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PubMed1998

A broiler chick bioassay for measuring the feeding value of wheat and barley in complete diets.

Energy is an important component of poultry feed and is derived principally from cereal grains. Unfortunately, all of the chemical energy is not available to the bird, and biological assays must be used to determine the digestible energy value of a cereal grain. The bioassay described uses four pens of six male broiler chicks, complete diets containing 80% of a test cereal grain (with or without an appropriate commercial enzyme), and ad libitum feed intake. Apparent metabolizable energy values (kilocalories per kilogram of cereal grain, DM basis) values are calculated from gross energy and acid insoluble ash measurements of diet and excreta collected for 24 h at 16 d of age. To monitor variation between broiler chick assays, due to bird, environment, etc., common control samples of Hard Red Spring (HRS) and Canadian Prairie Spring (CPS) wheat were tested in each of 15 separate assays over 2 yr. Similarly, for barley, control samples of hulled and hulless barley were repeatedly tested in five assays. Broiler performance in this study was lower than expected for commercial broilers, in part due to a high dietary cereal grain component and the fine mash texture. However, AME values as determined were comparable to those reported in the literature for wheat and barley. The CV for AME measured among pens, representing the intra-assay CV, was between 1.2 and 3.4% and was lower with enzyme supplementation. The interassay CV was only slightly higher than the intra-assay CV. This assay provides precise estimations of ME in cereal grains fed to young broilers that can be used for diet formulation or for verification of laboratory measures of feeding value of cereal grains.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of transgenic event 176 "Bt" corn in broiler chickens.

A 38-d feeding study evaluated whether standard broiler diets prepared with transgenic Event 176-derived "Bt" corn (maize) grain had any adverse effects on male or female broiler chickens as compared to diets prepared with nontransgenic (isogenic) control corn grain. No statistically significant differences in survival or BW were observed between birds reared on mash or pelleted diets prepared with transgenic corn and similar diets prepared using control corn. Broilers raised on diets prepared from the transgenic corn exhibited significantly better feed conversion ratios and improved yield of the Pectoralis minor breast muscle. Although it is not clear whether this enhanced performance was attributable to the transgenic corn per se, or due to possible slight differences in overall composition of the formulated diets, it was clear that the transgenic corn had no deleterious effects in this study.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1998

Soybeans transformed with a fungal phytase gene improve phosphorus availability for broilers.

Male broilers (n = 416) were used to compare the efficacy of providing dietary phytase either as a commercial supplement or as a recombinant protein in transformed soybean. From 7 to 21 d of age, broilers were fed a basal diet containing 0.20% nonphytate P (nP) with additional supplementation by fungal phytase as Natuphos or as raw transformed soybeans expressing recombinant phytase at 400, 800, or 1,200 U/kg. For comparison, broilers were also fed the basal diet containing 0.08, 0.16, or 0.24 added nP. The basal diet was fed as the negative control. Diets were consumed ad libitum as a mash. All excreta were collected from each pen from 18 through 20 d of age, and the birds were killed at 21 d of age. Supplementing the basal diet with nP linearly increased body weight gain, feed efficiency, feed intake, toe ash weight and percentage, and tibia shear force and energy. Phosphorus digestibility decreased linearly as nP level increased, but P excretion increased. Dietary phytase linearly increased growth rate, feed intake, toe ash weight and percentage, tibia shear force and energy, and P digestibility, whereas excretion was decreased. Except for P digestibility, there was no difference in efficacy of responses for performance, bone mineralization, and P excretion between the two sources of phytase. It appears from this study that phytase can improve growth performance of broilers fed low nP diets when provided either as a commercial supplement or in the form of transformed seeds.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed1999

Influence of supplemental phytase on performance of broilers four to six weeks of age.

