EDUCATION AND PRODUCTION A Feather-Sexed Strain of Laying Hens Was More Responsive to Dietary Supplements of Choline and Methionine than a Vent-Sexed Strain1 V. K. TSIAGBE, A. E. HARPER, and M. L. SUNDE2

ABSTRACT A response surface design was used to study Cho and Met interactions with corn and soybean diets, using two strains of hens. The strains were a feather-sexed line (FS strain), and a vent-sexed line (SS strain). The diets contained 3% meat and bone meal and, on chemical analysis, 15.1% crude protein, .29% Met, .225% Cys, and 1,041 ppm of Cho. Nine diets were fed from 20 to 68 wk of age, using added Met levels ranging from 0 to 500 ppm and added Cho levels ranging from 0 to 1,500 ppm, to fix the design points. The FS strain consumed significantly more feed per day (117 versus 108 g) than the SS strain, but there were no significant differences for the 24 to 68 wk period in egg production, egg weight, or feed per dozen eggs. Three and five combinations of Met and Cho were significant in improving egg production (P < .05) out of the eight combinations for the SS and FS strains, respectively. The best egg production for the FS strain for the period 24 to 68 wk was observed at 250 ppm Met and 1,500 ppm Cho, or 427 ppm Met and 220 ppm added Cho. The SS strain showed no significant (P > .05) dietary responses in egg production between 250 ppm Met and no Cho, or 427 ppm Met and either 220 or 1,280 ppm Cho. The SS strain showed no significant (P > .05) dietary response in egg weight to either Cho or Met. The combination of 427 and 220 ppm of Met and Cho, respectively, with the FS strain resulted in the largest egg weight. However, this was only significantly different (P < .05) from addition of a combination of 73 ppm of Met and 220 ppm Cho. These results indicate strain differences in responses of laying hens to Met and Cho supplementation, and also support the concept that Met and Cho can spare the requirements of each other. (Key words: laying hen, choline, methionine, feather-sexed strain, vent-sexed strain) 1992 Poultry Science 71:1271-1276

and fatty liver. The requirement for Cho seems to decrease with increasing age There is no doubt that young chicks (Nesheim et ah, 1971; Lipstein et ah, 1977; have a high dietary Cho requirement for Tsiagbe et ah, 1982) due to increasing de the prevention of signs of deficiency, novo synthesis of Cho from Met. The which include decreased growth, perosis, methylation of aminoethanol to methylaminoethanol appears to be the ratelimiting step in the methyltransferase reactions (Jukes et al, 1945; Klain and Received for publication October 17, 1991. Johnson, 1961). Accepted for publication April 10, 1992. 1 Research supported by the College of Agricultural During the laying phase of the hen, and Life Sciences, Departments of Poultry and Nutri- however, contradictory results were obtional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI tained by various workers. Increases in 53706. 2 To whom correspondence should be addressed. both egg production and egg weight were INTRODUCTION

1271

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

Departments of Poultry and Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

1272

TSIAGBE ET AL.

TABLE 1. Combinations of additional choline and methionine used in the response surface design to study laying performance of hens (diets indicated by numbers in parentheses)

Added Cho (ppm)

-1.414 -1 0 1 1.414

0 220 750 1,280 1,500

73

Added Met (ppm) 250

-1.414

-1

Design points 0

427

500

1

1.414

(9) (4) (7)

(2) (5)

(3)

obtained by dietary supplementation of Cho in the studies of Schexnailder and Griffith (1973), Tsiagbe et al. (1982), Parson and Leepe (1984), and Miles et al. (1986). Enhanced egg production was reported by Abbot and Demasters (1940) and Welch and Couch (1955). Increases in egg weight were observed in the studies of Burns and A c k e r m a n (1955) a n d N e s h e i m et al. (1971). March (1981), however, saw no improvement in egg production variables with Cho supplementation. An important factor that seems to affect the response of layers to Cho is protein. The work of Keshavarz and Austic (1985) showed that no response in production indices was obtained with Cho or Met additions to a 16.4% protein diet (with .52% TSAA and 972 ppm of Cho). However, increases in egg production were obtained with a 14.4% protein diet (.45% TSAA and 972 ppm of Cho) when Cho and Met supplements of .134 and . 1 % , respectively, were added to the basal diet. It appears that the requirement for Met or Cho cannot be studied in isolation. Both nutrients need to be varied together, in view of the cycle that exists between Cho and Met in which methyl groups may be passed from one molecule to the other (Simonds et al, 1943). In the present study, employing two strains of laying hens, a response surface design was used to predict production responses when dietary levels of Cho and Met were varied together.

