Effects of dietary electrolyte balance and addition of electrolyte–betaine supplements in feed or water on performance,acid–base balance and water retention in heat-stressed broilers

1. The effects of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) and electrolyte–betaine (El-Be) supplements on heat-stressed broiler performance, acid–base balance and water retention were evaluated during the period 31–40 d of age in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments.

2. A total of 240 broilers were assigned to 6 treatment groups each with 8 replicates of 5 birds per cage and were exposed to cyclic high temperature (32 – 24 ± 1°C). Birds were provided with diets having DEB of either 180 or 220 mEq/kg. El-Be supplements were either added to the diet, water or not added to either of them to complete the array of 6 treatment groups.

3. An additional 80 birds were kept at thermoneutral temperature (20 ± 1°C) and were provided with tap water and diets with DEB of either 180 or 220 mEq/kg to serve as negative controls.

4. Exposure to high temperature depressed growth performance, increased rectal temperature and decreased potassium (K⁺) retention. In high-temperature room, birds fed on diets with DEB of 220 mEq/kg tended to increase BW from 35–40 d of age. However, at thermoneutral temperature, broilers fed on diets with DEB of 220 mEq/kg increased K⁺ retention.

5. Adding El-Be supplements in feed or water improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), enhanced water consumption and increased K⁺ and sodium (Na⁺) retention.

6. Interactions between DEB and El-Be supplements tended to affect body weight gain and FCR during the periods 35–40 and 31–40 d of age, respectively. It is suggested that when using a diet with DEB of 180 mEq/kg, adding the El-Be supplements in drinking water was more beneficial than in feed. Adding the supplements in feed or water was equally useful when using DEB of 220 mEq/kg.

     

Valine requirements for immune and growth responses in broilers from 3 to 6 weeks of age

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate valine (Val) requirements in Ross 508 broilers from 3 to 6 weeks of age. Common diets were fed to broilers until 3 weeks of age. Growth and carcass measurements were taken in all experiments. Immune responsiveness measurements were taken in Experiments 1 and 2. Birds given 7.2 g Val/kg of diet in Experiment 1 had more abdominal fat than birds given 8.2 g Val/kg of diet, but there were no differences in growth or other carcass measurements. Because growth performance was not reduced in birds given 7.2 g Val/kg of diet, Val concentration was reduced to 6.4 g Val/kg of diet in Experiments 2 and 3. Increasing Val from 6.4 to 8.7 g Val/kg of diet resulted in linear increases for BW gain, feed efficiency and Val intake in male birds, and Val intake in female birds. Quadratic responses to increasing dietary Val were not observed in any experiment. There were no effects of Val on innate or adaptive immunity. A nonessential amino acid mixture containing the same nitrogen content as the L-Val additions in Experiment 4 was added and tends to support the idea that the responses to Val were specific and not due to increases in total nitrogen. Dose responses to Val resulted in male, but not female, birds given 7.3 g Val/kg of diet having improved BW gain and feed efficiency compared with birds receiving 6.4 g Val/kg of diet.     

Effect of dietary cation-anion difference on urinary pH, feedlot performance, nitrogen mass balance, and manure pH in open feedlot pens