The influence of dietary phytase on phytate P availability was investigated using Ross x Hubbard male broiler chicks. A randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement of 2 x 3 was used with eight replicates (n = 2,400; 50 chicks per replicate) per treatment. Diets were formulated to contain two levels of nonphytate P (NPP; 0.225 and 0.325%) and three levels of phytase [0, 300, and 600 phytase units (FTU)/kg] with 0.75% Ca. An additional diet with 0.425% NPP and 0.85% Ca was used as a positive control (n = 400). Prior to assigning treatments, all chicks were fed a commercial starter mash adequate in all nutrients until 3 wk of age. Neither performance nor bone strength was significantly influenced by a reduction of NPP to 0.325% and Ca to 0.75% as compared to the positive control. However, when NPP was reduced to 0.225% and Ca to 0.75%, significant negative impacts on body weight, feed consumption, feed efficiency, and bone strength were observed. Phytase significantly increased BW at the lower NPP level but not at the higher NPP level. A significant NPP by phytase interaction occurred in bone criteria and livability. Phytase (300 FTU/kg) had greater influence on bone mineral content, bone density, bone breaking strength, and livability in broilers fed 0.225% NPP than in broilers fed 0.325% NPP. This study indicates that supplementing phytase in grower diets containing reduced levels of NPP and Ca significantly improved performance and bone strength of broilers. In diets containing marginal to deficient levels of either NPP or Ca or both, the addition of microbial phytase at 300 to 600 FTU/kg feed prevents P deficiency symptoms. Increasing phytase levels from 300 to 600 FTU/kg feed provided no additional benefit.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed2000

Effects of luminal nutrient absorption, intraluminal physical stimulation, and intravenous parenteral alimentation on the recovery responses of duodenal villus morphology following feed withdrawal in chickens.

The aim of this study was to clarify which of the following three factors induces villus morphological recovery best: enteral nutrient absorption, intraluminal physical stimulation, or intravenous parenteral alimentation. At 142 d, male White Leghorn chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were divided into eight groups of five birds each as follows: 1) access given ad libitum to a commercial layer mash diet (CP, 17.5%; ME, 2,830 kcal/kg) (control), 2) 5-d feed withdrawal (feed withdrawal), 3) 3-d feed withdrawal (3-FW), followed by refeeding the same diet as the control for 2 d (refeeding), 4) 3-FW followed by force-feeding enteral hyperalimentation (enteral), 5) 3-FW followed by force-feeding an indigestible (nonabsorbable) substance (kaolin), 6) 3-FW followed by force-feeding water for 2 d (force-fed control), 7) 3-FW followed by parenteral hyperalimentation (parenteral), and 8) 3-FW followed by no alimentation (sham control) for 2 d. In the refeeding and enteral groups, BW significantly recovered (P < 0.05), and in the parenteral group, BW tended to increase, suggesting that nutrients were enterally and parenterally absorbed, respectively. The BW in the remaining three groups showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05), indicating that kaolin could not be absorbed enterally. Compared with the feed withdrawal group, villus height, cell mitosis, and villus tip surface morphology of refeeding and enteral groups exhibited rapid villus morphological recovery. Villus morphological recovery of the enteral group appears to have been caused by enteral nutrient absorption. However, villus morphology in the kaolin treatment was not different from that in the feed withdrawal group, which suggests that intraluminal physical stimulation had no effect on villus morphological recovery. On the other hand, the parenteral group showed no effect on villus morphological recovery, which suggests that the parenteral nutrient supplied to the villi via the blood could not induce villus morphological recovery; the intestinal mucosal atrophy might have been caused by the absence of enteral nutrients, and would only be stimulated by enteral nutrient absorption. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that villus morphology is governed neither by intraluminal physical stimulation nor by parenteral alimentation, but by enteral nutrient absorption.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Recovery responses of chick intestinal villus morphology to different refeeding procedures.

Recovery responses of intestinal villus height and fine structure on the villus apical surface to different refeeding procedures were compared at refeeding 3 or 24 h after 3-d of feed withdrawal from chicks. After 3-d of fasting, 45-d-old male White Leghorn chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) were refed rice bran (RB) (CP, 14.8%; ME, 3,170 kcal/kg), conventional grower mash diet (CG) (CP, 18.2%; ME, 2,853 kcal/kg), or ground CG (GG). During the experimental period, birds were given access to diets and water ad libitum. After the end of each experimental period, the duodenum was fixed and examined by light and scanning electron microscopy for morphological changes in the villi. Duodenal villus heights of chicks fasted for 3 d were significantly decreased compared with control chicks fed ad libitum. Villus heights were significantly increased after a 3-h refeeding, and the villi of the GG-refed group were significantly higher than RB and CG. When compared with villus heights at the 3-h refeeding, the RB-refed group showed no changes after a 24-h refeeding, but the CG and GG groups had significantly increased villi heights. Villi heights in GG groups were significantly higher than in the CG groups. Dietary effects on cell area and cell mitosis numbers were similar to those observed for villus height. The surface of the duodenal villi apices of control birds fed ad libitum revealed a clear cell outline, cell protuberances, and cell extrusion into the lumen. After 3-d fasting, cell outlines became faint, and protuberances and extrusion of cells disappeared. After refeeding for 3 h, clear cell outlines were again apparent in all groups. In GG-refed chicks, larger cell outlines and protuberated cells were found as conspicuous morphological features. Similar observations were made at the 24-h refeeding. These morphological findings suggest that chickens that were on feed withdrawal benefit from ad libitum refeeding of a powdered diet that is nutritionally complete for rapid recovery of digestive function.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The effects of dietary humate supplementation on broiler growth and carcass yield.

