeks of age when they were transferred to single‐bird battery cages and fed on a common layer diet.

2. In the 6‐ to 12‐week period four dietary treatments were applied: a diet containing about 160 g crude protein (CP)/kg with or without 50 g dried poultry manure (DPM)/kg (diets 2 and 1 respectively) and a diet containing about 140 g CP/kg with or without 50 g DPM/kg (diets 4 and 3). In the 12‐ to 18‐week period two additional diets were fed: diets 1 and 3 supplemented with 10 g urea/kg (diets 5 and 6 respectively). Diets containing DPM were formulated to utilise the CP, energy, calcium and 50% of the phosphorus content of DPM.

3. Pullets fed on diets 1, 2 and 5 (high‐protein) were significantly heavier at 18 weeks than those fed on diets 3, 4 and 6 (low‐protein). In the laying period total estimated egg weight, food intake and conversion were significantly greater, and the age at first egg was significantly less (2.4 d).

4. Dietary DPM had no significant effect on the 18‐week body weight but food consumption was significantly less and conversion was significantly improved. There were no significant effects on subsequent laying performance. Dietary urea caused no significant effects on rearing or laying performance.     

Growth of broilers fed on diets containing dried poultry manure

Sixty 7‐d‐old male broiler chicks were housed in individual metabolism cages and offered one of six purified diets for 14 d. The diets were formulated to have the same ME contents but had different nitrogenous supplements: diet A, was the basal diet, containing PRG essential amino acid (EAA) mixture equivalent to 15 g N/kg; B, basal+12% glutamic acid (GA); C, basal plus EAA mixture equivalent to EAA content of 20.09% DPM; D, basal + EAA+12% GA; E, basal + 20.09% autoclaved DPM; F, basal + 20.09% unautoclaved DPM. The rank order of final body weights at 21 d of chicks fed on these diets were D(292 g) > B(258 g), (F254 g), E(253 g) > C(206 g) > A(180 g), (P<0.05). Chicks fed on diet C had better food conversion efficiencies (FCE) than those fed on diet A (0.449 and 0.374 respectively) and D was better than B (0.592 and 0.533 respectively).

In a second experiment, carried out under field trial conditions using commercial‐type diets formulated to contain DPM, 24 groups, each of about 40 male or female broiler chicks, were given diets containing 0% (P) or 5% (Q) DPM from 1 d of age for 4 weeks. From 4 to 8 weeks one of three diets with 0% (R), 5% (S) or 10% (T) DPM was fed according to a 2 (sexes) x 2 x 3 factorial design. Between o and 4 weeks feeding DPM had no significant effect on body weight or food consumption, but birds fed diet Q had an improved FCE (P<0.05). Between 4 and 8 weeks birds fed on S and T were heavier than the controls at 6 weeks, but this increase was not significant at 8 weeks (P> 0.05). Food consumption was not affected, but the FCE improved with increasing inclusion of DPM. At 8 weeks of age birds fed on Q, were heavier than birds fed on diet P.     

Effects of battery gage shape and dietary energy regulation on the performance of laying hens offered diets containing dried poultry manure

1. About 3000 medium‐weight hybrid chicks were used in a factorial experiment involving two “chick” treatments: diets containing 0 and 50 g dried poultry manure (DPM)/kg; three “grower” treatments, diets with and without 50 g DPM/kg given ad libitum and regulated amounts of the diet with DPM; five “layer” treatments: diets with 0, 100 or 200 g DPM/kg given ad libitum and regulated amounts of diets containing 110 and 220 g DPM/kg and two shapes of layer cages: deep (conventional) and shallow.

2. Chick diets had no significant effects on rearing or subsequent laying performance.

3. Food‐regulated pullets were 7% lighter than pullets given the DPM diet ad libitum at 18 weeks but consumed 12.5% less food; growing treatments had no significant effect on subsequent egg production.

