IN THE experiments of Heywang (1956),

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1 Supplemental Methionine in a Sixteen Percent Protein Diet for aying Chickens B. W. HEYWAN, M.. VAVICH AND B.. REID Poultry Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, lendale, Arizona and Departments of Agricultural Biochemistry and Poultry Science, University of Arizona, Tucson IN THE experiments of Heywang (956), supplemental D-methionine at the.5,.75 and.85 levels in a corn-soybean laying diet had no effect on egg production, diet consumption per dozen eggs laid, egg weight, hatchability or layer weight. There were also no effects from including it at the.5 and.5 levels when ^ parts soybean oil meal were replaced by \ parts fish meal. According to calculations made from the values given by Titus (957), the diets noted above should have contained from to 5 Calories of metabolizable energy (ME), and from 9 to 94 Calories of productive energy (PE) per pound. However, data obtained subsequently by Rosenberg (958) indicated that the addition of.5 D-methionine improved the efficiency of feed conversion when a laying mash contained or Cal. PE/lb., but not when it contained. The supplement apparently did not increase egg production or egg weight. More information about the effect of supplemental methionine in high energy diets for layers seemed of value and it was obtained in a series of three experiments at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station. The results are given and discussed in this paper. PROCEDURE White eghorns of the same strain and hatched during the previous March, were confined in similar floor pens in three ex- Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper No (Received for publication February 6, 96) 45 periments. The first two were started in October, and the last in December of successive years, and were in progress for 6, 6 and 5 days, respectively. Each diet was fed to two groups of birds in the first and third experiments and two groups of 4 in the second. Sufficient quantities of the milo, yellow corn, alfalfa meal, soybean oil meal and fish meal needed for each experiment were set aside before it was started. They were analyzed for moisture, protein, fat, fiber and ash (with the remainder considered to be NFE) and their Cal. ME/lb. calculated from the data of Titus (957). In the first two experiments the dietary levels of grain mixture (equal parts of milo and yellow corn), soybean oil meal and corn oil were varied to make diets with about 5, 45 and 55 Cal. ME/lb. In the third experiment the levels of grain (yellow corn) and of soybean oil meal were the same in all diets and the levels of corn oil and ground cellulose were varied to make diets with about 5 and 55 Cal. ME/ lb. The formulas of the diets are shown in Table. Methionine hydroxy analogue calcium (9), at the.5 dietary level was fed as a source of supplemental methionine at each level of energy in the first two experiments and at the.5 and. levels in the diet with 55 Cal. ME/lb. in the third experiment as shown in Table. The birds were weighed individually at the start and end of the three experiments, and also before hot weather started in the Downloaded from at Penn State University (Paterno ib) on September 8, 6

2 46 B. W. HEYWAN, M.. VAVICH AND B.. REID TABE. Formulas of all mash diets Diet Yellow corn Milo Soybean oil meal (44 protein) Dehydrated alfalfa meal (7 protein) Fish meal (6 protein) Refined corn oil Vitamins and minerals mixture round cellulose Protein, calculated Cal. ME/lb., calculated , Experiment , , ,57 Experiment , ,558 Experiment ' , Vitamins and minerals mixture was composed of the following ingredients: in pounds, ground limestone., steamed bone meal.5, manganized salt.5, corn fermentation solubles (5 jug-/g- riboflavin)., cod liver oil (5A, D).5, choline chloride.; and, in grams, calcium pantothenate.5, vitamin B source (8 ^g./lb.) 4, chlortetracycline.5 (in Experiment ) or an antibiotic with 5 g. procaine penicillin and 5 g. streptomycin per pound 8. (in Experiments and ). TABE. Effect of energy level and methionine supplementation on egg - diet per dozen eggs, body weight and mortality in three experiments Dietary content M.E. Cal/lb.,5,5,45,45,55,55,5,5,45,45,55,55,5,55,55,55 methionine analogue Expe, Diet consumption per r bird *"*** eggs lbs. lbs. viment {6 days) 74.9"* b.8ab 7.6 b.9» b 6.6".87" b.a.74a Experiment {6 days) 69ab 68ab»!= 7 b 6a 68» b 8.8 b 8.7" 7.6» b 77. b 68.8" 7.9* b.8» b.88a b.75a Expe, rimenl {5 days) b 47.4" 47.a 5.* 4.5 b.9 b.7gab.69" ain or loss in body weight ( t Methionine Ave. and cystine total per therm egg M.E. perlb. production of feed Mortality,54 consumption, Bird days lived Downloaded from at Penn State University (Paterno ib) on September 8, 6 Methionine hydroxy analogue, calcium (9). Actual bird days lived/possible bird daysx. Numbers having different superscripts are significantly different at the.5 level of probability.

3 METHIONINE IN AYIN RATIONS 47 first two. roup averages of egg production and feed consumption were calculated on a hen-day basis of 8-day periods. The birds were trapnested in only the first experiment. All whole eggs laid by a group were weighed collectively on three consecutive days of ten 8-day periods in the first experiment, eight in the second and seven in the third. Eggs were saved for incubation during six periods of seven successive days of relatively cool weather in the first experiment, four in the second and three in the third. They were candled for fertility on the seventh day of incubation. RESUTS AND DISCUSSION Shown in Table are summaries of the data on egg production, feed consumption, pounds of feed consumed per dozen eggs laid, maintenance of body weight, mortality and "percent of possible number of bird days lived," of all birds fed the same diet in the separate experiments. The percent of possible number of bird days lived is based on the number of birds in the groups when an experiment was started. In the first experiment for example, the possible number of bird days lived in the two groups fed each diet was,6 (6 X 6). The data were also summarized for successive days of both the coolest and the hottest weather in each experiment. Except for mortality and percent of possible number of bird days lived, the relative trends were similar during cool and hot weather, and it was believed unnecessary to show the data according to those different temperature periods. Considered collectively, the data in Table indicate that none of the listed criteria of performance was improved when the diet with 5 Cal. ME/lb. was supplemented with the analogue. Although egg production was a little higher and slightly less pounds of feed were consumed per dozen eggs laid when the 45 Cal. diet contained the analogue in experiment, these differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant improvement in either egg production or feed conversion when.5 of the supplement was fed in the 45 Cal. diet in experiment. Results on the 55 Cal. diet were consistent and seem of special interest. In all three experiments egg production was improved to some extent and less feed was consumed per dozen eggs laid when the 55 Cal. diet contained.5 of the supplement. Some of these differences are not statistically significant at the.5 level. When. of the supplement was added in experiment there was a further slight improvement over that obtained with the.5 level, which may indicate that the latter level was too low. In none of the experiment; however, was egg production greater on the 55 Cal. diet either with or without the supplement than it was on the 5 Cal. diet. Average feed consumption per bird varied inversely with dietary metabolizable energy content. Statistically significant reductions in diet consumption per bird and per dozen eggs were obtained as the energy level of the diet was increased from 5 Cal./lb. to 45 or 55 (Table ). The supplement at either level had no appreciable consistent effect on the mortality among the birds regardless of the caloric content of the diet. Differences were small, but in all three experiments maintenance of body weight was better when the diets with 45 or 55 Cal. ME/lb. contained the analogue. osses in body weight on all diets in the third experiment are attributable to it being ended in hot weather. The data shown in Table indicate that the supplement had little, if any, effect on whole egg weight or hatchability of fertile eggs at any of the three dietary caloric levels. Downloaded from at Penn State University (Paterno ib) on September 8, 6

4 48 B. W. HEYWAN, M.. VAVICH AND B.. REID TABE. Effect of energy level and methionine supplementation on average egg weight and hatchabilily of fertile eggs in three experiments Dietary content M.E. Cal./lb.,5,5,45,45,55,55,5,5,45,45,55,55,5,55,55,55 methionine analogue Hatchability Fert " e t Hatched eggs set No. Experiment I Experiment Experiment Egg weight Weighed No.,7,74,6,,86,69,,6,7,6,8, Methionine hydroxy analogue, calcium (9). Ave. wt. m Most of the mortality in the experiments occurred during hot weather and was probably highest in experiment because the birds were trapnested. The greater mortality during hot than during cooler weather is illustrated in the last experiment, when only one bird died before and 6 died during hot weather. The total methionine and cystine contents of the diets per therm of metabolizable energy per pound are listed in Table. The lack of stimulation in egg production on the 5 Cal. diets with the addition of the methionine hydroxy analogue calcium (9), and the improved feed conversion along with slight increases in egg production with this supplement to the 55 Cal. diet would indicate that the methionine requirement for egg production was dependent upon dietary energy content as has been reported for broilers. Expressed in relation to energy content, the National Research Council (96) value of.48 methionine plus cystine/therm ME/lb. (.5 of the diet) with Cal. ME (9 Cal. PE), appears to be substantially adequate under the conditions of these studies. In experiment the level of.44 methionine plus cystine per therm of metabolizable energy per pound appeared to be needed for maximum feed conversion. However, the average daily feed intake and consequent methionine and cystine consumption was less than in the previous two experiments and was equivalent only to the.4 level (55 Cal./lb.) of methionine and cystine in studies and. SUMMARY aying White eghorns in two experiments were fed diets with about 5, 45 and 55 Cal. ME/lb. with and without.5 supplemental methionine hydroxy analogue. The diets fed in another experiment contained 5 Cal. ME/lb. with none and 55 Cal. with,.5 and. of the analogue. There was no increase in egg production or decrease in pounds of feed consumed per dozen eggs laid when the 5 Cal. diet contained the supplement, and the results on the 45 Cal. diet were inconsistent. However, in all three experiments the inclusion of.5 analogue in the 55 Cal. diet resulted in a slight improvement in egg production and a corresponding increase in feed conversion, but some of these differences are not statistically significant. In the third experiment the inclusion of. analogue in the 55 Cal. diet resulted in further improvement in these criteria. A level of methionine plus cystine/therm metabolizable energy/lb. appeared to be adequate for egg production under the conditions of these studies. Maintenance of live weight on the 45 and 55 Cal., but not on the 5 Cal., diets was a little better when they contained the supplement. Methionine hydroxy ana- Downloaded from at Penn State University (Paterno ib) on September 8, 6

5 METHIONINE IN AYIN RATIONS 49 logue had little effect at any caloric level on egg weight, hatchability of fertile eggs or mortality. REFERENCES Heywang, B. W., 956. The effect of supplemental methionine in a corn-soybean diet for laying chickens. Poultry Sci. 5: National Research Council, 96. Nutrient Requirements for Domestic Animals No. Nutrient Requirements for Poultry. Rosenberg, H. R., 958. Personal communication. E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Company; Wilmington, Delaware. Titus, H. W., 957. Energy values of feedstuffs for poultry. imecrest Research aboratory, 4 page mimeograph. Comparison of Different Types of Materials for Broiler itter. D. ANDREWS AND B. N. MCPHERSON Department of Animal Industry and Veterinary Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, INTRODUCTION THERE are many different materials used for litter in the broiler industry. Materials used are usually ones that are available locally and are fairly inexpensive. Many materials used for this purpose are by-products of other industries; for example, cane bagasse, the chopped sugar cane stalk after the sugar has been extracted; rice hulls, which are the hulls from the rice grain; and straw, which is the byproduct from oat and wheat farming. The particle size is an important consideration in selecting a litter for broilers. Smith (956) found that corn cobs caused the birds to have more breast blisters than finer ground corn cobs. He recommended using a material with a particle size less than inch in diameter. Aho et al. (955) found that a wood chip of one to two inches in circumference created drier conditions than wood chips three or four inches in circumference. The use of poultry litter has some value in feed for animals, and as a fertilizer. Noland et al. (955) fed gestating lactating Published with the approval of the Director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (Received for publication June, 96) Arkansas ewes chicken litter as a source of nitrogen and found it equal to soybean oil meal and superior to ammoniated molasses. These workers also fed chicken litter to fattening steers and found that it could be used as a nitrogen source. Ray (958) fed cane bagasse broiler house litter as a nitrogen source in wintering beef calves. In comparison to cottonseed meal, the cost of wintering was in favor of the chicken litter. White et al. (944) reported that hen litter of 6.5 months accumulation contained 5.8 moisture,.79 N,.84 P 5, and.48 K. Parker et al. (959) analyzed samples of litter from 8 broiler houses and found that the litter contained an average of 4.97 moisture,.7 N,.7 P 5, and.7 K. Yushok and Bear (94) found that hen manure litter contained 47. moisture,.8 N,.4 P 5, and.76 K ; and that 8 of N, 88 of P 5, and 95 of K contained in the feed were voided in the manure. arge percentages of organic matter, as nitrogen, were lost by volatilization from decomposition. P 5 and K were stable but losses of these were great when litter was exposed to rain. According to Winter and Cotterill (95) the use of Downloaded from at Penn State University (Paterno ib) on September 8, 6