816
RESEARCH NOTES
Juhn, M., and L. V. Domm, 1930. The relation of determinations in chickens. Poultry Sci. 29: 78-87. Sturkie, P. D., 1968. Avian Physiology, 2nd Edition, gonadal condition to erythrocyte number in fowls. Cornell University Press. Amer. J. Physiol. 94: 656. Newell, G. W., and C. S. Shaffner, 1950. Blood volume
EFFECT OF CALCIUM PROPIONATE ON PERFORMANCE OF LAYING HENS L. S. JENSEN AND C. H. CHANG
Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
ABSTRACT Laying hens kept in individual cages were fed a practical diet supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.8% calcium propionate for a six-week period. Rate of egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and body weight change during the experiment were not significantly affected by any dietary treatments. Liver weight, moisture content and fat content were also not significantly affected by dietary treatments. The results show that the performance of normal hens is not changed by calcium propionate supplementation. POULTRY SCIENCE 55: 816-817,
INTRODUCTION
C
ALCIUM propionate is occasionally included in poultry rations when mycotic problems are indicated or when performance of the flock is below normal. Levels of 0.05 to 0.1% are used. Field reports suggest that feed consumption of laying hens is reduced when they are switched to a feed supplemented with calcium propionate. Animals readily metabolize propionic acid, and ruminant animals absorb and use relatively large quantities of this acid as an energy source. Although there is little propionic acid naturally present in feedstuffs used for poultry rations, some propionic acid and other volatile fatty acids are synthesized in the lower gut of poultry (Shrimpton, 1963). Annison et al. (1968) reported that most of the volatile fatty acids were produced in the ceca of chickens and demonstrated that these were absorbed into the portal blood. Since no volatile fatty acids were observed in the gut of germ-free chickens, the volatile fatty acids were obviously of microbial origin. A search of the literature failed to reveal any reports on experiments conducted to determine the effect of propionic acid or
1976
calcium propionate on the performance of poultry. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine the effect of calcium propionate on the performance of laying hens and on liver fat accumulation. EXPERIMENTAL One hundred and five Single Comb White Leghorn hens approximately 52 weeks of age were housed individually in 25 x 46 cm. cages. The hens were fed in groups of seven and three such groups were fed each of the experimental diets. The composition of the basal diet is shown in Table 1. Levels of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% calcium propionate were fed during the six-week experimental period. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Measurements were made on rate of egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and change in body weight. At the end of the experiment four hens from each group were killed, their livers removed, weighed and liver moisture and fat content determined. Liver fat content was determined on a 4 g. sample of homogenized liver by extraction with chloroform:methanol (2:1) as decribed by Folch et al. (1957).
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet University Library on June 1, 2015
(Received for publication September 22, 1975)
817
RESEARCH NOTES
TABLE 1.—Composition of basal diet
%
Ingredient
69.4 19.1
Corn Soybean meal (49% protein) Alfalfa meal, dehydrated (17% protein) Ground limestone Defluorinated phosphate Sodium chloride Vitamin premix 1 Trace mineral premix 2
2.5 6.7 1.5 0.5 0.2 0.1
Vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. feed: 40001.U. vitamin A, 500 I.C.U. vitamin D 3 , 4 mg. riboflavin, 4 mg. Ca pantothenate, 5 meg. vitamin B 12 , 125 mg. ethoxyquin. 2 Trace mineral premix supplied the following in mg. per kg. feed: 6.0 Mn, 0.4 Co, 25 Fe, 2 Cu, 20 Zn, 1.21. TABLE 2.—Effect
Ca propionate
Egg production
(%)
(%)
0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.8
71.4a 68.6a 68.6a 71.1a 75.8a
of calcium propionate on performance of hens and liver fat accumulation1
Egg weight (g.) 63.9a 63.2a 67.9a 63.3a 63.3a
Feed consumed / hen/ day (g-) 102a 114a 109a 103a 99a
Body weight increase (g-) 13a 46a 18a 56a 15a
Li\ Weight (g.) 49.3a 43.9a 45.7a 46.2a 45.1a
Dry matter
(%) 31.0a 28.9a 29.4a 33.2a 30.7a
Fat (%of DM) 31.5a 24.1a 27.7a 29.4a 25.9a
Fat (g-/ liver) 4.9a 3.1a 3.7a 4.5a 3.6a
•Values within each column with a common letter are not significantly different (P < 0.05). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and body weight change during the experiment were not significantly different among the dietary treatments (Table 2). Although liver weight and percent fat of the liver dry matter averaged less for hens fed diets supplemented with calcium propionate than that for hens fed the basal diet, variability among pens was such that the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Therefore, the addition of
available for modifying disease conditions in the upper part of gastro-intestinal tract. REFERENCES Annison, E. F., K. J. Hill and R. Kenworthy, 1968. Volatile fatty acids in the digestive tract of the fowl. Brit. J. Nutr. 22: 207-216. Folch, J., M. Lees and C. H. S. Stanley, 1957. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissue. J. Biol. Chem. 225: 497-509. Shrimpton, D. H., 1963. Some volatile products of microbial metabolism in the ceaca of the fowl. J. Appl. Bact. 26: i-ii.