The growth-promoting effect of Farmagülatör DRY Humate (FH) on live performance, carcass weight, and the abdominal fat pad of broilers was studied during different feeding periods. Four hundred, 1-d-old straight-run birds were randomly distributed to 20 floor pens of an environmentally controlled house. Four dietary regimens were replicated in five pens, each containing 20 chicks, as follows: 1) birds received no added FH in the starter or grower (NAFH), 2) birds received FH from 0 to 21 d (FH0-21), 3) birds received FH from 22 to 42 d (FH22-42), 4) birds received FH from 0 to 42 d (FH0-42) in the starter and grower diets, respectively. The FH was added to the diets at 2.5 kg/per ton of feed. Starter and grower diets were formulated to meet the minimum NRC requirements for broilers and were provided as a mash feed. Body weights at 21 d were not affected by the dietary regimens. At 42 d, body weights and feed conversions of broilers were significantly affected by the dietary humate treatments. Birds fed FH22-42 weighed more than the NAFH, whereas the FH0-21 and FH0-42 were intermediate and not different from the other treatments. Feed:gain was lower for the FH22-42 and FH0-42 treatments compared to the NAFH. There was no difference in carcass yield or abdominal fat pad percentages due to feeding FH. Feeding FH during the grower period had the most beneficial effect in terms of growth and feed conversion on broiler performance.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2003

Growth, livability, and feed conversion of 1957 versus 2001 broilers when fed representative 1957 and 2001 broiler diets.

Body weight, feed consumption, and mortality were measured in the 1957 Athens-Canadian Randombred Control (ACRBC) strain and in the 2001 Ross 308 strain of broilers when fed representative 1957 and 2001 diets. The dietary regimens were chosen to be representative of those used in the industry in 1957 vs. 2001. The 1957 diets were fed as mash, the 2001 starter was as crumbles, and the grower and finisher diets were pellets. Feed consumption and BW were recorded at 21, 42, 56, 70, and 84 d of age to cover the two broiler strains normal span of marketing ages. Mortality was low, and the mortality of the ACRBC was approximately half that of the modem strain. Average BW for the ACRBC on the 1957 diets were 176, 539,809, 1,117, and 1,430 g vs. 743, 2,672, 3,946, 4,808, and 5,520 g for the Ross 308 on the 2001 diets at 21, 42, 56, 70, and 84 d of age, respectively. The 42-d feed conversion (FC) on the 2001 and 1957 feeds for the Ross 308 were 1.62 and 1.92 with average BW of 2,672 and 2,126 g and for the ACRBC were 2.14 and 2.34 with average BW of 578 and 539 g, respectively. The Ross 308 broiler on the 2001 feed was estimated to have reached 1,815 g BW at 32 d of age with a FC of 1.47, whereas the ACRBC on the 1957 feed would not have reached that BW until 101 d of age with a FC of 4.42.

Aging↗
PubMed2003

Dietary electrolyte balance for broiler chickens under moderately high ambient temperatures and relative humidities.

