Oct 16, 2015 - pigmentation when feeding 5 to 10% dehydrated .... 83.2 a b. 82.6"b. Feed/dozen. (kg/kg). 2.41". 2.15b. 2.32". 2.41" eggs ... (g). 58.0". 57.9". 58.9". 58.7". a-d, Within each response criterion, treatment means with no common ...
METABOLISM AND NUTRITION Effect of Turf Bermudagrass Meal on Egg Production, Feed Utilization, Yolk Color, and Egg Weight B. H. CHEN and C. A. BAILEY Department of Poultry Science, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas 77843 (Received for publication June 25, 1987)
1988 Poultry Science 67:1154-1156 INTRODUCTION
Yolk color is dependent upon the dietary concentration of xanthophylls. Dehydrated grasses such as coastal bermudagrass have been suggested as potential xanthophyll sources for commercial poultry feeds. Barnett and Morgan (1959) studied egg yolk pigmentation when feeding 5 to 10% dehydrated alfalfa meal or coastal bermudagrass meal as the only xanthophyll source in rations. They found that there was more yolk pigmentation with dietary coastal bermudagrass than with dietary alfalfa at the 5% level, but at the 10% level, there was slightly more pigmentation with dietary alfalfa. When the laying ration contained 50% yellow corn plus 5% of either test material, egg yolks from coastal bermudagrass-fed hens were more pigmented. Wheeler and Turk (1963) conducted three 4-wk broiler trials with 2, 5, or 10% alfalfa or coastal bermudagrass meal in a basal ration containing 10.6% yellow corn. They found that there were no significant differences between measurements for alfalfa and coastal bermudagrass meal as to weight gains, feed efficiency, liver vitamin A contents, and shank pigments. However, an increase in the vitamin A blood levels indicated a more efficient use of carotene from coastal bermudagrass. Wilkinson and Barbee (1968) studied the relative amount and efficiency of xanthophyll utilization from corn gluten meal and dehydrated, pelleted and reground products of alfalfa, coastal bermudagrass, and pearl millet. They concluded that de-
hydrated coastal bermudagrass and pearl millet compare quite favorably with products presently used as xanthophyll sources in poultry rations. Since there is a paucity of published data on the feeding value of dehydrated turf bermudagrass, this study was undertaken to determine the effect of various levels of turf bermudagrass meal on egg production, feed utilization, yolk color, and egg weight. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Turf bermudagrass was fresh-cut from a turf grass farm in South Central, TX. Immediately after cutting, the grass was placed on a truck with a vinyl cover and transported to the Texas A&M University poultry farm. The grass was stored in a dark, ventilated room to dry for 1 wk before grinding into fine material with a hammer mill. A total of 300 laying hens, 25 wk of age, were depleted of xanthophyll on a milo basal diet for 14 days. Milo-soybean meal diets were formulated into four treatments containing 0, 3, 6, and 9% dehydrated turf bermudagrass as sole xanthophyll source (Table 1). Samples of the dehydrated turf bermudagrass were assayed for total protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and xanthophylls prior to incorporation into experimental diets. Standard Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) techniques were used for all assays (AOAC, 1980). Total xanthophyll assayed at 396 mg/kg. A metabolizable energy value for turf bermudagrass meal
