Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Evaluation Of Selected Bacteria And Yeast For Probiotic Potential In Poultry Production, Beverly Dixon, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Maureen Nzomo, Sarayu Bhogoju, Samuel Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Performance and efficiency of feed utilization in poultry is highly influenced by gut health, which is dependent on intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements or viable microorganisms that beneficially affect the host animal by improving its gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbial balance. However, their mode of action and suitable GIT environment favoring their colonization of the GIT is obscure. The probiotic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium longum, and Saccharomyces boulardii were evaluated. These microbes were tested in vitro against gastrointestinal conditions for survivability and their ability to attach to the intestinal mucosa. The ability of the microbes to …

Effects Of Lactobacillus Reuteri And Streptomyces Coelicolor On Growth Performance Of Broiler Chickens, Sarayu Bhogoju, Collins N. Khwatenge, Thyneice Taylor-Bowden, Gabriel Oluwamuyiwa Akerele, Boniface M. Kimathi, Joseph Donkor, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

There are well documented complications associated with the continuous use of antibiotics in the poultry industry. Over the past few decades, probiotics have emerged as viable alternatives to antibiotics; however, most of these candidate probiotic microorganisms have not been fully evaluated for their effectiveness as potential probiotics for poultry. Recent evaluation of a metagenome of broiler chickens in our laboratory revealed a prevalence of Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) and Actinobacteria class of bacteria in their gastrointestinal tract. In this study Lactobacillus reuteri and Streptomyces coelicolor (S. coelicolor) were selected as probiotic bacteria, encapsulated, and added into broiler feed at a …

Recent Advances In The Application Of Crispr/Cas9 Gene Editing System In Poultry Species, Collins N. Khwatenge, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

CRISPR/Cas9 system genome editing is revolutionizing genetics research in a wide spectrum of animal models in the genetic era. Among these animals, is the poultry species. CRISPR technology is the newest and most advanced gene-editing tool that allows researchers to modify and alter gene functions for transcriptional regulation, gene targeting, epigenetic modification, gene therapy, and drug delivery in the animal genome. The applicability of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in gene editing and modification of genomes in the avian species is still emerging. Up to date, substantial progress in using CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been made in only two poultry species (chicken and …

Probiotics And Antimicrobial Effect Of Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, And Bifidobacterium Longum Against Common Foodborne Pathogens In Poultry, Joy Igbafe, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Samuel N. Nahashon, Abdullah Ibn Mafiz, Maureen Nzomo

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The probiotic potential and antimicrobial activity of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Bifidobacterium longum were investigated against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes. Selected strains were subjected to different acid levels (pH 2.5–6.0) and bile concentrations (1.0–3.0%). Strains were also evaluated for their antimicrobial activity by agar spot test. The potential probiotic strains tolerated pH 3.5 and above without statistically significant growth reduction. However, at pH 2.5, a significant (p < 0.05) growth reduction occurred after 1 h for L. plantarum (4.32 log CFU/mL) and B. longum (5.71 log CFU/mL). S. cerevisiae maintained steady cell counts for the entire treatment period without a statistically significant (p > 0.05) reduction (0.39 log CFU/mL). The results indicate at 3% bile concertation, 1.86 log CFU/mL reduction was observed for L. plantarum, while S. cerevisiae, and B. longum growth …

Transcriptome Analysis And Expression Of Selected Cationic Amino Acid Transporters In The Liver Of Broiler Chicken Fed Diets With Varying Concentrations Of Lysine, Collins N. Khwatenge, Boniface M. Kimathi, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Amino acids are known to play a key role in gene expression regulation. Amino acid signaling is mediated via two pathways: the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and the amino acid responsive (AAR) pathways. Cationic amino acid transporters (CATs) are crucial in these pathways due to their sensing, signaling and transport functions. The availability of certain amino acids plays a key role in the intake of other amino acids, hence affecting growth in young birds. However, the specific mechanism for regulating lysine transport for growth is not clear. In this study, we analyze the transcriptome profiles and mRNA …

Transcriptome Analyses Of Liver In Newly-Hatched Chicks During The Metabolic Perturbation Of Fasting And Re-Feeding Reveals Thrspa As The Key Lipogenic Transcription Factor, Larry A. Cogburn, Nares Trakooljul, Xiaofei Wang, Laura E. Ellestad, Tom E. Porter

Biology Faculty Research

Background

The fasting-refeeding perturbation has been used extensively to reveal specific genes and metabolic pathways that control energy metabolism in the chicken. Most global transcriptional scans of the fasting-refeeding response in liver have focused on juvenile chickens that were 1, 2 or 4 weeks old. The present study was aimed at the immediate post-hatch period, in which newly-hatched chicks were subjected to fasting for 4, 24 or 48 h, then refed for 4, 24 or 48 h, and compared with a fully-fed control group at each age (D1-D4).