Cobb male broiler chicks (1,000) on new litter were used to evaluate effects of dietary electrolyte balance [DEB; Na+K-Cl, milliequivalents (mEq) per kilogram] under tropical summer conditions. Corn-soybean meal-based mash diets had salt (NaCl) alone or in combination with one or more supplements: sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), or potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3). A completely randomized design, with five starter and grower feed treatments (control: 145, then 130 mEq/kg; or 0, 120, 240, or 360 mEq/kg throughout) and four replicate pens (1.5 x 3.2 m) per treatment (50 chicks per pen), was used. Diets were analyzed for Na, K, and Cl for confirmation. There were no significant (P < 0.05) effects of treatments on mortality or processing parameters. Water intake increased linearly with increasing DEB, giving higher litter moistures and lower rectal temperatures. Blood HCO3 and pH increased with the highest DEB (360 mEq/kg) causing respiratory alkalosis. The DEB of 240 mEg/kg gave best weight gain and feed conversion ratio, and ideal DEB predicted by regression analyses were 186 and 197 mEq/kg from 0 to 21 d of age and 236 and 207 mEq/kg of feed from 0 to 42 d, respectively. These DEB corresponded to estimated (interpolated) values in predicted optimal 186 to 197 mEq/kg starter of Na 0.38 to 0.40% and Cl 0.405 to 0.39% (K = 0.52%), in 207 to 236 mEq/kg starter, Na 0.409 to 0.445% and Cl 0.326 to 0.372% Cl (K = 0.52%), and in grower Na 0.41 to 0.445%, Cl 0.315 to 0.267% (K = 0.47%).

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2003

Dietary electrolyte balance for broiler chickens exposed to thermoneutral or heat-stress environments.

Ross male broiler chicks (n = 480) on new litter were used in a randomized block design with two blocks (environmental rooms) and four treatments having four replicate pens (1.0 x 2.5 m; 15 chicks) each to evaluate dietary electrolyte balance (DEB; P < 0.05). Two rooms were 1) thermoneutral (Weeks 1 through 6, with decreasing maximum from 32 to 25 degrees C and minimum from 28 to 19 degrees C; relative humidity 49 to 58%) and 2) cyclic daily heat stress (Weeks 1 and 2, thermoneutral; Weeks 2 through 6, maximum temperatures 35, 35, 33, and 33 degrees C, respectively; and minimum temperatures 23, 20, 19, and 19 degrees C, respectively; relative humidity 51 to 54%). The DEB treatments (0, 140, 240, or 340 mEq Na + K - Cl/kg) had NaHCO3 plus NH4Cl, or KHCO3, or both added to corn-soybean meal mash basal diets with 0.30% salt (NaCl). In the thermoneutral room, DEB 240 increased 42-d weight gain and 44-d lymphocyte percentage and decreased heterophil percentage and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio compared to the DEB 40 treatment. The DEB 240 diets had 0.35 and 0.35% Na and 0.37% and 0.29% Cl in starter (0.75% K) and grower (0.67% K) diets, respectively. No DEB treatment differences were found in the heat stress room. For combined rooms, 42-d feed intake was higher for DEB 240 than for DEB 40. The 21-d weight gain was higher for DEB 240 than for DEB 40 or 140; and 21-d feed/gain was lower for DEB 40 than for DEB 340. The predicted maximum point of inflection for 21- and 42-d weight gains were DEB 250 and 201, with highest 42-d feed intake at 220.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed2004

The effect of fat type, carbohydrase, and lipase addition on growth performance and nutrient utilization of young broilers fed wheat-based diets.

A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of fat type (beef tallow [50 g/kg diet] or canola oil [50 g/kg of diet]), carbohydrase addition (none or carbohydrases [0.4 g/kg diet]), and lipase addition (none or lipase [0.2 g/kg of diet]) on growth performance and nutrient utilization of male broilers fed a wheat-based diet from 5 to 18 d. The carbohydrase supplement contained xylanase, glucanase, cellulase, and other enzyme activities. The experimental diets were formulated to be suboptimal in major nutrients and each was fed in a mash form to 10 replicate pens of 5 broilers per pen. Body weight gain was not affected by fat type but a poorer feed/gain ratio (P < 0.001) was noted for tallow-containing diets. Regardless of fat type, carbohydrase enzyme supplementation improved (P < 0.001) BW gain and feed/gain ratio. There was no effect of lipase addition on chicken performance and nutrient utilization. When compared with canola oil, tallow-containing diets had a lower (P < 0.001) apparent fat digestibility and consequently a lower dietary AMEn content. Carbohydrase enzyme addition improved (P < 0.001) fat, starch, nitrogen, and nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) digestibilities in the small intestine, improved AMEn, and reduced (P < 0.001) jejunal digesta viscosity in both fat types. Carbohydrase supplementation increased water-soluble (P < 0.001) and decreased water-insoluble (P < 0.001) NSP concentrations in the small intestine. The interaction between fat type and carbohydrase addition was only significant for fat digestibilities, with greater improvements seen for diets containing tallow. Significant interactions between carbohydrase addition and intestinal segment were noted for fat, starch, nitrogen, and NSP digestibilities, with the enzyme effects being greater in the jejunum than the ileum. It is evident from the present study that an appropriate carbohydrase preparation could eliminate the negative effects of soluble NSP on animal fat utilization in a wheat-based broiler diet.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2004

Salmonella in commercially manufactured feeds.