(6) (1)

J8)

and 1,327 ± 7 g for a vent-sexed strain (SS strain) and a feather-sexed strain (FS strain), respectively. Com and soybean diets containing 3% meat and bone meal were fed. Details of the composition of the basal diet were previously reported (Tsiagbe et al, 1982). Dietary protein (6.25 x N) was determined by the method of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (1965) to be 15.1%. Methionine and Cys were determined by ion-exchange chromatography using the method of Moore (1963). The basal diet contained .29% Met and .225% Cys. The Cho level in the basal diet was analyzed by the reineckate procedure of Lim and Schall (1964), and found to be 1,041 ppm. The coefficient of variation in these determinations was less than 3%. The diets were calculated to contain 2,899 kcal ME/kg of diet. A response surface design using the central composite rotatable design of Box et al. (1978) was used in the current trial. Additions of DL-Met ranging from 0 to 500 ppm and of Cho (as Cho CI) ranging from 0 to 1,500 p p m were used to establish the various diet combinations at the design points. To depict more clearly the response surface method employed, a summary of the basic design, including the diets employed, is shown in Table 1. Nine hundred and sixty hens were allocated to the nine diets (480 hens of each strain). There were 60 hens per diet for each strain for Treatments 1 through 5 (four replicates per treatment), and 45 MATERIALS AND METHODS hens per diet for each strain for TreatA trial was conducted with two com- ments 6 through 9 (one group of 30 hens mercial egg strains of laying hens with from each strain was fed each diet and one initial mean 20-wk weights of 1,356 ± 9 group was made up of five cages of three

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

Design points

0

STRAIN DIFFERENCES IN CHOLINE AND METHIONINE RESPONSES

1273

TABLE 2. Effect on performance factors of two strains1 fed various levels of methionine and choline (24 to 68 wk) Diet addition Met

Cho

0 73 73 250 250 250 427 427 500

67.8 bc 67.1C 69.0 bc 71.1 a b 67.7C 68.2 bc 72.2 a 72.5 a 66.9C 69.1 ± 1.2

FS (%) 66.6 d 68.8 cd 71.3 a b c 70.0 b c d 701bcd 75.1 a 75.0a 71.3'abc 73.1ab 71.2 ± 1.6

Feed conversion

Egg size SS

FS

(g) 62.7 a 61.2 a 61.1 a 62.5 a 61.5 a 60.9 a 61.7 a 61.2 a 62.2 a 61.7 ± .8

61.1'ab 60.1 b 61.6',ab 61.4*ab 61.7*•ab 61.3 a b 61.9 a 61.2! 61.3' 61.3 ± .7

SS

FS

(kg per dozen) 2.17 a 1.99a ab 1.93 2.00 abc 1.87ab 1.94 bcd 1.90ab 2.05 ab 1.90ab 2.00 abc ab 1.80cd 1.90 193bcd 1.86ab 2.06 ab 1.78b 1.95ab 1.T761.89 ± .07 1.97 ± .07

a_d

Means within a column with no common superscripts are significantly different (P < .05). SS = vent-sexed; FS = feather-sexed strain of laying hens.