Results

Visual analysis of hepatic gene expression profiles using hierarchical and K-means …

Expression Of Lysine-Mediated Neuropeptide Hormones Controlling Satiety And Appetite In Broiler Chickens, Collins N. Khwatenge, Boniface M. Kimathi, Thyneice Taylor-Bowden, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Lysine is the second most limiting amino acid after methionine and is considered the most limiting amino acid for growth in poultry. Lysine requirement for broiler chickens has changed over the years. Leptin and adiponectin represent 2 adipokines that mediate metabolism by eliciting satiety effects whereas ghrelin peptide hormone influences appetite. We hypothesize that this affects growth performance of chicks. This study evaluates the effect of varying dietary lysine homeostasis on performance of broiler chickens through satiety- and appetite-mediating hormones. In 3 replications, 270 one-day-old chicks were reared for 8 wk feeding on diets comprising 0.85, 1.14, and 1.42% lysine …

Laying Performance Of Pearl Gray Guinea Fowl Hens As Affected By Caging Density, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The caging density required for optimal egg production by various avian species and varieties is highly variable. Even so, little is known of the required cage density for optimum performance of the laying guinea fowl (Numida meleagris). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of varying cage densities on production performance of pearl gray guinea fowl laying hens. In 3 replicates, 270 pearl gray guinea hens [28 wk of age (WOA)] were weighed individually and randomly assigned to laying cages at densities of 1, 2, and 3 birds/cage, equivalent to 1,394, 697, and 465 cm2/bird, respectively. During …

Effect Of Varying Dietary Concentrations Of Lysine On Growth Performance Of The Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl, Sarayu Bhogoju, Samuel N. Nahashon, Joseph Donkor, Boniface M. Kimathi, Dekarra Johnson, Collins N. Khwatenge, Thyneice Taylor-Bowden

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Lysine is the second limiting essential amino acid in poultry nutrition after methionine. Understanding the lysine requirement of poultry is necessary in guiding formulation of least cost diets that effectively meet the nutritional needs of individual birds. The lysine requirement of the Pearl Grey guinea fowl (PGGF) is not known. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the appropriate lysine levels required for optimal growth attributes of the PGGF. In a 12-week study, 512 one-day-old Pearl Grey guinea keets were weighed individually and randomly assigned to electrically heated battery brooders. Each battery contained 12 compartments housing 15 birds …

Effects Of Dietary Metabolizable Energy And Crude Protein Concentrations On Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of French Guinea Broilers, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was undertaken to assess dietary CP and ME concentrations for optimum growth performance and carcass characteristics of French guinea broilers. In a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, 396 1-d-old French guinea keets were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 3,050, 3,100, and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg of diet; each contained 21, 23, and 25% CP, respectively, from 0 to 4 wk of age (WOA). From 5 to 8 WOA, experimental diets had 3,100, 3,150, and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg of diet, and each contained 19, 21, and 23% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 3 times, and …

Growth Characteristics Of Pearl Gray Guinea Fowl As Predicted By The Richards, Gompertz, And Logistic Models, Samuel N. Nahashon, Sammy E. Aggrey, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was undertaken to describe the growth pattern of the pearl gray Guinea fowl. Using BW data from hatch to 22 wk, 3 nonlinear mathematical functions (Richards, Gompertz, and logistic) were used to estimate growth patterns of the pearl gray guinea fowl. The logistic and Gompertz models are a special case of the Richards model, which has a variable point of inflection defined by the shape or growth trajectory parameter, m. The shape parameter m was 1.08 and 0.98 in males and females, respectively, suggesting that the growth pattern of the pearl gray female guinea fowl is Gompertz. The …

Lysine Mediation Of Neuroendocrine Food Regulation In Guinea Fowl, Ashley C. Payne, Xiaofei Wang, Michael T. Ivy, A. Stewart, Kiimya Nelson, Carl E. Darris, Samuel N. Nahashon

Biology Faculty Research

In poultry, obesity is partly influenced by food intake, and is increasingly becoming a nationwide problem. Hypothalamic food intake mechanisms are involved metabolically and neurologically via two peptide hormones, leptin and ghrelin, and the amino acid glutamate, which is enzymatically derived from lysine metabolism. We hypothesize that lysine homeostasis mediates regulation of feed intake and performance characteristics via the brain–liver axis through glutamate sensing. The objective was to examine the effects of lysine homeostasis in avian food regulation and performance through neuroendocrine signaling. One-day-old male French Guinea fowl (GF) keets (n = 270) were weighed and randomly assigned to 5 …

Poultry And Egg Education Project (Peep) Curriculum Resource, Sandria L. Godwin, John Ricketts

Extension Publications

The PEEP Curriculum for youth is one of the major outcomes associated with a USDA-AFRI project to develop a research-based educational program comprised of consumer-focused, impactful messages addressing poultry and egg safety practices. The six peer-reviewed lesson plans and objectives herein were developed directly from the research associated with this project.