MARCH 24-26, 1976. PACIFIC EGG AND POULTRY ASSOCIATION CONVENTION AND EXPOSITION, DISNEYLAND HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 14-17, 1976. SECOND EUROPEAN NUTRITION CONFERENCE, MUNICH, GERMANY
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet University Library on June 1, 2015
1
calcium propionate at levels equivalent to or higher than those used in commercial operations did not improve or adversely affect performance of the laying hens. There was no evidence of disease in the hens and the liver fat content was in the normal range. From the calculations of Annison etal. (1968), it is estimated that the chicken obtains about one gram of propionic acid from microbial synthesis per 24 hour period. This would be a greater intake than that obtained by hens consuming the diet with the highest level of added calcium propionate. Endogenous propionic acid, however, would be absorbed in the lower gut and probably would not be
RESEARCH NOTES
Juhn, M., and L. V. Domm, 1930. The relation of determinations in chickens. Poultry Sci. 29: 78-87. Sturkie, P. D., 1968. Avian Physiology, 2nd Edition, gonadal condition to erythrocyte number in fowls. Cornell University Press. Amer. J. Physiol. 94: 656. Newell, G. W., and C. S. Shaffner, 1950. Blood volume
EFFECT OF CALCIUM PROPIONATE ON PERFORMANCE OF LAYING HENS L. S. JENSEN AND C. H. CHANG
Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
ABSTRACT Laying hens kept in individual cages were fed a practical diet supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.8% calcium propionate for a six-week period. Rate of egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and body weight change during the experiment were not significantly affected by any dietary treatments. Liver weight, moisture content and fat content were also not significantly affected by dietary treatments. The results show that the performance of normal hens is not changed by calcium propionate supplementation. POULTRY SCIENCE 55: 816-817,
INTRODUCTION
C
ALCIUM propionate is occasionally included in poultry rations when mycotic problems are indicated or when performance of the flock is below normal. Levels of 0.05 to 0.1% are used. Field reports suggest that feed consumption of laying hens is reduced when they are switched to a feed supplemented with calcium propionate. Animals readily metabolize propionic acid, and ruminant animals absorb and use relatively large quantities of this acid as an energy source. Although there is little propionic acid naturally present in feedstuffs used for poultry rations, some propionic acid and other volatile fatty acids are synthesized in the lower gut of poultry (Shrimpton, 1963). Annison et al. (1968) reported that most of the volatile fatty acids were produced in the ceca of chickens and demonstrated that these were absorbed into the portal blood. Since no volatile fatty acids were observed in the gut of germ-free chickens, the volatile fatty acids were obviously of microbial origin. A search of the literature failed to reveal any reports on experiments conducted to determine the effect of propionic acid or
1976
calcium propionate on the performance of poultry. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine the effect of calcium propionate on the performance of laying hens and on liver fat accumulation. EXPERIMENTAL One hundred and five Single Comb White Leghorn hens approximately 52 weeks of age were housed individually in 25 x 46 cm. cages. The hens were fed in groups of seven and three such groups were fed each of the experimental diets. The composition of the basal diet is shown in Table 1. Levels of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% calcium propionate were fed during the six-week experimental period. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Measurements were made on rate of egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and change in body weight. At the end of the experiment four hens from each group were killed, their livers removed, weighed and liver moisture and fat content determined. Liver fat content was determined on a 4 g. sample of homogenized liver by extraction with chloroform:methanol (2:1) as decribed by Folch et al. (1957).