Six experiments were conducted to evaluate dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) in concentrate diets on urinary pH, feedlot performance, and N mass balance. In Exp. 1, 15 wether lambs (33.5 ± 3.0 kg) in five 3 × 3 Latin squares were fed a basal diet of 82.5% dry-rolled corn (DRC), 7.5% alfalfa hay, 5% molasses, and 5% supplement with different proportions of anionic and cationic salts. The DCAD was -45, -24, -16, -8, 0, +8, +16, +24, +32, and +40 mEq per 100 g of DM with the control basal diet (DCAD = +8) included in each square. Urinary pH increased (cubic, P < 0.01) as DCAD increased and DMI increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing DCAD. In Exp. 2 and 3, 8 Holstein steers (312 ± 24 kg) were used in 2 consecutive 4 × 4 Latin squares. Steers were fed either the same basal diet as Exp. 1 or a basal diet with 20% wet distillers grains (WDGS) replacing DRC. In Exp. 2, DCAD was adjusted to -2, -12, and -22 mEq per 100 g of DM from the basal diet (DCAD = +8) and DCAD was adjusted in Exp. 3 to -12, -22, and -32 mEq per 100 g of DM from the basal WDGS diet (DCAD = -2). Urinary pH decreased linearly as DCAD decreased (P < 0.01) in both experiments, whereas DMI decreased linearly in Exp. 2 (P = 0.02) but not Exp. 3 (P = 0.96). In Exp. 4, 6 crossbred steers (373 ± 37 kg) were used in a 2-period crossover design. Steers were fed the same basal diet as Exp. 3 with DCAD of -16 (NEG) and +20 (POS) mEq per 100 g of DM. Urinary pH and DMI (P < 0.05) were less for cattle fed the NEG diet compared with POS. In 2 experiments, steers (n = 96 each) were fed NEG or POS as calves (260 ± 22 kg of BW) for 196 d from November to May (Exp. 5) or as yearlings (339 ± 32 kg of BW) for 145 d from June to October (Exp. 6). Final BW, DMI, ADG, and HCW were not different (P > 0.11) among treatments in either experiment. Efficiency of BW gain was increased (P = 0.05) for steers fed NEG compared with POS in Exp. 5 but was not different (P = 0.11) in Exp. 6. Amount of N intake, retention, excretion, and manure N (kg/steer) were not different (P > 0.11) among treatments in either experiment. Manure pH (soil, feces, and urine) was decreased (P < 0.01) in pens fed NEG compared with POS in both experiments. Amount of N lost (kg/steer) was not different (P = 0.44) in Exp. 5, but tended (P = 0.09) to be 10.6% greater for POS compared with NEG in Exp. 6. Urinary pH was decreased by reducing DCAD, but this had minimal effect on N losses in open feedlot pens in these experiments.     

Effect of ibuprofen on coccidiosis in broiler chickens

Ibuprofen (IBU)-a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-inhibits the biosynthesis of prostaglandins with pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties and is therefore proposed as a candidate molecule for the treatment of coccidiosis in broiler chickens. In all experiments, IBU was administered via drinking water. In a first experiment, chickens were infected at 10 or 21 days of age with oocysts of Eimeria acervulina (5 X 10(4)), Eimeria maxima (3 X 10(4)), and Eimeria tenella (7.5 X 10(3)) and medicated with IBU at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight (BW). In a second experiment, chickens were infected at 6 days of age with 10(4) oocysts of E. acervulina and medicated with IBU at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW. In the third experiment, an inoculum consisting of 5 x 10(4) or 10(5) E. acervulina oocysts was administered at 6 days of age to chickens medicated with IBU at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW. In a fourth experiment, the effect of IBU on sporulation and infectivity of E. acervulina oocysts was studied. Coccidial lesion scores (CLSs), oocyst shedding, and weight gain were used as evaluation parameters in all experiments except the fourth, where weight gain was not taken into account. In addition, the sporulation percentage was determined in the last experiment. No influence of IBU on the indicated parameters was observed after providing the drug at a dose of 15 mg/kg BW, whereas CLSs and oocyst shedding were reduced when IBU was provided at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW. However, IBU did not significantly show any effect on the degree of sporulation and infectivity of E. acervulina oocysts at a dose of 100 mg/kg BW.     

Evaluation of a strategic deworming program in dairy heifers in Quebec based on the use of moxidectin, an endectocide with a long persistency

Two different deworming strategies based on the use of moxidectin, a broad spectrum endectocide with persistency against Ostertagia ostertagi, were evaluated in grazing dairy heifers. Eighty-four heifers unexposed to parasitic infection were randomly allocated to 3 different groups: untreated (Group 1), treated at 3 and 10 weeks after turnout with 0.5 mg/kg/body weight (BW) of topical moxidectin (Group 2), or treated at turnout and 10 weeks later with 0.5 mg/kg/BW of topical moxidectin (Group 3). The heifers were turned out on June 6 (Day 0) to a naturally contaminated pasture divided into 3 sections by an electrical fence. Each group of heifers was put on a different section of pasture. The trial ended when they were housed on October 29 (Day 143). The results of this experiment confirmed the beneficial effect of 2 strategic treatments with moxidectin pour-on under field conditions in Quebec. The parasitological parameters showed a statistical difference in terms of mean fecal egg counts between treated and control groups (ANOVA, P < or = 0.006). After turnout, pasture larval counts were consistently higher for Group 1 compared with counts for Group 2 or 3. All heifer groups gained weight during the trial period, but the weight gain profile of both treated groups was significantly higher than that of the untreated controls (ANOVA, P < 0.03). During the trial period, Group 2 and Group 3 gained 77.7 kg BW and 73.2 kg BW, respectively, while Group 1 gained only 57.9 kg BW, despite the fact that heifers of Group 1 received a greater quantity of supplementary feed while on pasture.     