hens from each strain). All the hens were housed in groups of three per cage (30 x 46 cm) and were provided with floor space of about 450 cm2 per bird. Ten cages were fed from one feeder. The experimental diets were fed from 20 wk of age (late August) for 12, 28-day periods. Records of daily egg production were maintained, as well as feed consumption for each 28-day period. Feed and water were provided for ad libitum intake. Egg weights were taken at the end of each 28-day period. Lighting was 14 h/day. Calcium was freely consumed as limestone crumbles. The first 4-wk period was considered an adjustment period and was not included in the analysis for egg production indices. The results were analyzed using the Response Surface Regression procedure of the SAS Institute (1982). The trial periods for response-surface quadratic fits had nonsignificant lack-of-fit tests (P > .05) that were used for response surface plots. The results were also subjected to analysis of variance utilizing the General Linear Models procedure, and significance of treatment differences were determined using least square differences (uses repeated t tests) as described by the SAS Institute (1982). Body weights were taken at 20 and 68 wk of age. Shell and interior quality measurements used were described by Patterson et al. (1988).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Overall, differences in egg production, egg size, or feed conversion from 24 to 68 wk were not significantly different when only strain was considered (Table 2), even though the FS strain averaged 219 eggs compared with 213 for the SS strain. Analysis of the results did, however, show significant (P < .05) strain differences in response to Cho and Met combinations for hen-day egg production (HDP) and feed conversion (kilograms of feed per dozen eggs) for 24 to 68 wk. The FS strain was significantly (P < .05) more responsive to dietary additions of Met and Cho than the SS strain for HDP. Egg production (Table 2) for the SS strain was the highest with the 427 ppm Met and either 220 or 1,280 ppm Cho. The use of 250 ppm Met and no added Cho was not significantly different from the two other combinations. With the FS strain, maximum egg production [75.1 ± 1.7% (SE)] was obtained with the combination of 250 ppm Met and 1,500 ppm Cho. This was not significantly different from a combination of 427 ppm Met and 220 ppm Cho, a combination of 73 and 1,280 ppm, or combinations of 427 and 1,280, or 500 and 750 ppm (Met and Cho, respectively). There were no significant (P < .05) strain differences in egg weight from 24 to 68 wk (Table 2) (61.7 ± .8 versus 61.3 + .7 g for SS and FS strains, respectively). Only the combination of 73 ppm Met and 220

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

(ppm) 750 220 1,280 0 750 1,500 220 1,280 750 x ± SEM

Egg production SS

1274

TSIAGBE ET AL.

sive to Met and Cho additions for egg weight and feed conversion than the SS strain. The HDP from 24 to 44 wk of age was 75.3 ± .5 versus 68.8 ± .4% for the SS and FS strains, respectively (data not shown). This occurred because the SS strain matured more quickly than the FS strain. The FS strain was also more responsive to Met addition for egg production than the SS strain. The regression analysis showed significant (P < .05) Cho by Met interactions for egg weight and kilograms of feed per dozen eggs with the FS strain, but not with the SS strain. This is also evident from the large differences in slopes of the response to Cho with different levels of Met, and also of Met with different levels of Cho (Figure 1). The egg weight and production responses to Cho are in agreement with results of previous work (Daghir et ah, 1960; Griffith et al, 1969; Schexnailder and Griffith, 1973; Tsiagbe et al, 1982). The Met response of hens fed corn and soybean diets is well documented (Welch and Couch, 1955; Keshavarz and Austic, 1985). At 68 wk of age there were no diet- or strain-related differences in body weight. The body weights for the SS and FS strains at 68 wk of age were 1,756 +16 and 1,739 ± 18 g, respectively. The fact that there were significant (P < .05) differences in body weights between the two strains at 20 wk of age (1,356 ± 9 versus 1,327 ± 7 g, for SS and FS strains, respectively), indicates again that the FS strain matured more slowly. At 61 wk of age, no significant dietary or strain differences were observed in internal egg quality measurements. The Haugh unit scores were 92.0 and 93.6 ± 1.4 for the SS and FS strains, respectively. There were also no significant (P > .05) dietary or strain effects on shell strength. Shell deformation value was 1.66 ± .01 mm for both strains at 61 wk of age. In previous work of Daghir and Balloun (1959) and Tsiagbe et al. (1982), Cho supplementation had no effects on internal egg quality or shell strength. These results demonstrate strain differences in the responses of laying hens to supplemental Cho and Met. The poorer laying performance of the rapid-feathering FS strain compared with the SS strain was