The lesson plans are complete with requisite background information, objectives, activities, videos, and evaluation tools. The lessons can be integrated into standing or special 4-H programs related to poultry, STEM, and health and food science. The lessons can also be integrated into school-based agricultural education programs, specifically in pathways …

Transcriptional Profiling Of Liver During The Critical Embryo-To-Hatchling Transition Period In The Chicken (Gallus Gallus), Larry A. Cogburn, Nares Trakooljul, Chuming Chen, Hongzhan Huang, Cathy H. Wu, Wilfrid Carré, Xiaofei Wang, Harold B. White Iii

Biology Faculty Research

Background

Although hatching is perhaps the most abrupt and profound metabolic challenge that a chicken must undergo; there have been no attempts to functionally map the metabolic pathways induced in liver during the embryo-to-hatchling transition. Furthermore, we know very little about the metabolic and regulatory factors that regulate lipid metabolism in late embryos or newly-hatched chicks. In the present study, we examined hepatic transcriptomes of 12 embryos and 12 hatchling chicks during the peri-hatch period—or the metabolic switch from chorioallantoic to pulmonary respiration.

Results

Initial hierarchical clustering revealed two distinct, albeit opposing, patterns of hepatic gene expression. Cluster A genes …

Transcriptional Profiling Of Liver In Riboflavin-Deficient Chicken Embryos Explains Impaired Lipid Utilization, Energy Depletion, Massive Hemorrhaging, And Delayed Feathering, Larry A. Cogburn, Danielle N. Smarsh, Xiaofei Wang, Nares Trakooljul, Wilfrid Carré, Harold B. White Iii

Biology Faculty Research

Background

A strain of Leghorn chickens (rd/rd), unable to produce a functional riboflavin-binding protein, lays riboflavin-deficient eggs, in which all embryos suddenly die at mid-incubation (days 13-15). This malady, caused by riboflavin deficiency, leads to excessive lipid accumulation in liver, impaired β-oxidation of lipid, and severe hypoglycemia prior to death. We have used high-density chicken microarrays for time-course transcriptional scans of liver in chicken embryos between days 9-15 during this riboflavin-deficiency-induced metabolic catastrophe. For comparison, half of rd/rd embryos (n = 16) were rescued from this calamity by injection of riboflavin just prior to incubation of fertile …

A Comparative Analysis Of Microbial Profile Of Guinea Fowl And Chicken Using Metagenomic Approach, Sarayu Bhogoju, Samuel N. Nahashon, Xiaofei Wang, Carl E. Darris, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements that promote growth and health to the host by minimizing non-essential and pathogenic microorganisms in the host’s gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The campaign to minimize excessive use of antibiotics in poultry production has necessitated development of probiotics with broad application in multiple poultry species. Design of such probiotics requires understanding of the diversity or similarity in microbial profiles among avian species of economic importance. Therefore, the objective of this research was to establish and compare the microbial profiles of the GIT of Guinea fowl and chicken and to establish the microbial diversity or similarity between …

Transcriptional Analysis Of Abdominal Fat In Chickens Divergently Selected On Bodyweight At Two Ages Reveals Novel Mechanisms Controlling Adiposity: Validating Visceral Adipose Tissue As A Dynamic Endocrine And Metabolic Organ, Christopher W. Resnyk, Wilfrid Carré, Xiaofei Wang, Tom E. Porter, J. Simon, Elisabeth Le Bihan-Duval, Michel J. Duclos, Sammy E. Aggrey, Larry A. Cogburn

Biology Faculty Research

Background

Decades of intensive genetic selection in the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) have enabled the remarkable rapid growth of today’s broiler (meat-type) chickens. However, this enhanced growth rate was accompanied by several unfavorable traits (i.e., increased visceral fatness, leg weakness, and disorders of metabolism and reproduction). The present descriptive analysis of the abdominal fat transcriptome aimed to identify functional genes and biological pathways that likely contribute to an extreme difference in visceral fatness of divergently selected broiler chickens.