Effect of sodium bicarbonate infusion on serum osmolality, electrolyte concentrations, and blood gas tensions in cats.

The effects of single IV injections of sodium bicarbonate (0.5 mEq/kg of body weight, 1 mEq/kg, 2 mEq/kg, and 4 mEq/kg) on serum osmolality, serum sodium, chloride, and potassium concentrations, and venous blood gas tensions in 6 healthy cats were monitored for 180 minutes. Serum osmolality increased and remained significantly (P less than 0.05) increased for 120 minutes in cats given 4 mEq of sodium bicarbonate/kg. Serum sodium was increased significantly (P less than 0.05) for 30 minutes in cats given 4 mEq of sodium bicarbonate/kg. Serum sodium decreased and remained significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased for 120 minutes in cats given 1 g of 20% mannitol/kg, and serum osmolality was significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased at 30 and 60 minutes. Serum chloride decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) for 10 minutes in cats given 1 mEq of sodium bicarbonate/kg, and was significantly decreased for 30 minutes in cats given 2 mEq and 4 mEq of sodium bicarbonate/kg. Serum chloride decreased and remained significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased for 30 minutes in cats given 1 g of 20% mannitol/kg. Serum sodium and serum osmolality did not change significantly (P less than 0.05) in cats given 4 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride/kg. Serum potassium decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) for 10 minutes in cats given 1 mEq of sodium bicarbonate/kg, and for 120 minutes in cats given 2 mEq/kg or 4 mEq/kg. There was a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater decrease in serum potassium that lasted for 30 minutes after given sodium bicarbonate at the dosage of 4 mEq/kg, compared with other dosages given.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Effect of the level of cholecalciferol supplementation of broiler diets on the performance and tibial dyschondroplasia

A study was conducted to evaluate four different cholecalciferol levels (NRC; modified), using diets supplemented with 200 (control), 1500, 2500 or 3500 IU/kg of cholecalciferol (VIT‐D3). Each treatment was assigned to 3 pens of 17 broiler chicks of a commercial strain grown in an open‐sided house with sidewall curtains. At 21and 42 days, BW and feed conversion (FCR) were determined. At 42 days, five birds per pen were slaughtered to evaluate tibia and toe ash of the right leg, and incidence and severity of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) of the left tibia and also measured dressing percentage and breast meat yield. Serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations were also determined. Haemagglutination inhibition antibody titre against Newcastle disease virus and lymphoid organs weight/body weight ratio were also determined. At both 21 and 42 days, the BW of birds fed 1500 IU/kg to 3500 IU/kg of VIT‐D3 was significantly greater than birds fed 200 IU/kg. Similarly, better FCR was observed in birds those fed diets of high level of VIT‐D3. No significant difference was observed for mortality at any age. Better dressing percentage and breast meat yield were noted in birds fed diets containing 2500 or 3500 IU/kg VIT‐D3. Both tibia and toe ash contents were increased (p < 0.05) progressively with increased concentrations of cholecalciferol in feed. The incidence of TD (percentage of birds having TD scores greater than zero) was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by level of 3500 IU VIT‐D3/kg at 42 days. The severity of TD in birds fed diets containing 200 IU/kg VIT‐D3 was apparently higher than birds fed diets with higher levels of VIT‐D3. Concentrations of calcium and phosphorus minerals in the serum increased progressively with the high level of VIT‐D3 supplementation to birds at both 21 and 42 days of age. Feeding levels of 1500 or 3500 IU of vitamin D3 did positively affect the immune system within the parameters measured. It may be concluded that performance, bone mineralization, blood chemistry and immunity against disease in broilers could be maintained when supplementing high level of VIT‐D3 incorporated in broiler diets.     

