METABOLSM AND NUTRTON The Utilization of Brewers' Dried Grains in the Diets of Chinese Ringneck Pheasant-Breeder Hens - W. K. PFAFF, 3 R. E. MORENG, and E. W. KffiNHOLZ Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 853 (Received for publication October, 988) ABSTRACT Two trials were conducted, each one using 4 Chinese Ringneck pheasant-breeder hens (Phasianus colchicus torquatus) to determine the effects of feeding various levels of brewers' dried grains (BDG) on egg production, fertility, hatchability, and feed consumption. The birds were subjected to natural daylight. Data were collected for 6 wk of egg production (April through July 3). Each of four diets containing,5,3, or 45% BDG was fed to three pens (9 females and male per pen), beginning wk prior to the onset of lay. The eggs were collected twice daily and were stored at 3 C and were set in incubators every 4 days. The eggs were candled on Day of incubation to determine the number of infertile eggs and dead embryos. The hatch was removed on Day 5. The egg production and fertility from BDG-fed hens did not differ from those of the control hens. The hatchability of fertile eggs was higher (P<) from hens fed diets containing 3 and 45% BDG than from hens fed the control diet. The inclusion of BDG in the diets of pheasant-breeder hens had a favorable influence on the hatchability of eggs. (Key words: brewers' dried grains, pheasant-breeders, egg production, fertility, hatchability) NTRODUCTON The gamebird part of the poultry industry may be considered as a relatively young branch that has gone virtually unnoticed, but one that is rapidly increasing in popularity. The Chinese Ringneck pheasant is one of the most-commonly produced gamebirds, both for food consumption and for sport hunting. Relatively little research has been published dealing with the reproductive performance of pheasants and with reducing the cost of production for these birds under conditions of domestication. mproved reproductive performance has been demonstrated through several techniques. ncreasing egg production, fertihty, and hatchability can lead to more offspring, as can lengthening the breeding season or doubling the cycling of breeders (Woodard and Snyder, 978; Mashaly and Keene, 979; Cain, 979). Previous studies have indicated that storing pheasant eggs beyond 7 days significantly The authors are indebted to Coors Brewery, Golden, Colorado for supplying the brewers' dried grains utilized in these studies. Published with the approval of the Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Present address: Department of Animal Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 45. 49 99 Poultry Science 69:49-495 decreases their hatchability (Woodard and Morzenti, 975). Brewers' dried grains (BDG) have been shown to improve interior egg quality (Eldred et al., 975; Jensen et al, 976; Damron et al., 976; Lopez, 98). High values in terms of Haugh Units indicate an increased viscosity of the albumen. There is a loss in albumen viscosity as the eggs are held before hatching. This loss in viscosity is accompanied by a simultaneous reduction in ovomucin, a chemical protein essential for embryonic growth (North, 984). This relationship indicates that BDG may play a role in increasing or otherwise stabilizing the ovomucin protein, thus supporting higher levels of hatchability. The BDG, a by-product of beer brewing, has improved the reproductive performance of chickens and turkeys. Kienholz and Jones (9) reported increases in fertility and hatchability for chickens and turkeys fed breeder diets containing BDG. Thornton (96) noted an improvement in growth and in egg production for laying hens fed brewers' dried grain. No information was found concerning the effects of feeding BDG to pheasants. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of including various levels of BDG in four diets fed to pheasantbreeder hens on egg production, fertility, and hatchability.