We collected 886 samples (68 feed ingredient samples, 189 dust samples, and 629 feed samples) from 3 feed mills each of which produced between 100,000 and 400,000 tons of feed a year. Samples were collected on 3 d (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), during 2 seasons (early spring and summer), and between 0700 and 1700 h approximately once per hour. Samples were collected from 5 locations within each mill: ingredient receiving, at the mixer, at the pellet mill, from pellet coolers, and at load-out. Temperatures were taken of the samples obtained at the pellet mill immediately following collection. All samples were analyzed for Enterobacteriaceae counts (EC) and Salmonella. The data confirm that feed ingredients and dust can be a major source of Salmonella contamination in feed mills. There were no differences (P < 0.05) in the Salmonella contamination rates of samples collected in spring as compared with samples collected in summer. Salmonella contamination rates were observed to be higher in samples collected on Friday compared with samples collected on Monday or Wednesday, an effect that may be management related. Data collected at the pellet mill clearly illustrate the uneven distribution of Salmonella contamination in feed as well as the need for control of dust around the pellet mill. Feed samples (both mash and pellets) contaminated with Salmonella contained significantly higher EC than samples not contaminated with Salmonella. Thus, EC may provide some indication of the likelihood of Salmonella contamination in feed samples.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2004

Effects of Lactobacilli and an acidophilic fungus on the production performance and immune responses in broiler chickens.

Accumulated lines of evidence indicate that inactivated probiotics could have beneficial effects similar to those of live probiotics. Two strains of disrupted, cobalt-enriched, lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei) and a disrupted fungal mycelium (Scytalidium acidophilum) were spray-mixed onto a mash basal feed, in 2 concentrations, prior to pelleting. The effects of these probiotics on production performance and immune response in broiler chickens were investigated. The production parameters, including BW, feed intake (FI), BW gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), were monitored weekly during a 6-wk trial. The immune response was evaluated by immunizing the birds with the antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) followed by a serological assay to measure blood IgA and IgG titers. Some of the production parameters were significantly improved by low L. casei (LCL; for BW and BWG), high L. acidophilus (LAH; for BW and BWG), and high fungal (FH; for BW, BWG, and FI) in comparison with the nonadditive control (NC-). However, these 3 treatments (LCL, LAH, and FH) did not enhance the measured immune responses. Instead, the titers of serum KLH-specific IgA in high L. casei (LCH) and low L. acidophilus (LAL) were significantly higher than those of NC-, 10 d after immunization. None of the probiotic treatments increased the titer of KLH-specific IgG in blood. Our results indicate that disrupted and cobalt-enriched L. acidophilus or L. casei was able to enhance production performance of broiler chickens. The fungal mycelium, S. acidophilum, when used at a high concentration, also demonstrated its potential for the first time to be used as a probiotic. In addition, the optimal concentration for administering probiotics is strain dependent. A higher dose does not always result in a better performance.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2005

Effect of protein and energy sources and bulk density of diets on growth performance of chicks.