Methods

We used the Del-Mar 14 K Chicken Integrated Systems microarray to take time-course snapshots of global gene transcription …

Avian And Mammalian Facilitative Glucose Transporters, Mary Shannon Byers, Christianna Howard, Xiaofei Wang

Biology Faculty Research

The GLUT members belong to a family of glucose transporter proteins that facilitate glucose transport across the cell membrane. The mammalian GLUT family consists of thirteen members (GLUTs 1–12 and H+-myo-inositol transporter (HMIT)). Humans have a recently duplicated GLUT member, GLUT14. Avians express the majority of GLUT members. The arrangement of multiple GLUTs across all somatic tissues signifies the important role of glucose across all organisms. Defects in glucose transport have been linked to metabolic disorders, insulin resistance and diabetes. Despite the essential importance of these transporters, our knowledge regarding GLUT members in avians is fragmented. It is clear that …

Effect Of Aloe Vera And Vitamin E Supplementation On The Immune Response Of Broilers, Babak Darabighane, Ali Mahdavi, Farzad Mirzaei Aghjehgheshlagh, Abolfazl Zarei, Eleni Kasapidou, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Background: herbs are among the feed supplements under investigation that could replace antibiotics to improve humoral and cellular immune response in birds. Objective: this study evaluated the potential of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) and vitamin E as immunostimulants on humoral and cellular immune responses in broilers. Methods: broilers were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: a negative control (basal diet + with no additive), basal diet + 1% Aloe vera gel in drinking water, and basal diet + 100 mg/Kg vitamin E in the feed. Antibody titers against sheep red blood cells and Newcastle disease virus were used …

Molecular Tools To Support Metabolic And Immune Function Research In The Guinea Fowl (Numida Meleagris), Carl E. Darris, James E. Tyus Ii, Gary Kelley, Alexander J. Ropelewski, Hugh B. Nicholas Jr., Xiaofei Wang, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Background

Guinea fowl (Numidia meleagris) production as an alternative source of meat and poultry has shown potential for economic viability. However, there has been little progress in characterizing the transcriptome of the guinea fowl. In this study RNA-sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly of several Guinea fowl tissues (pancreas, hypothalamus, liver, bone marrow and bursa) which play key roles in regulating feed intake, satiety, and immune function was performed using Illumina’s Hi-Seq 2000.

Results

74 million sequences were generated and assembled into 96,492 contigs using the Trinity software suite. Over 39,000 of these transcripts were found to have …

A Review On Effects Of Aloe Vera As A Feed Additive In Broiler Chicken Diets, Darabighane Babak, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Prohibition of application of antibiotic growth promoters in broiler chicken diets has resulted in increased use of herbs as natural additives in broiler feeds over the recent years. Researchers particularly look for herbs that can affect such parameters as growth performance, immune response, or treatment of certain diseases. Aloe vera is a well-known herb characterized by properties such as anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, wound-healing, anti-oxidant, and anti-diabetic effects. During the past years, attention has shifted toward Aloe vera as a natural additive to broiler diets, and studies have shown that Aloe vera can improve immune response and growth …

Evaluation Of Drug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae In Retail Poultry And Beef, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Emily Rotich, Samuel N. Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

There has been increasing concern on the emergence of multidrug-resistant foodborne pathogens from foods of animal origin, including poultry. The current study aimed to evaluate antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from raw retail chicken/turkey parts (thigh, wings, breast, and ground) and beef meat (ground and chunks) in Middle Tennessee. Resistance of the collected Enterobacteriaceae to a panel of antibiotics was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Retail meats were also assayed for the presence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Two hundred thirty-seven samples representing 95.2% of the total of 249 samples tested were positive for Enterobacteriaceae. The level of contamination …

Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Guinea Fowl Broilers Fed Micronized-Dehulled Pea (Pisum Sativum L.) As A Substitute For Soybean Meal, Vito Laudadio, Samuel N. Nahashon, ‪Vincenzo Tufarelli

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with dehulled-micronized peas (Pisum sativum) in diets of guinea fowl broilers on their growth performance, carcass yields, and fatty acid composition of meat. One hundred forty 1-d-old guinea fowl keets were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments, which were fed from hatch to 12 wk. The birds were fed 2 wheat middling-based diets comprising a control diet, which contained SBM (78 g/kg) and a test diet containing dehulled-micronized peas (180 g/kg) as the main protein source. The substitution of SBM with peas had no adverse effect …