49 PFAFF ET AL. TABLE. Composition of experimental diets for pheasant-breeder hens for Trials and ngredient Ground yellow corn Soybean meal (44% CP) Brewers' dried grains L-lysineHCl Defluorinated phosphate Ground limestone Trace-mineral mix Salt Methionine hydroxy analogue Vitamin premix Total Calculated analysis Fat, % Protein, % Lysine, % Methionine plus cystine, % Calcium, % Phosphorus, % Fiber, % ME, kcal per kg 66. 5. 7...73 8. 6 3,84 59. 6.7 5.. 7.. 37 7 6 3.9 3.7,753 Treatment number 3 - (%) 5 8 3..3 7. 4 7. 5.79 3. 4.9,688 4 45.65 45. 5 7.. 4.9 6 5 3.4 6,63 Trace-mineral mix provided the following per kilogram of diet: Mh, 5 mg; Fe, 5 mg; Zn, 5 mg; Cu, 5 mg;, mg; Co, mg; Se,. mg. Vitamm mix provided the following per kilogram of diet vitamin A,,77 U; vitamin D, 87U; vitamin E, U; vitamin B j,. mg; riboflavin, 7 mg; niacin, 3.6 mg; d-pantothenic acid, 3 mg; choline, 77 mg; menadione dimethyl pyrimidinol bisulfite, mg; folic acid,.7 mg; pyridoxine, 5 mg; thiamine, mg; d-biotin,.3 mg. MATERALS AND METHODS Four diets (Table ) consisting of, 5, 3, and 45% BDG were fed in mash form to Chinese Ringneck pheasant-breeder hens (Phasianus colchicus torquatus): Trial, 8 hens (four treatments by three replicates by 9 hens); Trial, 4 hens (four treatments by three replicates by hens). The trials began wk before the onset of lay. hi Trials and, the breeders were 4 and 38 wk of age, respectively. Natural mating procedures were followed with cock per pen (9 or hens). The birds were housed in floor pens in a pole, shed-type house and were allowed only natural daylight during a 4-mo period (April through July 3). Daily egg production was recorded as well as fertility, hatchability, and feed consumption. The eggs were collected twice daily for 6 wk and were stored large-end-up in plastic flats without turning for to 4 days at C and at 75% relative humidity. At biweekly intervals, the eggs were dry-cleaned and then set in the incubators. 4 The incubator conditions were maintained at 37 C and 5% relative humidity for days. On Day, the eggs were candled to determine the number of infertile eggs and early dead embryos. Then, all eggs with live embryos were transferred to the hatcher. Hatcher conditions were maintained at 36.9 C and 7% relative humidity. All treatments were randomized within setters and hatchers in order to minimize the effects of location within the machine. The eggs were incubated by pen, but were hatched by treatment group. The hatches were removed on Day 5, and % of the unhatched eggs were opened to determine the age at death and the occurrence of malposition. Feed consumption data were gathered at 4-wk intervals, at which time the cocks were rotated within treatment groups in order to minimize the effects of preferential mating. The data were analyzed using the general linear models procedure (SAS nstitute, 985). 4 Model H-A, Robbirus ncubator Co., Denver, CO.
When significant (P<) differences were detected, die means were separated using Tukey's test (Steel and Torrie, 98). BREWERS' DRED GRANS N PHEASANT DETS RESULTS AND DSCUSSON Adding brewers' dried grain to the diets of pheasant-breeder hens had no significant effect on egg production when added at 5, 3, and 45% of the diet (Table ). These results agree with those of Kienholz (9). He found that 4% BDG fed to chicken laying hens did not significantly affect egg production. n the present study, fertility levels were lower for me BDG-fed birds than for the others, with a significant (P<) reduction observed only at the 5% inclusion level in Trial. n Trials and, fertility was the lowest with the birds fed 5% BDG, although not significantly different in Trial. Brewers' dried grains fed at 3% and 45% of the diet significantly improved (P<) the hatchability of fertile eggs in both Trials and (Table ). During the final two hatches, overall hatchability was abnormally low (P<) during both trials; however, birds fed the diets with 3% or 45% BDG performed much better during these stressful periods of hot weather than did the controls (Table 3). The eggs were produced and incubated at the end of the laying cycle, as well as during periods of hot weather. ncubator temperatures ranged slightly higher than