Four completely randomized designed experiments (EXP) were conducted to determine the effect of energy, amino acid (AA) levels, and bulk density of diets on growth performance of chicks fed diets containing corn (C) or cornstarch:dextrose (CD) as energy sources and soybean meal (SBM) or soy protein isolate (SPI) as protein sources. The chicks were fed C-SBM diets 6 to 8 d posthatching before allotment to treatment, and the assay periods ranged from 7 to 14 d. Initial weights were 86, 93, 94, and 71 g in EXP 1 to 4, respectively. Treatments were replicated 6 to 8 times with 4, 5, or 6 chicks per replicate. In EXP 1, the treatments were 1) C-SBM (1.26% Lys and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg); 2) CD-SPI (1.26% Lys and 3,460 kcal of ME/kg); 3) CD-SPI (1.36% Lys and 3,460 kcal of ME/kg); and 4) CD-SPI (1.26% Lys and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg). The AA in all diets were increased in proportion to Lys. In EXP 2, chicks were fed C or CD as the energy source and SBM or SPI as the protein source in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. In EXP 3, the treatments were 1) C-SBM (1.26% Lys and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg); 2) CD-SPI (1.26% Lys and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg); 3) Diet 1 limit-fed to chicks consuming 90% of Diet 2; 4) Diet 2 limit-fed to chicks consuming 90% of Diet 2. In EXP 4, Diets 1 and 2 were the same as Diets 1 and 2 in EXP 3, but fed in mash or pelleted form. In all EXP, chicks with access ad libitum to diets with SPI had decreased (P < 0.02) average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (ADFI) compared with those with access ad libitum to diets with SBM. In EXP 2, feeding C- or CD-dextrose as the energy source had no effect (P > 0.05) on ADG, ADFI, or gain:feed. In EXP 3, ADG was decreased in chicks fed the diets with SPI relative to those fed diets with SBM, but the decrease was much greater in chicks that had access ad libitum to feed (protein source x feed intake, P < 0.01) than in those limit-fed to the same feed intake. In EXP 4, ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed were decreased (P < 0.01) in chicks fed diets with SPI as the protein source. Pelleting increased (P < 0.01) ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed regardless of protein source, but the increase was much greater in chicks fed the diets with SPI (protein source x feed form, P < 0.01). Results from these EXP indicate that diets with SPI compared with SBM do not result in maximum growth performance in commercial broilers, and the problem may be due somewhat to nutrient deficiency but more to the physical form of the diet.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2005

Efficacy of an evolved Escherichia coli phytase in diets of broiler chicks.

An evolved Escherichia coli-derived phytase was evaluated for its efficacy in improving growth performance and nutrient utilization of broiler chicks. One hundred forty-four 7-d-old male broiler chicks were grouped by weight into 6 blocks of 6 cages with 4 birds per cage. Six corn-soybean meal-based mash diets were randomly assigned to cages within each block. The 6 diets were adequate P (7.7 g of P/kg of diet), low P (3.9 g of P/kg of diet), low P diet plus 0.75 or 1.5 g of inorganic P from monosodium phosphate, and low P diet plus the evolved Escherichia coli phytase at 500 or 1,000 units/kg of diet. The chicks were fed the experimental diets from 8 to 22 d of age. The evolved Escherichia coli phytase improved weight gain (P < 0.05), feed intake (P < 0.01), percentage tibia ash (P < 0.01), and retention of P (P < 0.001), Ca (P < 0.01), N (P < 0.05), and a number of amino acids (P < 0.05). The evolved Escherichia coli phytase was, therefore, efficacious in improving broiler growth performance, bone characteristics, and retention of P, Ca, N, and a number of amino acids.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed2005

Feed allowance-genotype interactions in broiler breeder hens.