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ABSTRACT The effect of diets containing various levels of dehydrated turf bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) on egg production, feed utilization, yolk color, and egg weight was studied. Milo-soybean meal diets were formulated into four treatments containing 0, 3, 6, and 9% dried turf bermudagrass. Each treatment was fed to 15 laying hens with 4 replications for a total of 240 birds. Yolk color was measured weekly with a 1984 Roche color fan. After 4 wk, average Roche color scores were 1.3, 4.9, 7.0, and 8.7 for Treatments 1 to 4, respectively. The maximum egg production and minimum feed consumption were observed in diets containing 3% turf bermudagrass meal. There was no significant difference between egg weights of birds in control and grass-fed treatments. (Key words: Bermudagrass, egg production, xanthophyll, yolk color, egg weight)
FEEDING TURF BERMUDAGRASS MEAL
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TABLE 1. Composition ofmilo and bermudagrass diets Turf bermudagrass meal (%) Ingredients Milo Soy meal Turf bermudagrass Oyster shell Defluorinated phosphate Fat
Vitamin premix 1 Salt DL-Methionine Manganese sulfate Zinc oxide
3
69.61 19.81
6
66.76 19.18 3.00 7.86 1.92
7.98 1.92 3.41 .25 .20 .18
.65 .25 .15 .18
.025 .025
.025 .025
2,775 16.6
9
2,775 16.6
63.65 18.60 6.00 7.76 1.92 1.44
60.54 18.02 9.00 7.66 1.92 2.24
.25 .14 .18
.25 .13 .18
.025 .025
.025 .025
2,775 16.6
2,775 16.6
3.7 .5 .38 .6 .76 .21
3.7 .5 .38 .6 .76 .22
3.7 .5 .38 .6 .76 .23
11.89
23.79
35.68
3.7 .5 .38 .6 .76 .21
1 Vitamin premix provides (per kilogram diet): vitamin A, 11,000 IU; vitamin D 3 , 1,100 ICU; vitamin E, 11 IU; riboflavin, 4.4 mg; Ca pantothenate, 12 mg; nicotinic acid, 44 mg; choline CI, 220 mg; vitamin B 1 2 , 6.6 Mg; vitamin B6 , 2.2 rag; menadione, 1.1 mg (as MSBC); folic acid, .55 mg; d-biotin, .11 mg; thiamine, 2.2 mg (as thiamine mononitrate); ethoxyquin, 125 mg.
of 1,705 kcal/kg was used when formulating the experimental diets. This value was chosen based on the metabolizable energy value for alfalfa meal, and not determined experimentally. After depletion, treatments were randomly allocated to 240 hens, with 2 birds/cage. Each treatment was fed to 15 laying hens with 4 replications. Experimental diets and water were provided ad libitum. Daily egg production was recorded for each treatment. Feed consumption of each treatment of 15 birds was recorded at the end of each week for a total of 4 wk. Eggs were collected once a week for egg weight and yolk color analysis. For yolk color analysis, eggs were opened, and the yolk was separated intact from the albumen and rolled across a moistened paper towel to remove the chalazae and any adhering albumen. The color was then visually scored using a 1984 Roche color fan. Data were analyzed in a one-way classification of a completely random design using the GLM procedure of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute Inc., 1982). Treatment means were separated using the means/Duncan option.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The time course effect of turf bermudagrass on egg yolk color is shown in Figure 1. The results suggest xanthophyll from turf bermudagrass is readily available, leading to a very rapid increase in yolk pigmentation during the 1st wk of feeding. Egg yolk pigmentation reached a
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Weeks FIGURE 1. Time course effects of turf bermudagrass on egg yolk pigmentation.
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Calculated analysis ME, kcal/kg Protein, % Calcium, % Available phosphorus, % Methionine, % Methionine + cystine, % Lysine, % Tryptophan,% Xanthophyll, mg/kg
0
CHEN AND BAILEY
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TABLE 2. Effect of various levels of turf bermudagrass meal on egg production, feed consumption, yolk color, and egg weight Bermudagrass in diets
Hen-day egg production
Feed/dozen eggs
(%)
(%)
(kg/kg) b
0 3 6 9
80. l 88.8" 83.2 a b 82.6" b
2.41" 2.15 b 2.32" 2.41"
Yolk color (4-wk scores)1
Egg weight
1.3 d 4.9 C 7.0 b 8.7"
(g) 58.0" 57.9" 58.9" 58.7"
a-d, Within each response criterion, treatment means with no common superscripts are significantly different (P