normal during these two periods, implicating heat stress as a possible factor causing reduced hatchability. The BDG fed in the diet improved hatchability for hens fed the two higher levels of BDG, yielding the greatest improvements during the late-season stress periods. This improvement in hatchability suggests the possibility of some unknown factors in BDG which may have a strengthening effect on the embryo, allowing it to survive better through stressful periods. To date, no such factors have been isolated, although the presence of an unidentified growth factor has been suggested (Kienholz and Jones, 9). Differences in feed consumption were observed among birds receiving the various levels of BDG in the diets under Trial. The birds fed me two higher levels of BDG consumed more feed (P<) than the control birds (Table ), while maintaining an equivalent consumption of metabolizable energy. Apparently, these birds were consuming more '? t 5? -i! pa -5 SP ON CS (- O -H ts ss! 3 s*..» «««ojl *.*3 "S 8 % 9 g U 5 u 8 i f i t J 3
494 PFAFF ET AL. TABLE 3. Percentage of hatchability for fertile eggs, by treatment and hatch period, Trials and Brewers' dried grains (%) 5 3 45 Trial 45 c 48 bc 57a 54* Hatches to 6 Trial 48 b 53* 54 a 55" Trial Trial 53 54 bc 63 a 6* Hatches to 5 57 b 6 ba 6^ 6 a *Means within the same column with no common superscripts differ (P<). Hatches 7 to 8 Trial 5 c 33 b 4 a 4»b Hatches 6 to 7 Trial 6 c 3bc 39a 37* 3 4 TABLE 4. Feed consumption (, grams per bird per day) and hen-day egg production (, %), by treatment and 4-week time period 6 63 6 63 g 8 76 7 57 Treatment, by time period 5 g 66 75 73 68 6 68 66 3 g c Means within the same column with no common superscripts differ (P<5). feed in an effort to meet their energy demands since those diets were much lower in energy (Table ). Similar observations have been made with other types of poultry fed high-fiber rations (Barrett and Bailey, 97). Feed consumption under the combined treatment was the highest during Period, which was also the period of peak egg production (Table 4). As was apparent, the hens were expending more energy in order to maintain high levels of egg production and, hence, were attempting to meet those demands by consuming more feed. Because of the increase in feed consumption coupled with a simultaneous decrease in egg production for the hens fed BDG, feed efficiency (as measured by the kilograms of feed consumed per dozen eggs produced) was also lowered (Table ). However, due to increased hatchability despite losses in fertility, feed efficiency (as measured by the kilograms of feed per live chicks) was improved for the hens fed 3%-BDG diet. These results were different than those obtained from feeding BDG to chickens and turkeys. Feed consumption was significantly higher (P<) for the BDG-fed birds, as was expected considering the low energy levels of the BDG diets. 56 85 78 7 65 45 g 6 76 7 Mean, by period 6 b 6 cb a 79a.* 75* 65* b The most notable effect of feeding BDG in the diet of pheasant-breeder hens appears to be the increased (P<) hatchability of the eggs obtained from hens fed BDG at 3% and 45% of the diet. Late-season problems with low hatchability may be reversed by adding BDG to the diet. The BDG also appears to be helpful during periods of heat stress. The present study has shown that BDG can be utilized successfully by pheasant-breeder hens to improve reproductive performance. REFERENCES Barrett, M. W., and E. D. Bailey, 97. nfluence of metabolizable energy on condition and reproduction of pheasants. J. Wildl. Manage. 36:-3. Cain, J. R., 979. Key points of commercial pheasant management. Game Bird Bull. :-3. Damron, B. L., A. R. Eldred, and R. H. Harms, 976. An improvement in interior egg quality by the feeding of brewers dried grains. Poultry Sci. 55:365-366. Eldred, A. R., B. L. Damron, and R. H. Harms, 975. Evaluation of dried brewers grains and yeast in laying hen diets containing various sulfur amino acid levels. Poultry Sci. 54:856-86. Jensen, L. S., C. H. Chang, and D. V. Maurice, 976. mprovement in interior egg quality and reduction in liver fat in hens fed brewers dried grains. Poultry Sci.
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