Relationships of Body Weight,Feathering, and Footpad Condition with Reproductive and Carcass Morphology of End-of-Season Commercial Broiler Breeder Hens

Reproductive efficiency of broiler breeder hens declines with age. Whereas careful feed management can maximize BW uniformity at housing, there is variability in how rate of lay and flock behavioral dynamics will interact with subsequent growth during the breeder phase. This study characterized differences in carcass and reproductive morphology in end-of-cycle commercial broiler breeder hens based on BW, feather coverage, and footpad condition, and we discuss the potential implications of the findings. At 62 wk of age, 537 hens were studied from an original flock of 3,800. Birds were sorted into subgroups based on BW, feather score, footpad score, and whether they were in laying condition when dissected. The average flock BW was 3.56 kg, with means of 2.86, 3.56, and 4.20 kg for the low (LOW), standard (STD), and high (HIGH) BW groups, respectively. A higher proportion of birds from the STD (85%) and HIGH (81%) groups still had a fully formed reproductive tract compared with birds of the LOW (59%) group. The LOW birds in laying condition had a smaller ovary than the STD or HIGH birds. The ovary condition of birds in laying condition was not related to feather coverage. As feather coverage improved, final hen BW increased, demonstrating a potential role of feather coverage in growth efficiency or of BW in level of mating activity. Birds that received a feather score of 5 (complete back feather coverage) and had a normal reproductive tract made up 14.7% of this flock. It is likely that many of these birds were mating very infrequently or possibly not mating, which has implications for maintenance of flock fertility. Some may also have been returning from a molt. Footpad condition was not related to body size. External traits such as BW, feather score, and footpad score can provide insight into flock reproductive condition and male:female interaction.     

Epidural analgesia with morphine or buprenorphine in ponies with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced carpal synovitis

This study evaluated the analgesia effects of the epidural administration of 0.1 mg/kg bodyweight (BW) of morphine or 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine in ponies with radiocarpal joint synovitis. Six ponies were submitted to 3 epidural treatments: the control group (C) received 0.15 mL/kg BW of a 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution; group M was administered 0.1 mg/kg BW of morphine; and group B was administered 5 μg/kg BW of buprenorphine, both diluted in 0.9% NaCl to a total volume of 0.15 mL/kg BW administered epidurally at 10 s/mL. The synovitis model was induced by injecting 0.5 ng of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the left or right radiocarpal joint. An epidural catheter was later introduced in the lumbosacral space and advanced up to the thoracolumbar level. The treatment started 6 h after synovitis induction. Lameness, maximum angle of carpal flexion, heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, and intestinal motility were evaluated before LPS injection (baseline), 6 h after LPS injection (time 0), and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24 h after treatments. Although the model of synovitis produced clear clinical signs of inflammation, the lameness scores in group C were different from the baseline for only up to 12 h. Both morphine and buprenorphine showed a reduction in the degree of lameness starting at 0.5 and 6 h, respectively. Reduced intestinal motility was observed at 0.5 h in group M and at 0.5 to 1 h in group B. Epidural morphine was a more effective analgesic that lasted for more than 12 h and without side effects. It was concluded that morphine would be a valuable analgesic option to alleviate joint pain in the thoracic limbs in ponies.     

Response of digestive carbohydrases and growth to graded doses and administration frequency of hydrocortisone and adrenocorticotropic hormone in nursing piglets