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet University Library on June 1, 2015
(Received for publication September 22, 1975)
817
RESEARCH NOTES
TABLE 1.—Composition of basal diet
%
Ingredient
69.4 19.1
Corn Soybean meal (49% protein) Alfalfa meal, dehydrated (17% protein) Ground limestone Defluorinated phosphate Sodium chloride Vitamin premix 1 Trace mineral premix 2
2.5 6.7 1.5 0.5 0.2 0.1
Vitamin premix supplied the following per kg. feed: 40001.U. vitamin A, 500 I.C.U. vitamin D 3 , 4 mg. riboflavin, 4 mg. Ca pantothenate, 5 meg. vitamin B 12 , 125 mg. ethoxyquin. 2 Trace mineral premix supplied the following in mg. per kg. feed: 6.0 Mn, 0.4 Co, 25 Fe, 2 Cu, 20 Zn, 1.21. TABLE 2.—Effect
Ca propionate
Egg production
(%)
(%)
0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.8
71.4a 68.6a 68.6a 71.1a 75.8a
of calcium propionate on performance of hens and liver fat accumulation1
Egg weight (g.) 63.9a 63.2a 67.9a 63.3a 63.3a
Feed consumed / hen/ day (g-) 102a 114a 109a 103a 99a
Body weight increase (g-) 13a 46a 18a 56a 15a
Li\ Weight (g.) 49.3a 43.9a 45.7a 46.2a 45.1a
Dry matter
(%) 31.0a 28.9a 29.4a 33.2a 30.7a
Fat (%of DM) 31.5a 24.1a 27.7a 29.4a 25.9a
Fat (g-/ liver) 4.9a 3.1a 3.7a 4.5a 3.6a
•Values within each column with a common letter are not significantly different (P < 0.05). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Egg production, average egg weight, feed consumption, and body weight change during the experiment were not significantly different among the dietary treatments (Table 2). Although liver weight and percent fat of the liver dry matter averaged less for hens fed diets supplemented with calcium propionate than that for hens fed the basal diet, variability among pens was such that the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Therefore, the addition of
available for modifying disease conditions in the upper part of gastro-intestinal tract. REFERENCES Annison, E. F., K. J. Hill and R. Kenworthy, 1968. Volatile fatty acids in the digestive tract of the fowl. Brit. J. Nutr. 22: 207-216. Folch, J., M. Lees and C. H. S. Stanley, 1957. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissue. J. Biol. Chem. 225: 497-509. Shrimpton, D. H., 1963. Some volatile products of microbial metabolism in the ceaca of the fowl. J. Appl. Bact. 26: i-ii.
MARCH 24-26, 1976. PACIFIC EGG AND POULTRY ASSOCIATION CONVENTION AND EXPOSITION, DISNEYLAND HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 14-17, 1976. SECOND EUROPEAN NUTRITION CONFERENCE, MUNICH, GERMANY
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet University Library on June 1, 2015
1
calcium propionate at levels equivalent to or higher than those used in commercial operations did not improve or adversely affect performance of the laying hens. There was no evidence of disease in the hens and the liver fat content was in the normal range. From the calculations of Annison etal. (1968), it is estimated that the chicken obtains about one gram of propionic acid from microbial synthesis per 24 hour period. This would be a greater intake than that obtained by hens consuming the diet with the highest level of added calcium propionate. Endogenous propionic acid, however, would be absorbed in the lower gut and probably would not be