4. Hens housed in shallow cages laid 10.3 eggs/bird‐housed more than those in deep cages, produced 3.8% greater egg mass, consumed 2.7% less food and produced fewer damaged (cracked, broken and hair‐cracked) eggs (P< 0.001).

5. DPM‐containing layer diets had no adverse effects on egg production, or mortality; with 100 g DPM/kg efficiency of food conversion (EFC) was better than with 0 or 200 g/kg (P< 0.001).

6. Reduction of the energy intake of L110R and L220R hens with diets containing 110 and 220 g DPM/kg by 8.2 and 9.0% respectively, reduced the number of eggs laid/hen‐housed by 6 and 10.7 but improved the EFG (P< 0.001); there was no significant interaction between cage shape and energy regulation.     

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.     

The nutritive value of barley,maize, oats and wheat for poultry

The crude compositions of samples of barley, maize, oats and wheat are given together with a more detailed analysis of the protein and carbohydrate fractions. The nutritional potential of these samples to the laying hen has been investigated using colostomised birds. By regression analysis of absorption on intake, the true digestibility of the crude protein was calculated to be 83.6, 82.2, 85.0 and 847%, that of the crude fat 92.5, 94.9, 95.0 and 92.5% and that of the carbohydrate 73.0, 87.2, 52.1 and 81.1% for barley, maize, oats and wheat respectively. The true digestibility coefficients of some amino acids are also given. The classical meta‐bolisable energy values of the barley, maize, oat and wheat samples studied were found to be 11.12, 13.21, 11.05 and 12.18 MJ/kg (2.66, 3.16, 2.64 and 2.91 kcal/g) respectively. It is concluded that there is scope for improving the digestibility of the protein in all the cereals studied and that digestibility of the non‐starch carbohydrate fraction is very low.     

Available amino acid content and microbiological condition of dried poultry manure

1. Excreta from laying hens, collected at daily or weekly intervals, was dried in a commercial oil‐fired drier. Samples were analysed at monthly intervals over an 18‐month period.

2. Leaving the excreta for 1 week resulted in a decrease in nitrogen content from 59.5 g/kg to 54.1 g/kg (P< 0.05) and in the moisture content from 108.5 g/kg to 83.3 g/kg (P<0.05).

3. The mean values of available methionine, tryptophan and leucine were little affected by storage and were 0.340, 0.555 and 1.041 g/16 g N, respectively.

4. Salmonellae were not detected in any sample, coliform bacteria were detected in nine (26%) and anaerobic spore formers in 26 samples (76%).     

The fate of recycled urate in hens fed on a diet containing dried poultry manure.

1. Seven colostomised hens were fed on a control diet free of dried poultry manure (DPM) or one including 20% DPM. 2. Urate excretion was greater during DPM feeding by approximately the amount consumed: little urate was present in faeces. 3. Doses of 10-6 muCi of 14C-urate introduced into the crop were quantitatively excreted in the urine within 24 h. 4. The results show that none of the urate present in DPM is utilised by the laying hen.     

Reducing gaseous nitrogen loss from stored laying hen manure by the addition of carbohydrates

Three separate experiments were conducted to determine if the addition of carbohydrate sources directly to freshly-produced laying hen manure reduced the loss of gaseous nitrogen containing compounds during 7 d of storage. The addition of sucrose (8 g/kg) to the manure resulted in a greater increase in bacterial numbers, a greater loss of carbon and a trend for a reduced loss of nitrogen. Although glucose addition to the manure increased bacterial numbers and tended to increase carbon loss, nitrogen loss increased relative to the control. Addition of straw to the manure did not affect the change in bacterial numbers or rate of nitrogen loss compared to the control treatment. Experiment 2 indicated that, when either sucrose or maltose were mixed (8 g/kg) with laying hen manure, microbial numbers were increased and gaseous nitrogen losses were reduced. A combination of starch plus alpha-amylase did not affect the characteristics of the manure. Experiment 3 showed that increasing sucrose addition gave a non-linear reduction in nitrogen loss. Minimum nitrogen loss was obtained with 35 g/kg sucrose, though the maximum increase in bacterial numbers occurred at 20 g/kg of added sucrose.     