Graded levels of hydrocortisone 21-acetate (HYD) (0, 18, 16 and 24 mg/kg BW) were injected into nursing piglets every other day (Exp. 1) or 24 mg of HYD/kg BW was administered 0, 2, 4 or 6 times during the treatment period (12 d) with equal time (6 d, 3 d or 2 d) between subsequent injections (Exp. 2). Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was injected to provide 0, 5, 10 or 15 IU/kg BW (Exp. 3), or 15 IU ACTH/kg BW was injected 0, 1, 2 or 3 times (Exp. 4). The injection treatment periods were from d 14 to d 26 postpartum. Pancreatic and intestinal amylase activity was maximized by the highest dosage of HYD (24 mg) and ACTH (15 IU) when given at 2- or 4-d intervals, respectively (P less than .10). However, four injections of HYD administered 3 d apart optimized the activity of this enzyme in Exp. 2 (P less than .05). Intestinal sucrase and maltase were unresponsive to ACTH regardless of dosage or injection frequency (P greater than .10). The response of these two enzymes to HYD was inconsistent. Maltase activity was elevated (P less than .10) by the two most frequent injection treatments, and sucrase activity was simultaneously depressed. Lactase activity tended (P less than .15) to be depressed by the highest treatment level in all four experiments. Both dosage and frequency methods of increasing HYD administration resulted in hepatic and pancreatic hypertrophy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oral administration of peptidergic growth hormone (GH) secretagogue KP102 stimulates GH release in goats

To assess the oral activity of KP102 (also known GHRP-2) on growth hormone (GH) release in ruminant animals, 5 or 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) of KP102 dissolved in saline was orally administered twice at 2 hr-intervals to either 1- or 3-mo-old goats (n = 5-6). Plasma GH concentrations in the 1-mo-old goats were elevated at 15 min after the first administration of both 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102. Significant elevation of GH concentrations continued until 180 min after 10 mg/kg BW of KP102, whereas the elevated GH levels after the administrations of 5 mg/kg BW of KP102 subsided to basal concentrations within 90 min. The second administration of 10 mg/kg BW of KP102 failed to elevate the GH concentration, but 5 mg/kg BW of KP102 abruptly stimulated GH release. Plasma GH concentrations in the 3-mo-old goats were also significantly elevated after the administration of both 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102. The plasma GH responses to 5 and 10 mg/kg BW of KP102 were almost identical. The elevated GH levels after the first administration of KP102 tended to be maintained throughout the experiment, and a transient increase in plasma GH levels was observed after the second administration. However, the stimulatory effect of KP102 on GH release in the 3-mo-old goats was small and less abrupt than that in the 1-mo-old goats. The concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I were not increased by KP102 during the brief sampling periods used in this experiment. These results show that the oral administration of the peptidergic GH secretogogue KP102 stimulates GH release in a ruminant species, and that the oral activity of KP102 on GH release is modified by the age.     

Carry-over effects of dietary yeast RNA as a source of nucleotides on lymphoid organs and immune responses in Leghorn-type chickens

1. The carry-over effects of supplementing Leghorn-type chickens with yeast RNA as a dietary source of nucleotides for 4 weeks on growth, lymphoid organ weights and immune responses were assessed in a 12-week study. 2. A commercial starter feed supplemented with 0 (control), 5 (LR) or 10 (HR) g yeast RNA/kg was offered to 1-d-old male ISA Brown chicks for 4 weeks, and then all birds were given a commercial pullet grower feed for another 8 weeks. Growth performance, antibody responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and cutaneous reactivity of toe webs to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-M were measured at 4-week intervals. 3. Growth rates, feed intake and feed efficiency were not affected by dietary yeast RNA during the supplementary period, but birds previously offered the HR diet grew faster than control birds during weeks 4 to 8.4. LR-fed birds had a higher spleen weight relative to body weight (BW) than control birds at week 4, but this effect was not detected at other times. 5. Serum primary antibody levels against SRBC were not affected by dietary yeast RNA at any time. 6. The toe-web PHA response was significantly higher at week 8 in control birds than in birds previously given the LR diet, although no difference among dietary treatments was observed at other times. 7. It is concluded that the addition of yeast RNA as a source of nucleotides to a commercial diet selectively stimulated the development of the spleen in young birds, but this effect did not persist into a later stage of the bird's life.     

