Vitamin and trace mineral withdrawal effects on broiler breast tissue riboflavin and thiamin content

An investigation was carried out to determine whether a Day 28 to 49 dietary vitamin, trace mineral, and vitamin plus trace mineral premix withdrawal would impact Pectoralis major thiamin or riboflavin concentration in chicks reared under thermoneutral (24 C) and heat-stressed (24 to 35 C) conditions. No significant (P > 0.1) environment by nutrient withdrawal interactions were detected. Heat stress and vitamin withdrawal reduced (P < 0.05) P major thiamin and riboflavin concentration. In contrast, trace mineral withdrawal failed (P> 0.1) to impact either vitamin. In conclusion, results from this study suggest that a 21-d vitamin withdrawal and heat stress exposure have the potential to reduce muscle riboflavin and thiamin concentration.

Effect of sodium bentonite or hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate on growth performance and tibia mineral concentrations in broiler chicks fed nutrient-deficient diets

An experiment was conducted to determine whether sodium bentonite (NaB) or hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCA) would affect growth performance and tibia mineral concentrations in chicks fed nutrient-deficient diets. Two identical trials were conducted; each using 240 5- to 19-d-old broiler chicks (4 replicates of 5 chicks each) in a completely random design. A factorial arrangement of treatments consisted of four types of nutrient deficiencies [nutritionally complete basal (C), macromineral-deficient (-MM), trace mineral- and vitamin-deficient (-TMV), and crude protein-deficient (-CP)], and three types of additive (none, .5% NaB, and .5% HSCA). The -MM and -TMV diets reduced (P < .01), gain, feed intake, and gain:feed. The -CP diet decreased (P < .01) gain and gain:feed but did not affect (P > .10) feed intake. Sodium bentonite increased feed intake (P < .01) of all diets; resulting in an increase in gain (P < .09). Sodium bentonite increased gain:feed in chicks fed the -MM diet but did not affect gain:feed in chicks fed the C, -TMV, or -CP diets (NaBx-MM interaction, P < .02). The -MM and -TMV diets decreased (P < .01) tibia ash, but the -CP diet increased (P < .01) tibia ash. The -MM diet decreased (P < .01) tibia Ca but increased (P < .01) tibia P. Neither NaB nor HSCA affected percentage of tibia ash, Ca, or P. Tibia Zn and Mn concentrations were increased (P < .01) by the -MM diet and decreased (P < .01) by the -TMV diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Vitamin deficiencies in cattle

Deficiencies of vitamins A, D, K, E and thiamin can cause severe limitations in beef production. In particular, vitamin A and E can be common causes of lost profit, secondary to limitations of reproductive and growth potential. Prolonged dry periods will reduce available A and E in pasture forage, as can ensiling and prolonged storage of harvested feedstuffs. Polioencephalomalacia is a thiamin responsive disorder, associated with high concentrate feeding and lush pastures. Antimetabolites, such as amprolium, will cause thiamine deficiency when fed in excess. Recent information has shown improved performance with supplemental beta carotene and niacin. The positive responses in reproductive performance, noted with cattle fed supplemental beta carotene, was independent of vitamin A. Supplementation of vitamins above National Research Council recommendations can be justified. However, proper evaluation of feed and animal status, and documentation of a response to supplementation is necessary before diagnosing deficiencies of specific nutrients.

Influence of vitamin deficiency and level of dietary protein on the incidence of leg problems in broiler chicks

Diets containing either 22 or 30% protein were supplemented with a vitamin mix where one of 11 added vitamins were singly eliminated from the mix. Male, day-old broilers were fed these diets to 3 weeks of age, and weight gains, feed utilization, and leg problems were recorded. In general, the higher protein diet did not result in a greater incidence of leg problems; however, it did alter performance of several of the vitamin-deficient diets as compared to the lower protein diet. Of the 11 vitamins studied only nonsupplementation of riboflavin markedly reduced weight gain and feed utilization during the 3-week feeding period. However, deletions of vitamin D3 and niacin also resulted in reduced performance. Riboflavin deficiency resulted in paralysis in a high percentage of the birds while the niacin-deficient diet gave a high percentage of birds with deformed legs and problems of mobility. The results demonstrate that a high incidence of leg problems may be present in a flock with little or no signs of reduced gain or feed utilization. The data suggest that under practical conditions the elimination of a particular vitamin from a diet for a short period of time would probably have a negligible effect on performance.

Disease, nutrition--interaction

Practical implications of interactions between disease and vitamins in poultry were sought in the readily available literature. The evidence, almost exclusively in chickens, is in accord with that reported in other animals and man,namely 1) dietary vitamin deficiencies can impair body defense mechanisms against disease and 2) occurrence of disease can increase vitamin requirements. Information on viral infections is inadequate and conflicting. Slight indications exist for positive interactions with ascorbic acid and for antagonistic ones with vitamin A. Studies on bacterial diseases involved 7 organisms, 11 vitamins, and 29 observations of which 25 (86%) indicated positive interactions. Those on parasitic infestations involved 9 organisms, 9 vitamins, and 55 observations of which 34 (82%) indicated interactions. The major evidence for interaction between individual vitamins and disease categories was for vitamin A and ascorbic acid in bacterial infections and for vitamins A and K in parasitic infestations. The numbers of confirming studies on individual diseases and vitamins deemed to be reasonably adequate to demonstrate specific interactions were limited to vitamin A in coccidiosis, in ascariasis, and probably in infectious coryza and of vitamin K in coccidiosis. Despite the paucity of specific and quantitative evidence, it appears likely that vitamin levels in chick rations containing generous margins of safety, as referred, should be adequate to meet the increased requirement caused by most diseases. However, when liver reserves of vitamin A are depleted, notably by severe coccidiosis, the effects may be ameliorated and recovery may be aided by additional vitamin A and possibly other fat-soluble vitamins. Decision for such augmentation, selection of formulation, and mode and duration of administration require collaboration of the pathologist and nutritionist familiar with the particular circumstances. It has not been proven that vitamins exert a pharmacodynamic effect or that they will replace the use of appropriate prophylactic or therapeutic drugs. Multidisciplinary research on specific nutrient requirements as affected by specific disease entities is sorely needed.

Nutrition of orphan marsupials

Marsupial milk has been found to be high in fats, protein and ash compared to eutherian milk. The generally low lactose content of marsupial milk and the corresponding low intestinal lactase activity of pouch young marsupials, when considered with the incidence of diarrhoea and the occasional formation of cataracts in orphan kangaroos fed on cow's milk (which has a high lactose content), suggests that a lactose-free milk be fed to orphan marsupials. Of the lactose-free milk substitutes for children now available, it is recommended that Pregestimil, Glucose Nutramigen and particularly CFI be used for very young orphan marsupial herbivores (especially kangaroos), as these are both lactose- and sucrose-free. Isomil, Prosobee and Triglyde, containing sucrose, may be suitable for older kangaroos which are also ingesting solids and brush-tailed possums of all ages. The appropriate natural diet of the orphan marsupial should be available at the time when initial solid food ingestion would occur in the natural state. It is suggested that milk substitute continue to be given until the orphan animal reaches the age where, in the natural state, it would be full independent.