Nutrition Commons^™

Determination Of Ileal Digestible Phosphorous Values In Various Inorganic Sources Meat And Bone Meal Sources, Jay Hampton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concerns around the economic and environmental consequences of suboptimal or excess dietary P levels in broiler diets has led to increased interest in determining ileal P digestibility values for feed ingredients. Therefore, two experiments (EXP) were conducted to determine the apparent (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of P in various inorganic phosphates and meat and bone meals (MBM) using the direct method. In both EXP 1 and 2, ileal samples were collected at 22 d post-hatch from birds fed semi-purified diets based on dextrose and corn starch containing test ingredients and one N and P free (NPF) diet for …

Evaluation Of Protein Turnover, Lipid Turnover, And Calcium Utilization On Broiler Breeder Performance, Cole Alan Umberson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broiler breeder performance is based upon egg production. Breeders are reared from day of hatch to ovulation with the main goal of controlling body weight. Maintaining body weight in breeders is highly emphasized prior to first egg as to reach optimum peak production feeding increases dramatically to meet energy needs. Energy is supplied to the breeder in three forms carbohydrates (fast energy), protein (medium energy), and fat (slow energy). Carbohydrates are quickly used by the breeders, while protein is constantly being utilized by the breeder for growth and egg production, fat is stored and used lastly as the energy requirements …

Dietary Histidine: Broiler Responsiveness With And Without Endogenous Histidine Reserve Consideration, Kenneth Blake Nelson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past, histidine warranted little concern from poultry nutritionists because it was seldom deficient in practical broiler diets. With most essential amino acids now commercially available as feed-grade forms to partially replace intact protein ingredients, histidine and its minimum in least-cost formulation are receiving fresh attention. Published histidine requirement data for broilers are sparce, and many of these studies have been conducted on males within the first three weeks post-hatch. Moreover, rudimentary dose-response experimental designs may not be applicable to estimate histidine requirements in later growth periods because histidine is uniquely stored within the body. In times of dietary …

Assessment Of Novel Protein Ingredient Arthrospira Platensis (Microalgae) And Soybean Genotype Amino Acid And Oil Selection Improvements On Broiler Performance, Savannah Wells Crafton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of including novel protein ingredient Arthrospira platensis or improved soybean meal in a broiler diet. The first experiment aimed to determine the feeding value of soybean meal produced from varieties of soybeans bred for increased amino acid content (SBAA) improved oil content (SBO) compared to a conventional soybean variety in an ANOVA design fed to Cobb 500 female broilers for 28-42d of age. The SBAA and SBO soybeans contained overall higher amino acid content and lower oligosaccharide content compared to the conventional soybean variety in addition to improved oil quality. The second …

Enhancing Amino Acid Utilization For Broiler Chickens Under Different Scenarios Of Dietary Protein Reduction And Subclinical Coccidiosis, Derrell Trevor Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Five experiments were conducted to evaluate responses of broiler chickens fed diets with different dietary amino acid (AA) levels when fed normal and reduced dietary crude protein (RCP) diets and reared under different coccidiosis control programs. In the studies with the use of RCP diets, the relationship between dietary Gly + Ser and the Met:Cys ratio was investigated. Experiment 1 evaluated broilers in 2 coccidiosis control programs (live vaccine or in-feed zoalene) and fed increased dietary AA derived from soybean meal or unbound sources from 0-40 d. Vaccination impaired young (0-26 d) broiler body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion …

Divergent Selection For Water Conversion Ratio In Broiler Populations, Joseph Hiltz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity is a global reality and with the anticipated population growth, freshwater resources will be further strained to meet both human needs and agriculture applications. To ensure a water sustainable and food secure future, all aspects of agriculture must become more efficient. Two strategies were explored. The potential of improving water efficiency in broilers was examined. The first strategy was to develop a more efficient and accurate method for measuring water consumption/inputs in agriculture. To date, water measuring technology has lacked the necessary sophistication to assure accuracy and repeatability of low flow water usage.