Effects of supplemental Bermuda grass hay or corn on intake, digestion and performance of cattle consuming endophyte-infected fescue

Effects of supplemental Bermuda grass hay (BG) or ground corn on intake, digestion and performance of cattle consuming endophyte-infected fescue (I) were studied. In Exp. 1, a Latin square study, five growing Holstein steers (158.1 kg) consumed I ad libitum and were offered 0, .3, .6, .9 or 1.2% body weight (BW) of BG daily. Total dry matter (DM) intake rose linearly (P less than .05) with increasing BG, although intake was numerically similar with .6, .9 and 1.2% BW of BG. Digestibility was constant with diet (P greater than .10). Six growing Holstein steers used in Exp. 2, a Latin square with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments, ingested I or noninfected (NI) fescue hay ad libitum with 0, .5 or 1.0% BW of ground corn. Total DM intake increased linearly as the level of corn rose (P less than .05). Total intake with I increased more with the first than with the second addition of corn, and the opposite occurred with NI (interaction between fescue infection and the quadratic effect of corn level, P less than .10). Organic matter digested (g/d) was greater for NI than for I and rose linearly with increasing corn ingestion (P less than .05). Ninety-six crossbred beef heifers and steers (184.2 kg avg initial live weight) were used in a 77-d fall grazing experiment (Exp. 3) with a 2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement. Cattle grazed I or NI paddocks and were given no supplement or .34% BW of BG or .65% BW of ground corn on a daily basis (DM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of feather meal on barrow performance

One hundred ninety-six crossbred barrows of high lean gain potential (21.2 kg BW) were used in an experiment to determine the effect of dietary feather meal (FM) on barrow performance, specifically, the effects of the ingredient on ADG and carcass leanness. Additionally, 28 gilts (26.8 kg BW) were used to compare gender differences on the corn-soybean meal control diets. Treatments were control barrows and control gilts fed corn-soybean meal diets, and barrows fed according to a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of FM levels (10 or 20%, as-fed basis) and starting weights on the diets (36, 60, or 86 kg BW). All barrow diets were formulated to contain the same apparent digestible lysine and ME. Control barrows ate more feed (2.61 vs. 2.39 kg/d; as-fed), grew faster (0.911 vs. 0.827 kg/d), had greater backfat depth at slaughter (15.6 vs. 11.6 mm), and had lower carcass lean content (P < 0.001), with no difference in daily lean gain (P = 0.848) compared with gilts. There was a linear (P = 0.010) decrease in ADG for barrows fed increasing amounts of FM from 36 kg BW to slaughter, with no effect of FM additions on ADG when initiated at 60 or 86 kg BW. There was a quadratic reduction (P = 0.008) in ADFI and estimated digestible lysine intake with increasing FM for the 36 to 60 kg BW period for barrows fed FM starting at 36 kg BW. There was a linear (P = 0.006) decrease in ADFI for the 60 to 86 kg BW period with increasing FM for barrows started on FM at 60 kg BW. There was no effect of experimental diets or starting weight on barrow 10th-rib backfat depth at slaughter. These results suggest that diets containing 10 and 20% FM were effective in decreasing overall ADG and ADFI by barrows when feeding of FM was initiated at 36 kg BW; however, backfat at slaughter was still greater than for control gilts.     

Efficiency of inorganic and organic iron sources under iron depleted conditions in broilers

1. A total of 240?d-old male Ross chicks (average BW 37·15?±?0·49?g) were fed on an iron (Fe)-deficient semi-synthetic diet (45?mg Fe/kg) from d 1-7 post hatching.

2. At d 7, all 240 chicks (average BW 140·15?±?1·4?g) with depleted Fe-stores were randomly assigned to three treatments on the basis of BW to study the efficiency of dietary inorganic and organic iron (Fe) utilisation. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 20 birds in each.

3. Dietary treatments were: maize-soyabean meal-based basal diet, containing 103 to 106?mg Fe/kg (control); and basal diets supplemented with an additional 80?mg/kg Fe either from an inorganic (FeSO₄?·?H₂O, 28% Fe) or organic (ferrous methionine chelate, 10% Fe) source. The starter and finisher diets were fed from d 7 to 21 and d 21 to 35, respectively.

4. Improved body weight gain and FCR during finisher phase and overall study period; and greater DM and CP retention, and excreta Fe excretion, at d 20 to 21 and d 34 to 35; were observed in birds fed on Fe supplemented diets when compared with birds fed on control diet. At d 35, the RBC, Hb, haematocrit, and Fe concentration in plasma, tibia and liver were higher in birds fed on Fe supplemented diets than birds fed on the control diet.