Fermentation of poultry manure for poultry diets

1. The fermentation of poultry manure in an attempt to increase its value for poultry diets was studied.

2. Microbial strains for the efficient elimination of uric acid were isolated.

3. Suitable, cheap carbon sources (methanol, glycerol, glucose) were tested in attempts to increase cell yield.

4. These criteria were used to study the 41 bacterial and 8 yeast strains which were the most prolific on slants and which were isolated from experiments with a shaker. A strain was selected for experimentation with a fermentor.

5. Fermentor experiments were done on a laboratory scale (101) and in a non‐sterile semicontinuous system (150 1), cell mass production being similar in both systems.     

The nutritive value of field beans (Vicia faba L.) for laying hens 1

In experiments carried out in three successive years an assessment has been made of the feeding value of field beans (Vicia faba L.) as a protein supplement in laying rations. When 15% beans were fed in a cereal‐based diet without methionine fortification, egg production was depressed significantly below that attainable with a diet containing fish meal as a protein supplement. When 0.1 % DL‐methionine was added to the diet, production was raised significantly to a level which in most cases was not significantly different from that supported by the fish meal diet. Whether or not methionine was added to the diets, the inclusion of bean meal at levels of 25 to 33% gave rise to lower egg production than did a level of 15%. Culling losses during the experiments tended to be higher on the bean diets.

It is concluded that field beans supplemented with methionine can be a useful source of dietary protein for laying hens but the rate of inclusion should not exceed 15% until more is known of factors which cause lowered production at higher levels.     

The nutritional value of algae for poultry. dried chlorella in broiler diets 1

1. The nutritional value of a sample of algae meal, mainly Chlorella, was assessed in two chick and two broiler trials. The algae were drum‐dried after harvesting from sewage ponds by centrifugation.

2. Diets formulated by linear programming contained between 60 and 150 g algae meal/kg by substituting algae meal and sorghum for fish meal, soyabean meal and maize in a control diet.

3. The effects of the dietary algae meal ranged from nil to a significant depression of growth rate and food utilisation. In certain cases growth retardation was associated with depressed food consumption.

4. The metabolisable energy concentration of the algae meal was estimated to be 11–62 MJ/kg and the nitrogen absorption coefficient 0.81.     

The metabolism of labelled progesterone in the laying hen

Eight hours after administering 4–14C‐progesterone to laying hens four radioactive metabolites could be detected in the droppings. Excretion of labelled steroid products was still continuing 192 h after the injection. In blood a relatively high level of labelled progesterone was found 8 to 24 h after application. The last traces disappeared from blood after 72 h. Compared with mammals the hen metabolises progesterone at a slower rate.

Certain tissues were also examined 24 h after treatment. The adrenals showed a high level of labelled progesterone metabolites. The liver contained similar steroids as were found in the droppings. In the ovary, pituitary and skeletal muscle low or trace amounts of radioactive steroids were detected.     

Effect of moisture content and ambient temperature on the gaseous nitrogen loss from stored laying hen manure

1. The objectives of this study were to compare the effect of 4 storage temperatures (15.3, 18.5, 21.9 and 25.4 degrees C) and three moisture contents of laying hen manure (722, 752 and 796 g/kg) on the rate of nitrogen loss and manure decomposition characteristics over a 10-d storage. 2. The rate of loss of dry matter, nitrogen and water increased linearly with increased ambient storage temperature. The initial moisture content had a non-linear effect on the rate of loss nitrogen and moisture. The greatest rate of loss of nitrogen and lowest loss of water occurred in the intermediate manure moisture treatment. 3. There was a temperature x manure moisture interaction with a large increase in the rate of nitrogen loss of the intermediate manure moisture samples when they were stored at the highest temperature. 4. This experiment quantified the marked effect that relatively small changes in manure moisture and storage temperature can have on gaseous nitrogen losses.