After establishing a low flow …

Effects Of Commercial Feed Additives On Growth Performance And Gut Microbiota Of Nursery Pigs, Xiaoyuan Wei

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To secure animal welfare and maximum production, feed additives are often added to nursery pig diets to increase nutrition digestibility, enhance intestinal health, and prevent or mitigate disease, with the ultimate goal of improving growth performance. This thesis performed a longitudinal analysis using next-generation sequencing to investigate the dynamic changes of gut microbiota in weaned pigs fed commercial feed additives. Chapter II was used to evaluate the effects of organic acid mixture on growth performance and gut microbiota of weaning pigs. This study demonstrated that the inclusion of 0.035% (SBA0.035) or 0.070% (SBA0.070) sodium butyrate in a diet containing 0.5% …

Effects Of Supplementing Crystalline L-Valine And L-Isoleucine And A Novel Threonine Biomass In Reduced Crude Protein Diets Fed To Broilers, Derrell Trevor Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Poultry nutritionists continue to identify methods to lower feed price without compromising broiler growth performance, processing yields, or animal well-being. A common approach is to reduce dietary crude protein (CP), the second most expensive component in a broiler diet. Subsequently, reducing CP will reduce the inclusion levels of intact protein sources (e.g., soybean meal [SBM]), which can be accomplished by supplementing individual amino acids (AA). This methodology not only reduces diet cost, pending if feed-grade AA are more economical, but can contribute to improving broiler health and environmental sustainability. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to evaluate individual feed-grade AA in …

Development Of Arkansas Net Energy Equation, Katie Hilton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The modern broiler is growing at a rapid rate generating tremendous amounts of heat. A sensitive Net Energy (NE) system is needed to measure body heat production (HP) generated primarily by daily maintenance and synthesis and degradation of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein. The first two chapters present evaluation of the classic way to calculate NE versus a new methodology; the Arkansas NE (Ark NE) system, with birds from two genetic lines fed diets with different AA content or different ME content in two different environmental temperatures.

Utilizing together the Net Energy maintenance (NEm), determined from indirect calorimetry, and Net Energy …

Effects Of Dietary Copper, Zinc And Manganese Source And Level On The Acute Inflammatory Response Of Broilers, Chelsea Ellington

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Trace minerals, particularly copper, zinc and manganese, play a role in ensuring optimal immune function. To examine the effects of diets containing different levels and sources of trace minerals on the inflammatory response, Cobb 500 broilers were fed four experimental diets containing 5 mg/kg Cu and 45 mg/kg of Zn and Mn or 10 mg/kg Cu and 90 mg/kg Zn and Mn in either the sulfate or hydroxychloride form. When the broilers were 5 weeks of age, 16 μg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the pulp of growing feathers (GF; 16 GF per chicken; 1 μg LPS per GF). …

Prediction And Evaluation Of Breast Myopathy, Barbara De Almeida Mallmann

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broiler breast myopathies, including woody breast, white striping, and spaghetti breast, negatively impact the industry. Therefore, evaluation, prediction, and frequency of these muscle abnormalities on modern birds are important for decision making. Modern broilers are not highly active and often sit with the breast of the bird resting on the floor. Therefore, the first experiment was to promote bird movement and explore the impact on the breast myopathies. The movement was stimulated by human interaction (walking through pen) and higher light intensity so that birds walked around the pen more often throughout the day. The control group had normal low …

Responsiveness Of Cobb Mv × 700 Broilers To Dietary Amino Acid And Energy Density, Craig William Maynard

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As new broiler crosses are introduced to the industry, it is of paramount importance to understand their nutritional digressions from previous and other modern broilers. In particular, amino acids (AA) and dietary energy have been identified as key drivers of live performance and carcass composition. In addition, increased nutrient density in broiler diets have been linked to an increase in breast muscle myopathies such as white striping and woody breast. Therefore, a series of trials were conducted to determine the responsiveness of live performance, carcass characteristics, and breast muscle myopathies of Cobb MV × 700 broilers to dietary AA and …

