Jerry L. Sell

The effects of delayed access to feed and water on the physical and functional development of the digestive system of young turkeys

Abstract Three experiments were conducted with turkeys to determine the influence of delayed access to feed and water on the development of the digestive system. In all experiments, poults were randomly assigned to three placement times, 6, 30, and 54 h posthatch. Experiments 1, 2, and 3 were terminated when poults were 10, 28, and 14 d old, respectively. In Experiment 1, six poults per treatment were sampled on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10. In Experiment 2, 12 poults per treatment were sampled on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, and 28. The objective of Experiment 3 was to determine the effect of delayed placement on dietary MEn. Delaying access to feed and water for 54 h adversely affected BW through 10, 28, and 14 d of age in Experiments 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < or = 0.01). Delayed access to feed and water for 54 h decreased the absolute weights of the small intestine and pancreas and reduced lengths of the small intestine through 5 d posthatch (P < or = 0.05). The relative weights of the small intestine and proventriculus were reduced by delayed access to nourishment through 4 d posthatch. Poults placed on feed at 54 h posthatch had decreased pancreatic amylase activity (P < or = 0.05) at 3 and 4 d, and trypsin activities were depressed at 3 d posthatch (P < or = 0.05). In Experiment 3, dietary MEn value determined at 4 d of age with poults placed 54 h posthatch was less (P < or = 0.07) than the MEn value obtained with poults placed at 6 h posthatch. A 54-h delay in access to feed and water generally delayed development of the digestive system, impaired nutrient utilization, and reduced BW.

Astrovirus Infection in Hatchling Turkeys: Alterations in Intestinal Maltase Activity

Two experiments were conducted to determine intestinal disaccharidase activity in 1-day-old commercial turkey poults inoculated with astrovirus. Small intestinal samples were collected on days 0.5, 1, 3, and 7 postinoculation (PI) in Expt. 1 and on days 7, 10, and 14 PI in Expt. 2 and evaluated for specific maltase activity (SMA). Astrovirus infection was verified on day 7 PI by immune electron microscopy of intestinal contents. Inoculated poults developed diarrhea and a transient, significant decrease in intestinal SMA. SMA was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in astrovirus-inoculated poults than in control poults throughout the entire small intestine from day 3 through day 7 PI. However, SMA had returned to normal in inoculated poults by day 10 PI and was significantly higher than control values (P < 0.05) in all sections of the small intestine, except in the proximal jejunum, by day 14 PI. Decreased SMA caused by astrovirus infection resulted in disaccharide maldigestion, malabsorption, and subsequent osmotic diarrhea. As astrovirus was cleared from the intestinal tract, SMA was restored and diarrhea was resolved.

Distribution of Mercury and Selenium in Egg Components and Egg-White Proteins

Summary Methylmercuric chloride (Hg) at 20 ppm and sodium selenite (Se) at 8 ppm were fed, separately and in combination, to laying hens. Oral doses of CH3 203HgCl and H2 75SeO3 also were given to all hens. The concentration of 203 Hg and 75 Se in egg white and egg yolk, and the distribution of the radioisotopes among proteins of egg white, were determined. The highest concentrations of 203Hg were observed in egg white. The 8 ppm of dietary Se significantly increased the concentrations of 203 Hg in egg white when compared with a diet containing no added Se. At the same time, the addition of Se to the diet reduced 203 Hg in the egg yolk. 75Se was found primarily in egg yolk, but 20 ppm dietary Hg significantly decreased 75 Se in the egg yolk and increased it in the egg whites. A significant Hg × Se interaction was observed for deposition of 75 Se in egg white. When dietary Hg was fed separately from dietary Se, 75Se deposition was increased in the egg whites. More than 97% of the total 203 Hg in egg white was associated with ovalbumin. Similarly, total Hg was found in greatest quantities in ovalbumin, irrespective of the addition of dietary Hg or Se. The largest proportion of total 75 Se dose and the highest concentration of total Se per unit of protein occurred in globulin, especially when 8 ppm Se were fed. The data illustrate preferential binding of Hg by ovalbumin and of Se by globulin as compared with other major proteins of egg white.

Effects of pelleting diets containing sunflower meal on the performance of broiler chickens

Abstract Three isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 10 or 20% sunflower meal (SF) (32.6% crude protein, 18.4% crude fiber) were given ad libitum in two physical forms, mash or pelleted, to broiler chickens from 1 day to 7 weeks of age. Body weight gain (BG) over the 7-week trial was improved ( P P P P P P P

Long-Segmented Filamentous Organisms Observed in Poults Experimentally Infected with Stunting Syndrome Agent

One-day-old turkeys were inoculated per os with material shown previously to induce stunting syndrome (SS). Weight gain and feed efficiency of inoculated poults from 1 to 13 days of age were impaired (P less than 0.01) compared with uninoculated poults. Examination of the jejunal mucosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of long-segmented filamentous organisms (LSFOs) in poults that had been inoculated with SS. These organisms were not seen in jejuna of uninoculated poults. Further research is needed to characterize LSFOs and to determine their involvement, if any, in the adverse effects associated with SS.