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

p p m Cho with the FS strain resulted in a significant reduction in egg size. The combination of 427 ppm Met and 220 ppm Cho resulted in nonsignificantly heavier eggs with this strain. This combination also resulted in one of the highest egg productions. The FS strain consumed significantly (P < .05) more feed from 24 to 68 wk than the SS strain (117 versus 108 g per hen-day, respectively). There were, however, no diet-related differences in feed intake for the two strains. Feed per dozen eggs or conversion, 24 to 68 wk of age (Table 2), was 1.89 ± .07 versus 1.97 ± .07 for the SS and FS strains, respectively. The best feed conversion for the SS strain (1.78 ± .08 kg feed per dozen eggs, 24 to 68 wk of age) was obtained with a combination of 427 p p m added Met and 1,280 ppm added Cho. This feed conversion was not significantly different (P > .05) from any of the combinations of Met and Cho except for no additional Met and 750 ppm Cho with this strain. The Cho-Met combination with the FS strain that gave the best feed conversion (1.77 + .09 kg feed per dozen eggs, 24 to 68 wk of age) was 500 ppm of added Met and 750 ppm of added Cho. This was significantly better (P < .05) than that obtained when hens were fed a combination of 427 p p m of additional Met and 1,280 ppm of Cho (2.06 ± .06 kg feed per dozen eggs) or 250 p p m additional Met and 750 ppm Cho (2.00 ± .06 kg feed per doz eggs) or less of these combinations. The better feed conversion ratio was also achieved with lower levels of added Met (250 ppm) when added Cho was increased to 1,500 ppm or 73 ppm Met used with 1,280 ppm Cho. Mortality in the FS strain was significantly higher than in the SS strain (13.8 versus 7.5% from 24 to 68 wk of age). The higher mortality of the FS strain compared with the SS strain agrees with the finding of Lowe and Garwood (1981). Contour plots of quadratic regression analysis of the data for egg production, egg weight, and feed conversion are shown in Figure 1. These plots facilitate understanding of the interrelationships between Met and Cho for the two strains studied. It is quite apparent from these plots that the FS strain was more respon-

STRAIN DIFFERENCES IN CHOLINE AND METHIONINE RESPONSES

SS STRAIN

-05

%

MET

FS STRAIN

0

FIGURE 1. Response surface plots for performance of two strains of laying hens in response to Cho and Met supplementation. The SS and FS strains refer to vent-sexed and feather-sexed strains, respectively. The HDP, EWT, and FPDE refer to hen-day egg production (24 to 44 wk of age), egg weight (24 to 68 wk of age), and kilograms of feed per dozen eggs (24 to 68 wk of age), respectively; all three responses are shown on the z-axis (perpendicular to y and x axes). The added Met and Cho levels are shown on the traditional y and x axes, respectively.

also shown by Lowe and Garwood (1981). Harris (1984) showed that fast-feathering progeny of slow-feathering dams may be adversely influenced by increased congenital infection of lymphoid leukosis virus from their dams. This infection led to altered immunotolerance with the inability to produce specific lymphoid leukosis virus antibodies, which condition has been associated with depressed egg production. Immunocompetence was not assessed in the current study. The present results demonstrate a higher requirement of Cho and Met for

the FS strain than for the SS strain. It is not unlikely that the multiplication of the virus, a process requiring methyl groups, might be exhausting the dietary Met (which would be required for protein synthesis), and Cho (which would be required for phospholipid synthesis). Presence or absence of lymphoid leukosis was not determined in the current study. The differences in responses of the two strains to Cho and Met have not been reported previously. It appears from these results that Cho can be used to spare part of the Met requirement of the laying hen

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

\-

1275

1276

TSIAGBE ET AL.

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at West Virginia University, Health Science Libraryy on April 15, 2015