Ad libitum feeding reduces livability and reproductive fitness in broiler breeder hens. Two genotypes, a standard (S) and an experimental dwarf broiler breeder (E), were fed ad libitum (SA and EA, respectively), restricted at 55% of ad libitum feed intake (intermediate restriction) from 6 to 15 wk of age (SI and EI, respectively), or restricted (SR and ER, respectively) to match a standard growth curve with a diluted mash feed (2,400 kcal/kg). The experiment was repeated at 2 locations (experiment 1 = 672 hens in pens from 0 to 40 wk; experiment 2 = 420 hens in pens and cages from 0 to 53 wk). Feed restriction reduced adult BW by 20% compared with ad libitum feeding, delayed sexual maturity by 2 to 4 wk, and improved livability. Hens fed the intermediate diet immediately compensated after 15 wk of age to reach BW, sexual maturity, and livability close to those of ad libitum-fed hens. The E genotype exhibited better tolerance to ad libitum feeding than the S genotype in all measured aspects. Average laying rate during the first 24 wk of lay was 66.4, 77.4, 69.9, 47.2, 57.9, and 72.4% for EA, EI, ER, SA, SI, and SR respectively in experiment 2. Egg abnormalities (double yolk, shell problems) decreased after the peak of lay but remained consistently higher for S compared with E, and for ad libitum and intermediate diets compared with the restricted diet. Yolk deposition rate was measured by a double dye technique. Duration of yolk rapid growth was 8.8 d in E and 9.3 d in S hens (P < 0.001), but this difference did not explain the observed variations in laying rate. The potential to increase feed allowances even with a diluted diet in broiler breeder hens requires adapted genotypes.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Effect of dietary phosphorus and phytase levels on the reproductive performance of large white turkey breeder hens.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary P levels and dietary phytase enzyme (E) inclusion on Large White turkey breeder hen reproductive performance from 31 to 62 wk of age. Hens were placed in a curtain-sided house with 48 pens (10 birds per pen; 8 pens per treatment) at 31 wk and were fed a breeder ration with treatments as follows: HP, dietary available P = 0.55%; HPE, HP + E; MP, dietary available P = 0.35%; MPE, MP + E; LP, dietary available P = 0.17%; and LPE, LP + E. Feed and water were available ad libitum for 28 wk of lay. Diets were fed in mash form, and all other nutrients were formulated to meet or exceed NRC requirements. All hens were photostimulated in January (31 wk) with 15.5 h of light daily. Production data were recorded on a pen basis. Individual bird BW and feed consumption, by pen, were determined at monthly intervals from 31 to 62 wk. Hens were observed for weekly reproductive performance for hen housed egg production, hen-day egg production, settable eggs, cumulative settable eggs, hens out of lay, and hen mortality and for biweekly performance for egg fertility, hatchability of all eggs, hatchability of fertile eggs, egg weight loss, conductance, conductance constant (k), and embryonic mortality. Egg weight, eggshell thickness, egg components, and albumen and yolk P were measured monthly. At 62 wk of age, hen tibia P, plasma P, total fecal P, and water-soluble fecal P were determined. Decreasing dietary P resulted in no decreases in reproductive performance for turkey breeder hens to 62 wk. Additionally, decreased dietary P resulted in decreased total fecal P and water-soluble fecal P. Feeding turkey breeder hens dietary phytase enzyme resulted in significantly fewer hens going out of lay; however, this was not reflected in hen housed egg production. It was concluded that phosphorus could be lowered in turkey breeder hen diets, compared with current surveyed industry levels, without impairing reproductive performance.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed2005

Nutritive values of corn, soybean meal, canola meal, and peas for broiler chickens as affected by a multicarbohydrase preparation of cell wall degrading enzymes.

The effect of a new multicarbohydrase supplement of cell wall degrading activities on the nutritive value of corn, soybean meal (SBM), canola meal (CM), and peas for broiler chickens was investigated. Four isoenergetic and isonitrogenous corn (69% corn), SBM (30% SBM, 59% corn), CM (30% CM, 54% corn), and pea (30% peas, 52% corn) diets, without or with enzyme supplementation, were formulated to meet NRC specifications for broiler chickens (except for AME and CP, which were at 95 and 92% of NRC requirements, respectively). The enzyme supplement supplied 1,000 U of xylanase, 400 U of glucanase, 1,000 U of pectinase, 120 U of cellulase, 280 U of mannanase, and 180 U of galactanase per kilogram of diet. Each diet was fed in a mash form to 9 replicate pens of 5 broilers from 5 to 18 d. When compared with the control treatment, enzyme addition to the corn diet improved (P < 0.05) feed-to-gain ratio, whereas the performance of birds fed the other 3 diets was not affected. An increase (P < 0.05) in total tract nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP) digestibility, ileal starch digestibility, and AMEn was observed in birds fed the enzyme-supplemented corn diet. An improvement (P < 0.05) in total tract NSP digestibility, ileal protein digestibility, and AMEn content with enzyme supplementation was observed for the SBM diet. However, nutrient digestibilities and AMEn of CM and pea diets were not affected (P > 0.05) by enzyme addition even though the NSP digestibilities increased significantly (P < 0.05). A significant increase (P < 0.05) in water-soluble NSP and a decrease (P < 0.05) in water-insoluble NSP concentration of ileal digesta was noted for birds fed all 4 enzyme-supplemented diets. It would appear from this study that the nutrient utilization of corn-SBM diet by broilers could be enhanced by using an appropriate multicarbohydrase enzyme supplement. The nutrient encapsulating effect of cell wall polysaccharides in SBM, CM, and peas may not be the only factor responsible for incomplete nutrient utilization. The improvement in feed efficiency and starch availability in birds fed corn diet likely resulted from the cell wall degrading activity of the enzyme supplement.

Animal Feed↗