5. Supplementation of Fe in organic form resulted in greater Fe concentration in the tibia and liver and less Fe excretion at d 34 to 35, when compared with birds receiving inorganic Fe.

6. These results indicate the necessity to supplement Fe in the commercial diets of broilers; however, organic and inorganic sources of Fe supplementation at 80?mg/kg were equally effective in improving performance, nutrient retention and haematological indices. In addition, Fe supplementation through an organic source seems to be more efficient in depositing Fe in the haemopoietic organs (liver and tibia) of birds under Fe depleted conditions.     

Effect of Dietary Mannan Oligosaccharide from Bio-Mos or SAF-Mannan on Live Performance of Broiler Chickens

A 42-d broiler pen trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) from either of 2 commercial products, Bio-Mos (Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY) or SAF-Mannan (S. I. LeSaffre, Cedex, France) each at 2 levels of inclusion on live performance. The MOS, derived from the outer portion of yeast cell walls, is reported to have several beneficial modes of action including 1) pathogen adsorption (agglutination); 2) improved intestinal integrity (e.g., villi height); and 3) immune modulation. Diets were fed in 3 phases, and treatments included a control, 2 Bio-Mos treatments (1.0 kg/ton in starter and 0 or 0.5 kg/ton in grower and finisher feeds), and 2 SAF-Mannan treatments (0.5 kg/ton in starter and 0 or 0.5 kg/ton in grower and finisher feeds), according to the manufacturers’ recommendations. Birds fed Bio-Mos at 1.0/0.5/0.5 (starter/grower/finisher) kg/ton diets had significantly greater BW at 42 d than birds fed control or SAF-Mannan-supplemented diets, whereas results for the Bio-Mos 1.0/0/0 kg/ton diets were intermediate. Supplementation of diets with Bio-Mos at 1.0/0.5/0.5 kg/ton may improve broiler BW at market ages compared with the unsupplemented diets. Feed consumption was lower from 0 to 21 d in the SAF-Mannan treatments compared with other treatments. No significant differences were found for feed conversion or mortality for any of the treatments. Overall, Bio-Mos had a greater effect on bird BW compared with the other variables measured.     

Response of broiler chickens to different levels of calcium,non-phytate phosphorus and phytase

1. Five hundred and seventy six-d old Ross 308 broiler chicks (6 cages per diet, 8 birds per cage in 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement) were fed on maize–soybean meal-based diets containing three concentrations of Ca (6, 8 or 10 g/kg), two concentrations of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) (3 or 4 g/kg) and two levels of exogenous microbial phytase (0 or 500 FTU/kg) from d 0 to 35.

2. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI) and mortality records were collected. Two birds per replicate were killed at 24 d of age to obtain tibia samples.

3. Increasing Ca level significantly reduced the FI and body weight gain (BWG) between hatch and 10 and 24 d, especially with the phytase-supplemented diets. However, phytase supplementation of the diet containing 4 g NPP/kg improved the FI and BWG at d 10 and 24. At d 24, phytase supplementation improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) of birds that consumed diets containing high NPP. The overall FCR was better in birds offered the phytase-supplemented, medium-Ca diet.

4. There was a significant reduction in length, width and breaking strength of the tibia bone in birds fed on a diet with high Ca and low NPP. Phytase supplementation improved the tibia ash content and bone breaking strength of chicks fed on the diet containing 8 and 4 g/kg Ca and NPP, respectively. The Ca content of the tibia bone was low in birds fed on diets with 6 and 4 g/kg Ca and NPP, respectively, but this was counteracted by phytase supplementation.

5. Birds fed on diets with 4 g/kg NPP had the best carcass percentage and parts yield. Phytase supplementation to high-Ca diets significantly reduced the carcass yield of birds.

6. These results confirmed the detrimental effect of high dietary Ca on phytase activity and subsequent growth and bone development of birds, especially when NPP is in short supply.     

