Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T12:25:00.936Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The ability of laying hens to regulate phosphorus intake when offered two feeds containing different levels of phosphorus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

G. R. Barkley
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
H. M. Miller
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
J. M. Forbes*
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
*
*Corresponding author: fax +44 113 3433144, email j.m.forbes@leeds.ac.uk
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The ability of laying hens to adjust their intake of available P (AP) was investigated with a maize–soyabean diet fed to forty-eight individually caged birds in a 2×4 factorial experiment. From 19 to 25 weeks of age (phase 1) twenty-four birds were fed a normal-P (NP) diet (2·2 g AP/kg DM) and twenty-four were fed a low-P (LP) diet (1·1 g AP/kg). LP eggs were lighter (51 v. 54 (sem 1·0) g; P>0·05), providing evidence that the LP diet was deficient in AP. From 25 to 28 weeks of age six hens from each phase 1 treatment were fed either the NP or LP diet alone or a choice of the LP and NP feeds or a choice of the LP feed and a phytase-supplemented (PP) feed (LP diet with 400 microbial phytase units/kg). With a choice of the NP and LP feeds, the hens fed the LP diet in phase 1 ate a smaller proportion of the LP feed (34 (sem 12·0)%) than the hens fed the NP diet in phase 1 (72 (sem 12·0)%; P>0·05), showing that P deficiency influenced subsequent selection for AP, i.e. an appetite for P was demonstrated. In those birds offered the LP and PP feeds, the presence of phytase in one of the two feeds significantly alleviated the effect of P deficiency on egg and body weights. The proportion of the LP diet chosen was not significantly affected by phase 1 treatment; it was not necessary for the hens to eat more than 50% of PP feed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2004

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists Official Methods of Analysis 16th ed Arlington, VAAOAC (1995)Google Scholar
BASF Technical Bulletin on phosphorus nutrition of poultry. Luduigshafen, Germany: BASF Corporation (1994)Google Scholar
Edwards, HM JrDietary 1,25-dihydroxycholcalciferol supplementation increases natural phytate phosphorus utilization in chickens. J Nutr (1993) 123, 567577.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eeckhout, W & DePaepe, MTotal phosphorus, phytate-phosphorus and phytase activity in plant feedstuffs. Anim Feed Sci Technol (1994) 47 1929.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forbes, JMKyriazakis, IFood preferences in farm animals: why don't they always choose wisely? Proc Nutr Soc (1995) 54 429440.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Forbes, JM & Rogers, PJFood selection. Nutr Abst Rev (1994) 64A 10661078.Google Scholar
Forbes, JM & Shariatmadari, FSDiet selection for protein by poultry. World's Poultry Sci J (1994) 50 724.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, FW & Dansky, LMStudies of the energy requirements of chickens 1. The effect of dietary energy level on growth and feed consumption. Poultry Sci (1954) 33,112119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holcombe, DJRoland, DA & Harms, RHThe ability of hens to regulate phosphorus intake when offered diets containing different levels of phosphorus. Poultry Sci (1976 a) 55,308317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holcombe, DJ, Roland, DA & Harms, RHThe ability of hens to regulate protein intake when offered a choice of diets containing different levels of protein. Poultry Sci (1976 b) 55,17311737.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughes, BOAppetites for specific nutrients.In Food Intake Regulation in Poultry [Boorman, KN andFreeman, BM, editors] EdinburghBritish Poultry Science Ltd (1979)Google Scholar
Minitab Minitab for Windows Statistical Software release 12.0 State College PA: Minitab Inc. (1999)Google Scholar
National Research Council Nutrient Requirements of Poultry 8th ed. WashingtonDC National Academy Press (1994)Google Scholar
Nelson, TSShieh, TRWodzinski, RJ &Ware, JHThe availability of phytate phosphorus in soybean meal before and after treatment with a mold phytase Poultry Sci (1968) 47,18421848.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simons, PCM, Versteegh, HAJ, Jongbloed, AW,Kemme, PASlump, PBos, KDWolters, MGEBeudeker, RF & Vershoor, GJImprovement of phosphorus availability by microbial phytase in broilers and pigs Br J Nutr (1990) 64,525540.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, C & Geake, FHStudies on egg shells 15: critical appraisal of various methods of assessing shell thickness J Sci Food Agric (1961) 12,281293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar