All-mash Diet Research Articles

Perosis and folic acid antagonism in chickens.

THE folic acid antagonist pyrimethamine has been shown to act as a synergist with sulphadimidine against Eimeria tenella in chickens1. During our investigation of this combination, a decreased growth-rate was noted in chickens fed for five days on an all-mash diet containing 100 p.p.m. of pyrimethamine.

Antibiotics in mature fowl nutrition.

SummaryData have been obtained on the effect of feeding aureomycin, penicillin, streptomycin and APF concentrate and Liver “L” in a diet low in vit. B12. Hatchability of eggs from birds fed this diet unsupplemented decreases to zero after the fourth week. Injection of vit. B12 into the hens improved hatchability somewhat. The feeding of aureomycin and penicillin alone apparently assisted in the depletion of birds of vit. B12 and possibly of the unidentified factor. Liver “L” contains a factor necessary for normal hatch-ability and embryonic development. The B12 content of the egg yolks was determined by a standard microbiological assay. Injection of vit. B12; feeding of an APF concentrate and the feeding of Liver “L” produced egg yolks that contained approximately the same amounts of vit. B12. Hatchability of eggs from hens fed the practical all-mash diet was about 90% during the test period. Yet, the vit. B12 content of egg yolks from these birds was lower than that of similar birds injected with vit. B1...

The Effect of Form of Feed on Growth and Feed Efficiency, Pellets versus Mash versus Granules for Broilers

THE relative merits of feed for broilers given in pellet, granule (re-ground pellets) or mash form is of current interest. Heywang and Morgan (1944) found that the average live weight of twelve week old cockerels receiving pellets from one day of age was significantly greater than that of those receiving mash. The pelleted form of feed produced more efficient gains than the “mash” form in these experiments. Hoffmann and Poitivent (1947) in one trial stated that it appears that pellets may have certain definite advantages over the conventional all-mash diets for growing out broilers from six weeks to market age. They found that birds fed pellets had a better efficiency of feed utilization and gained more during the test period than mash fed birds. Briggs (1949) in a personal communication, stated, “Wherever birds have had their choice they prefer to eat pellets or granules over mash.” When these three types .

Vitamin B12 Concentrates in the Nutrition of the Mature Domestic Fowl

When a sucrose-soybean protein diet, low in vitamin B12, was fed to a group of hens, egg production decreased. Hatchability of eggs from hens fed this low vitamin B12 diet decreased to zero in from 3 to 6 weeks. The addition of APF concentrates improved the egg production and hatchability of hens fed the purified diet but failed to produce normal hatchability as compared to a group fed a practical all-mash diet. When a starch-soybean protein diet was used, egg production and hatchability were improved over those observed with comparable groups fed sucrose as a source of carbohydrate, indicating that starch promoted the intestinal synthesis of vitamin B12 and possibly some unknown factor required for embryonic development in the fowl. The hatchability of eggs from hens receiving the purified diets showed a tendency to decrease about the 9th or 10th experimental week, even though adequate amounts of vitamin B12 were fed. This indicates that a depletion of some unknown factor or factors may have taken place after the initial depletion of vitamin B12.

The Influence of Thyroprotein-Feeding on Semen Quality ,

The effects of hypothyroidism on semen quality have been reported by Shaffner and Andrews (1948). It was shown that the feeding of thiouracil lowered semen quality as measured by both fertility tests and laboratory criteria. On the basis of this work, it was reasoned that the feeding of thyroprotein might improve the quality and/or quantity of semen especially when fed to older males. Therefore, a preliminary study was made on the effects of mild hyperthyroidism on semen production.EXPERIMENTALEleven two-year-old Barred Rock males were maintained in individual cages and fed an all-mash diet. Samples of semen were collected weekly and evaluated by the techniques previously described (loc. cit.). Observations were also made on comb area and body weight. After six weeks of preliminary testing, the males were divided into two comparable groups and on April 23, 1947, treatment was begun. A group of six males was fed thyroprotein at .

A Comparison of a Pelleted and Unpelleted All-Mash Diet for Growing Chickens

MORGAN and Heywang (1940) have reported the results of experiments in which an all-mash diet in the pelleted and unpelleted forms was fed to laying chickens. It is also desirable to have information about the relative values of a diet in the pelleted and unpelleted forms when it is fed to young chickens. For this reason a series of experiments was conducted at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona. In these experiments data were obtained on the live weight of the chickens, their efficiency of feed utilization, the age at which the pullets started to lay, and the occurrence of cannibalism and feather picking.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURESix experiments were conducted. The first was started on February 24, 1940, the second on March 9, 1940, the third on March 15, 1940, the fourth on April 9, 1941, the fifth on April 22, 1941, and the sixth on May 21, 1941.

Gizzard Lesions in Day-Old Chickens

IN THEIR studies of gizzard lesions at the Beltsville Research Center the writers have examined during the last two years approximately 300 chicken embryos, 31,000 day-old chickens, 8,000 chickens that ranged in age from two days to eight weeks, and 1,500 chickens that were more than eight weeks old. All the embryos and all but a comparatively small number of the chickens were Rhode Island Reds. The embryos and most of the chickens were from parent stock that had been fed an all-mash diet, which, on the basis of our present knowledge of poultry nutrition, was adequate in every way. The remainder of the chickens were from parent stock that had received modifications of this diet or diets that were formulated for the purpose of studying the effect of various feedstuffs and combinations of feedstuffs on the incidence and development of gizzard lesions in the offspring. Of the 31,000 day-old .

A Comparison of a Pelleted and Unpelleted All-Mash Diet for Laying Chickens

THE feeding of an all-mash diet in pelleted form is a fairly recent practice in poultry husbandry, and it is supposed to have several advantages.For example, some poultrymen have expressed the opinion that a pelleted all-mash diet is more economical to feed than an unpelleted all-mash diet because the chickens waste more of the latter in their drinking water. They believe that egg production is better and less feed is required to produce one dozen eggs when a pelleted all-mash diet is fed, but experimental data to substantiate such beliefs are meager. Because it was desirable to have definite information on those points, a series of two experiments were conducted at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDUREThe first experiment was started on November 9, 1937, and terminated at the end of 308 days; the second experiment was started on October 12, 1938, and terminated at .

The Effect of the Level of Protein Intake on the Growth and Feed Utilization of Turkeys

A KNOWLEDGE of the range in the percentage of protein that can be used satisfactorily in the mash of turkeys fed mash and grain ad libitum is of importance to both the turkey grower and the research worker. The object of this paper is to present an analysis of some data on growth and feed consumption that were obtained with turkeys which were fed ad libitum grain and mashes that contained different percentages of protein varying from approximately 18.5 to 30.0 percent by increments of approximately 2 percent.Funk (1930) found that an all-mash diet containing 20 percent of protein produced satisfactory growth in turkeys reared in semi-confinement from hatching to 24 weeks of age.Brooks (1933) found that male turkeys ate more feed per week than female turkeys but that they required less feed per pound of gain than the females from 18 to 28 weeks of age.Mussehl .