Nutrient digestibility and performance responses of growing pigs fed phytase- and xylanase-supplemented wheat-based diets

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing phytase and xylanase on nutrient digestibility and performance of growing pigs fed wheat-based diets. In Exp. 1, 10 diets were fed to 60 pigs from 20 to 60 kg of BW to determine the effect of combining phytase and xylanase on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and growth performance. The 10 diets included a positive control diet (PC; 0.23% available P; 0.60% Ca) and a negative control diet (NC; 0.16% available P; 0.50% Ca) supplemented with phytase at 0, 250, and 500 fytase units (FTU)/kg and xylanase at 0, 2,000, and 4,000 xylanase units (XU)/kg in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement. In Exp. 2, 6 ileally cannulated barrows (initial BW = 35.1 kg) were fed 4 wheat-based diets in a 4 x 4 Latin square design, with 2 added columns to determine the effect of combining phytase and xylanase on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients. The 4 diets were NC (same as that used in Exp. 1) or NC supplemented with phytase at 500 FTU/kg, xylanase at 4,000 XU/kg, or phytase at 500 FTU/kg plus xylanase at 4,000 XU/kg. In Exp. 3, 36 barrows (initial BW = 55.5 kg) were fed 4 diets based on prepelleted (at 80 degrees C) and crumpled wheat for 2 wk to determine the effect of phytase supplementation on ATTD of nutrients. The 4 diets fed were a PC (0.22% available P; 0.54% Ca) and a NC (0.13% available P; 0.43% Ca) alone or with phytase at 500 or 1,000 FTU/kg. All diets in the 3 experiments contained Cr(2)O(3) as an indigestible marker. No synergistic interactions were detected between phytase and xylanase on any of the response criteria measured in Exp. 1 or 2. There were no dietary effects on growth performance in Exp. 1. In Exp. 1, phytase at 250 FTU/kg increased the ATTD of P and Ca by 51 and 11% at 20 kg of BW or by 54 and 10% at 60 kg of BW, respectively, but increasing the level of phytase to 500 FTU/kg only increased (P < 0.05) ATTD of P at 20 kg of BW. In Exp. 2, phytase at 500 FTU/kg increased (P < 0.05) the AID of P and Ca by 21 and 12%, respectively. In Exp. 3, phytase at 500 FTU/kg improved (P < 0.05) ATTD of P by 36%, but had no further effect at 1,000 FTU/kg. Xylanase at 4,000 XU/kg improved (P < 0.05) AID of Lys, Leu, Phe, Thr, Gly, and Ser in Exp. 2. In conclusion, phytase and xylanase improved P and AA digestibilities, respectively, but no interaction between the 2 enzymes was noted.     

Effect of dose and frequency of administration of a potent analog of human growth hormone-releasing factor on hormone secretion and growth in pigs

Ninety-six pigs (49.5 +/- .5 kg BW) were allotted to six treatments and were injected once (SID) or three times daily (TID) s.c. with a [desamino-Tyr1, D-Ala2, Ala15] human growth hormone-releasing factor (1-29) NH2 analog (GRF-AN). Treatments were T1, noninjected control; T2, saline-injected control (TID); T3, GRF-AN (1.66 micrograms/kg BW, TID); T4, GRF-AN (3.33 micrograms/kg BW, TID); T5, GRF-AN (6.66 micrograms/kg BW, TID) and T6, GRF-AN (10 micrograms/kg BW, SID). Feed protein levels were 14% for T1 and 18.8% for T2 through T6. The GRF-AN increased serum growth hormone (GH) concentration for the entire growing period (about 56 d) in a dose-related manner and did not induce desensitization of the somatotroph cells; in fact, an increase (P less than .05) in the GH response to GRF-AN was observed in T4 and T5 after 1 mo of treatment. This GRF-AN produced (P less than .05) a dose-dependent effect on several variables in animals grown to 110 kg BW: in comparison to T2, T5 increased meat in carcass (6%), carcass length (3%), loin eye area (13%), liver weight (19%), kidney weight (30%), improved feed efficiency (20%) and decreased total feed intake by 50 kg (26%). Compared to T2, average daily gain was increased (P less than .05) by 13% by the 3.33 micrograms/kg TID dose. Blood parameters were measured on d 1, 29 and 57. Increased serum glucose and insulin levels were observed. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations were increased and decreased, respectively after 28 d of treatment but were unchanged on d 57. This potent GRF analog maintained high GH concentration for at least 56 d and affected several growth parameters and carcass characteristics in a dose-related manner similar in magnitude to that reported in studies using porcine GH.