Griffith, M. A., J. Olinde, and R. Schexnailder, 1969. Effect of choline, methionine and vitamin B^2 on liver fat, egg production and egg weight in hens. Poultry Sci. 48:2160-2172. Harris, D. L., 1984. Influence of sex-linked feathering phenotypes of parents and progeny upon lymphoid leukosis virus infection status and egg production. Poultry Sci. 63:401-113. Jukes, T. H., J. L. Oleson, and A. C. Dornbush, 1945. Observations on monomethyl-aminoethanol and dimethylaminoethanol in the diet of chicks. J. Nutr. 30:219-223. Keshavarz, K., and R. E. Austic, 1985. An investigation concerning the possibility of replacing supplemental methionine with choline in practical laying rations. Poultry Sci. 64:114-118. Klain, G., and B. C. Johnson, 1961. Metabolism of labeled aminoethanol, glycine, and arginine in the chick. J. Biol. Chem. 237:123-126. Lim, F., and E. D. Schall, 1964. Determination of choline in feeds. J. Assoc. Off. Agric. Chem. 43: 501-503. Lipstein, B., S. Bornstein, and P. Budowski, 1977. Utilization of choline from crude soybean lecithin by chicks. 1. Growth and prevention of perosis. Poultry Sci. 56:331-336. Lowe, P. C, and V. A. Garwood, 1981. Independent effects of K and k+ alleles and maternal origin on mortality and performance of crossbred chickens. Poultry Sci. 60:1123-1126. March, B. E., 1981. Choline supplementation of layer diets containing soybean meal or rapeseed meal as protein supplement. Poultry Sci. 60:818-823. Miles, R. D., N. Ruiz, and R. H. Harms, 1986. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Response of laying hens to choline when fed practical diets devoid of supplemental sulfur The authors thank H & N, Inc., Redamino acids. Poultry Sci. 65:1760-1764. mond, WA 98073 for providing the pullets Moore, S., 1963. On determination of cystine as used in this study. Statistical assistance of cysteic acid. J. Biol. Chem. 238:235-237. O. E. Asiribo of the Statistics Department Nesheim, M. C, M. J. Norvell, E. Ceballos, and R. M. is acknowledged. Leach, 1971. The effect of choline supplementation of diets for growing pullets and laying hens. Poultry Sci. 50:820-831. REFERENCES Parsons, C. M., and R. W. Leeper, 1984. Choline and methionine supplementation of layer diets varyAbbot, O. D., and C. U. Demasters, 1940. Choline in ing in protein content. Poultry Sci. 63:1604-1609. the diet of chickens. J. Nutr. 19:47-55. Patterson, P. H , M. L. Sunde, E. M. Schieber, and W. Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1965. H. White, 1988. Wheat middlings as an alternate Official Methods of Analysis. 10th ed. Associafeedstuff for laying hens. Poultry Sci. 67: tion of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washing1329-1337. ton, DC. SAS Institute, 1982. SAS® Users Guide: Statistics. SAS Box, E. P., W. G. Hunter, and J. S. Hunter, 1978. Institute Inc., Cary, NC. Response surface methods. Pages 510-539 in: Statistics for Experimenters: An Introduction to Schexnailder, R., and M. Griffith, 1973. Liver fat and egg production as influenced by choline and Design, Data Analysis and Model Building. John other nutrients. Poultry Sci. 52:1188-1194. Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. Burns, M. J., and C. J. Ackerman, 1955. Effects of Simonds, S., M. Cohn, J. P. Chandler, and V. du Vigneaud, 1943. The utilization of the methyl dietary choline, methionine, and vitamin B^2 on group of choline in the biological synthesis of weight and composition of eggs. Proc. Soc. Exp. methionine. J. Biol. Chem. 149:519-525. Biol. Med. 89:420-421. Daghir, N. J., and S. L. Balloun, 1959. Egg produc- Tsiagbe, V. K., C. W. Kang, and M. L. Sunde, 1982. The effect of choline supplements in growing tion, egg quality and serum cholesterol levels as pullet and laying hen diets. Poultry Sci. 61: influenced by animal and vegetable fats. Poultry 2060-2064. Sci. 38:1197.(Abstr.) Daghir, N. J., W. W. Marion, and S. L. Balloun, 1960. Welch, B. E., and J. R. Couch, 1955. Homocystine, vitamin B^/ choline and methionine in the Influence of dietary fat and choline on serum nutrition of the laying fowl. Poultry Sci. 34: and egg yolk cholesterol in the laying chicken. 217-222. Poultry Sci. 39:1459-1466.

(i.e v the methyl group requirement). The converse may also be true. During the early phase of the laying period (24 to 44 wk of age) of the SS strain, a high Cho level (1,280 ppm) combined with low Met (73 ppm) resulted in higher egg production than a higher level of Met (250 ppm) alone (79.8 ± 1.3 versus 76.8 + 1.6%). This might be due to a higher Cho requirement during the early phase of the laying period that could not be completely provided by de novo synthesis from Met at that age. It would also appear that the FS strain might have a high Cho requirement, as the highest egg production for the period 24 to 68 wk of age (75.1 ± .7%) was obtained with 1,500 ppm Cho supplement plus 250 ppm Met supplement. However, increasing the Met to 427 p p m and decreasing the Cho to 220 ppm resulted in the same response. These strain differences in the responses of layers to Cho and Met may explain some of the variation in responses observed by various workers to Met and Cho supplementation of laying hen diets.

A feather-sexed strain of laying hens was more responsive to dietary supplements of choline and methionine than a vent-sexed strain.

A response surface design was used to study Cho and Met interactions with corn and soybean diets, using two strains of hens. The strains were a feathe...
1MB Sizes 0 Downloads 0 Views