Effect Of Floor Density On Growth Performance Of Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl Replacement Pullets, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Little is known of the optimal floor density for the Pearl Grey (PG) guinea fowl pullet. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of varying floor density on the growth performance of PG guinea fowl pullets. In 3 replicates, 1-d-old guinea keets (n = 786) were weighed individually and randomly assigned to floor pens covered with pine wood shavings at 80, 69, 60, and 53 birds/pen, equivalent to densities of 18, 15.6, 13.6, and 12 birds/m2, respectively. The birds were allowed feeder space of 2.3, 2.7, 3.1, and 3.5 cm/bird, respectively, and water space of 1.2, …

An Initial Map Of Chromosomal Segmental Copy Number Variations In The Chicken, Xiaofei Wang, Samuel N. Nahashon, Tromondae K. Feaster, Ann L. Bohannon-Stewart, Nathaniel Adefope

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Background

Chromosomal segmental copy number variation (CNV) has been recently recognized as a very important source of genetic variability. Some CNV loci involve genes or conserved regulatory elements. Compelling evidence indicates that CNVs impact genome functions. The chicken is a very important farm animal species which has also served as a model for biological and biomedical research for hundreds of years. A map of CNVs in chickens could facilitate the identification of chromosomal regions that segregate for important agricultural and disease phenotypes.

Results

Ninety six CNVs were identified in three lines of chickens (Cornish Rock broiler, Leghorn and Rhode Island …

Gompertz-Laird Model Prediction Of Optimum Utilization Of Crude Protein And Metabolizable Energy By French Guinea Fowl Broilers, Samuel N. Nahashon, Sammy E. Aggrey, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was conducted to assess the influence of dietary CP and ME on growth parameters of the French guinea fowl, a meat-type variety. In a 2 × 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, 297 one-day-old French guinea keets (162 females and 135 males) were randomly assigned to experimental diets comprising 3,050, 3,100, and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg, each containing 21, 23, and 25% CP from hatch to 4 wk of age (WOA), and 3,100, 3150, and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg, each containing 19, 21, and 23% CP at 5 to 8 WOA. Using BW and G:F data from hatch to …

The Effect Of Floor Density On Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of French Guinea Broilers, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, James E. Tyus Ii, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The floor density required for optimal growth performance of different avian species and varieties is highly variable. Little is known of the required floor density for optimum performance of the French guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) broiler. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of varying floor densities on growth performance and carcass characteristics of the French guinea broiler. In 3 replicates, 687 one-day-old French guinea keets were weighed individually and randomly assigned to floor pens covered with pine wood shavings at 69, 60, 53, and 47 birds/pen, equivalent to densities of 15.6, 13.6, 12, and 10.7 birds/m2, …

Prevalence And Antimicrobial Resistance Of Pathogenic Bacteria In Chicken And Guinea Fowl, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Samuel N. Nahashon, Fur-Chi Chen, Nathaniel Adefope

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was conducted to compare the presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter, Salmonella spp., and other enteric bacteria between chickens and guinea fowls. Birds were reared on enclosed concrete floor housing covered with pine wood shavings litter material. Chicken (n = 40) and guinea fowl (n = 40) carcasses, drinking water (10 mL; n = 40), and litter (10 g; n = 40) were aseptically collected randomly from a poultry farm and analyzed within 1 h of collection. Individual pens served as experimental units and were replicated twice. Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and other enterobactericeae were isolated and identified …

Effect Of Varying Concentrations Of Dietary Crude Protein And Metabolizable Energy On Laying Performance Of Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl Hens, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This study was conducted to evaluate optimum dietary concentrations of ME and CP for egg production performance of the Pearl Gray guinea fowl laying hens. In a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, 360 Pearl Gray guinea fowl replacement pullets (22 wk of age) were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 2,800 and 2,900 kcal of ME/kg of diet, each containing 14, 16, and 18% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Experimental birds were raised in laying cages and received 16 h of light throughout the study period. The birds …

Effect Of Varying Metabolizable Energy And Crude Protein Concentrations In Diets Of Pearl Gray Guinea Fowl Pullets. 2. Egg Production Performance, Samuel N. Nahashon, Nathaniel Adefope, Abravi Amenyenu, D. Wright

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The effect of ME and CP concentrations during the growth phase of Pearl Gray guinea fowl pullets on their egg production performance was evaluated. In a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, five hundred forty 1-d-old Pearl Gray guinea keets were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 2,900, 3,000, and 3,100 kcal of ME/kg of diet; each contained 20, 22, and 24% CP, respectively, from 0 to 8 wk of age (WOA). From 9 to 16 WOA, experimental diets had 3,000, 3,100, and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg of diet, and each contained 17, 19, and 21% CP, respectively. At 17 to …