Effect Of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Toxins On Growth Performance And The Microbial Community In The Rumen And Feces In Pregnant Ewes, Saleh Alrashedi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fifty pregnant Katahdin ewes grazed pastures with high (HE) and moderate (MI) levels of Neotyphodium coenophialum-infected tall fescue between February 1 and May 24 to determine the impacts of tall fescue toxins on body weight (BW), body condition scores, FAMACHA scores, fecal egg counts (FEC), and serum Cu, Zn, prolactin, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Within those 50 ewes, 15 were selected randomly for fecal and rumen sampling to assess the impacts of HE and MI on the microbiome community. Total bacterial DNA was extracted from rumen and fecal samples, and alpha and beta diversities were used to relate microbiome …

Effect Of Delayed Wrapping And Wrapping Source On Intake And Digestibility Of Alfalfa Silage In Gestating Sheep, Valens Niyigena

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Baling silage with oxygen can result in dry matter deterioration and reduce silage intake by animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of two different wrapping sources and time intervals between baling and wrapping on intake and digestibility of alfalfa silage. The second objective was to assess the correlation of alfalfa silage fermentation parameters with intake and digestibility parameters in gestating sheep. Alfalfa silage was baled in large round bales then wrapped with plastic either with (KURA) or without (SUN) an oxygen-limiting barrier either the day of baling or 1, 2 or 3 d after baling. Beginning in …

The Effect Of Alternative Fertilization And Application Time On Voluntary Intake Of Forages, Jessica Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dairy slurry and poultry litter have increased in popularity as fertilizers in the agriculture industry. However, residual effects of these manures on voluntary intake of forages from subsequent harvests are not well known. The objectives of this two part study were to determine if moisture level of alfalfa silage and the use of dairy slurry as a fertilizer have an effect on intake and digestibility by sheep, and if forage species and the use of poultry litter as a fertilizer have an effect on intake by horses. Eighteen ewes (47.6 ± 5.34 kg) were used in experiment 1 and were …

Novel Biomarkers For Calcium And Phosphorus Metabolism In Breeder Hens And Broilers, Andrew Dick Magnuson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broiler breeder hens are subject to the dual expectation to not only maintain a high production of eggs for an extended time period, but to produce eggs which can support the life of chicks which will be used for either meat production or as parent stock. Egg fertility and hatchability are heavily influenced by the thickness of the egg shell, the mineral calcium carbonate shell of the egg necessary for protecting the embryo growing inside. Many factors affect egg shell quality including age of the hen, diet, environmental conditions, genetic strain, stress, disease, and nutrition. Laying hens will mobilize calcium …

Water Consumption Behavior In Broilers, David Harold Mccreery

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A series of trials were conducted to analyze broiler water consumption behaviors under commercial conditions. The first trial was to quantify the number of broilers drinking at times of peak water demand. Birds were evaluated at time intervals of 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes from the start of the light period to establish the percentage birds having consumed water by that point in time. Significant differences were found by bird age in the 5, 10, and 15 minute intervals, however there were no significant differences in the percentage of birds having consumed water in the 30, 45, …

Evaluation Of Low-Tannin Grain Sorghum In Broiler Chicken Diets, Samantha Aniecia Shelton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of dietary grain sorghum on broiler live performance, carcass yield and shank (leg) and breast skin coloring. Iso-caloric diets were formulated where sorghum replaced corn at rates of 0% (control), 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% for a total of 6 diets. For each of the two trials, 1500 Cobb 500 male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 60 pens with 25 birds per pen (10 pens/diet) and grown to 46 days for the first research trial and 41 days for the second. There were no differences (P>.05) …

Evaluation Of Betaine And Methionine Replacement For Improving Performance And Meat Quality For Broilers Reared Under Higher Temperature Conditions, Malea Graham Frank

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

4,096 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 128 floor pens (32 birds/pen). 2,048 day-old male broilers were placed in the east end of a barn, and the following week 2,048 day-old male broilers were placed in the west end. At each placement day, half of the chicks were Cobb 500 and half were Ross 708, and each pen contained only one breed source. East end birds received coccidiostat in the feed, west end received coccidial vaccine, and each end was under separate environmental control. Eight diets contained two levels of coccidiostat (0, 1 lb./ton), methionine (deficient, adequate), and betaine (0, …

Evaluation Of Phytate And Phytase Interactions And Phytase Phase-Feeding On Bird Performance, Bone Characteristics And Meat Quality In Young Growing Broilers, Chance L. Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two trials were performed using one-day-old male Cobb x Cobb 500 broilers to determine how dietary phytate and phytase levels as well as phytase phase feeding impacted bird performance parameters, tibia characteristics, and malonaldehyde (MDA) content of the liver, breast and thigh tissues. The first experiment consisted of 1,008 birds randomly placed in 48 floor pens within two commercial broiler houses at the Applied Broiler Research Farm (ABRF; 21 birds per pen; 0.76 ft2 per bird). A 2 X 3 factorial design was used with two levels of dietary phytate (0.21 and 0.31 %) and three levels of phytase supplementation …

Effect Of Limit-Fed Co-Product Feedstuffs On Production, Digestion, Fermentation And Rumen Function In Beef Cattle, William Brandon Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In terms of energy density, the cost of shipping hay is often not justified in yr where adverse conditions limit available forage. Our objective was to determine if co-product feedstuffs could be used to meet the energy demands for cows in late pregnancy. Eighty-six crossbred cows (527 ± 0.8 kg BW) in late gestation were stratified by BW, BCS and age and allocated randomly to 1 of 6 groups held on 2-ha dormant bermudagrass pastures for 68 d. Three groups were offered bermudagrass hay ad libitum (HAY) and three groups were offered 6.4 kg of soybean hulls (LSH) daily and …

Response Of Broiler Chickens To Variation In Dietary Nutrient Content, Sarah Diane Goodgame

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rising feed costs, environmental pollution concerns targeted at animal agriculture, a worldwide focus on sustainability and the never ending battle to improve production and efficiency within the poultry industry challenges nutritionists to focus on products to improve nutrient digestibility and decrease feed costs while at the same time maximizing performance. The research presented in this dissertation focuses on improving nutrient utilization of protein sources with protein liberating enzymes currently available commercially. The research also conducted addresses the addition of crystalline amino acids valine and isoleucine and their effect on improving efficiency of broilers.

The first research project compared the efficacy …

Influence Of Nutritional Modifications On Sow, Litter, And Nursery Performance, Benjamin Edward Bass

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two separate series of experiments were conducted to determine: 1) the influence of dietary arginine supplementation in late gestation on reproductive performance, and 2) the impact of a whole yeast product in gestation, lactation, and weaned pig diets on reproductive, growth, and immune parameters.

In the first study 99 sows were provided a control diet, or the control diet supplemented with 1% L-arginine from gestation d 93 to 110. Compared to control-fed sows, no differences were observed in reproductive parameters, however a tendency for increased gestational weight gain was observed for sows provided supplemental arginine.

In a second study, 98 …

Intake, Digestibility, Insitu Disappearance And Ruminal Fermentation Of Bermuda Grass Hay By Lactating Beef Cows Offered Corn Or Hominy Feed As Supplements, Zibani Madzonga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hominy feed, a co-product of dry corn milling, has been evaluated to a limited extent in feedlot and dairy rations, but has not been evaluated as a supplemental energy source for lactating beef cows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of level of hominy feed supplementation on intake, digestibility, in situ DM disappearance, and ruminal fermentation characteristics of medium quality bermudagrass hay. Five ruminally cannulated lactating beef cows (BW = 596 kg, SE = 13.9) were used in an experiment with a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Treatments were low hominy (LH; 0.25% …