Effects of Dietary Protein and Energy Levels on Weight Gains, Body Composition, and RNA: DNA Ratios of Fingerling Walleyes

Abstract The effects of various levels of dietary energy and protein on the growth rate, body composition, and muscle RNA:DNA ratios of walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum) were studied during a 10-week period. A factorial treatment design was used to provide three levels of dietary metabolizable energy (ME), 3,310, 3,530, and 3,750 kcal ME/kg diet, and four levels of protein, 37, 44, 51, and 58%. Both dietary protein and energy affected weight gain and length change (P < 0.05), but no interaction effects were observed. Maximum weight gain occurred with the 51% protein and 3,530 kcal ME!kg diet. Neither dietary protein nor energy affected the condition factor of the fish. The percentages of body fat, protein, ash, and moisture were affected by dietary protein (P < 0.05), but only body fat and moisture were affected by dietary energy (P < 0.05). The percentage of body fat decreased as dietary protein was increased, but it increased as dietary energy was increased. The percentage of body moisture varied inversel...

Stunting Syndrome in Turkeys. Development of an Experimental Model

Experiments were conducted to establish a stunting syndrome (SS) model to facilitate research on nutritional aspects of enteric disorders of poults. One-day-old turkeys were dosed per os with tryptose phosphate broth (TPB) (controls) or inoculum (inoculated). The inoculum was prepared by homogenizing intestines from 11-day-old commercial poults diagnosed to have SS in TPB (1:0.5 [wt:wt]). Subsequently, intestines from 8-day-old inoculated poults from the previous experiment were used. Inoculation reduced growth (P less than 0.001) and feed consumption (P less than 0.001) at 8 and 14 days of age. In Expts. 1, 2, and 3, gain of inoculated poults was 60.9%, 58.8%, and 52.6% that of controls up to 8 days of age and 77.9%, 76.6%, and 80.9% that of controls from 8 to 15 days of age, respectively. Feed conversion was impaired (P less than 0.001) up to 8 days of age. The activity of maltase and sucrase in the jejunum and of pancreatic enzymes was determined every 2 days up to 13 days of age. Inoculation decreased (P less than 0.001) maltase and sucrase starting at 3 days of age (i.e., maltase activity was 17.45 and 1.70 mumols maltose hydrolyzed/hr.mg protein in control and inoculated poults, respectively). Inoculation had no effect on pancreatic lipase, amylase, or trypsin.

Recent developments in vitamin E nutrition of turkeys

Research and field observations have shown that vitamin E status of poults is often inadequate during the 5 to 21-day posthatching period. Although overt consequences of this inadequacy may not be evident and clear-cut, subtle adverse effects on health and metabolic efficiency are probable. These latter effects can result in uneconomical performance of turkeys. It therefore seems advisable to supplement the first diet (starter or prestarter) of poults with 100 to 150 IU of vitamin E. The cost of doing so will contribute little to the total cost of production and may facilitate more efficient turkey production. In the meantime, other alternatives that may be effective and economical need to be evaluated.

Effect of Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate on Turkey Poult Performance in the Presence and Absence of Stunting Syndrome

This study included a complete factorial arrangement of three dietary levels of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) (0, 50, and 200 g/ton) and two health conditions (none and stunting syndrome [SS]). One-day-old turkeys were dosed per os with tryptose phosphate broth or a supernatant derived from gastrointestinal tracts of poults with SS. Body weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, water intake, and hydration efficiency were determined at 5, 9, 13, 21, and 27 days of age. BMD at 200 g/ton in the feed significantly improved body weight (P < 0.005) of poults with SS at all ages, and it improved feed efficiency (P < 0.05) from 1 to 9 days of age. BMD at 50 and 200 g/ton improved hydration efficiency (P < 0.05) of poults with SS during the first 9 days of life.

Disparate responses of cultured skeletal muscle cells and growing chicks to tripeptide aldehyde protease inhibitors and an in vivo interaction with ethanol

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effects of leupeptin and two leupeptin analogs (calpain inhibitors I and II) on protein turnover in embryonic chick skeletal muscle cell cultures and on growth of chicks. For in vitro studies, inhibitors (70 μg/mL) were added to the medium of cell cultures for 24 hr and proteolysis was determined by measuring the release of natural leucine into medium containing all leucine as [5,5,5- 2 H]leucine. Compared with controls, leupeptin and calpain inhibitors I and II decreased proteolysis 17.0%, 55.4%, and 60.6%, respectively. For in vivo studies, 7-day-old male White Leghorn chicks were given the inhibitors by daily intraperitoneal injection for 7 days. In experiment 1, inhibitors were administered in a 25% ethanol:75% saline carrier at doses of 2.0 or 20.0 mg/kg body weight. Calpain inhibitors I and II had no effect on lean tissue gain or feed efficiency. Leupeptin-injected chicks gained 51.1 ± 2.1 g and control chicks gained 43.2 ± 2.1 g ( P P P