A study was conducted to investigate the effect of early dietary restriction of protein and/or energy on the subsequent reproductive ability of the tom. One hundred 8-week old Large White turkey toms (April hatch) were placed at random into four floor pens of 25 each and fed the following diets: group 1, 20.6% protein with 2,4 Mcal. M.E./kg. diet 8-12 weeks, 15.3% protein with 2.68 Mcal. 12-16 weeks, 10.4% protein with 2.85 Mcal. 16-24 weeks; group 2, 20.3% protein with 2.9 Mcal. 8-12 weeks, 14.8% protein with 2.98 Mcal. 12-16 weeks, 9.8% protein with 3.27 Mcal. 16-24 weeks; group 3, 22% protein with 2.4 Mcal. 8-12 weeks, 18.9% protein with 2.57 Mcal. 12-16 weeks, 16.3% protein with 2.81 Mcal. 16-24 weeks; group 4 (control), 22% protein with 2.91 Mcal. 8-12 weeks, 19% protein with 3.03 Mcal. 12-16 weeks, 15.9% protein with 3.17 Mcal. 16-24 weeks. Beginning with the 25th weeks all toms received a 14.3% protein diet with 2.8 Mcal. The restriction of energy significantly reduced the percentage of males producing semen, and the restriction of energy significantly reduced the percentage of males producing semen, and the restriction of energy and both protein and energy significantly depressed semen volume per male in comparison with the average produced by the control males. Other reproductive traits were not affected by early dietary controls.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Selected lipogenic enzyme activities of swine adipose tissue as influenced by genetic phenotype, age, feeding frequency and dietary energy source.

The effects of genetic phenotype (lean or obese), age, feeding frequency (ad-libitum or meal-fed) and dietary energy source (starch or lard) on selected enzymatic indices of lipogenesis in swine adipose tissue were investigated. The obese line maintained greater specific activities for citrate cleavage enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6 phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme compared to the lean line regardless of dietary factors. Dietary lard depressed lipogenic enzyme activity, except that of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, of adipose tissue homogenates in a similar manner in both genetic phenotypes. The enzymatic indices did not indicate that meal-feeding induced hyperlipogenesis can be produced in swine. The genetic phenotype of swine is the preponderant factor regulating lipogenic enzyme activities compared to dietary manipulations.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1976

Persistence of transferable drug resistance in the lactose-fermenting enteric flora of swine following antimicrobial feeding.

Six groups of swine (85 animals) were fed a combination of antimicrobial drugs (sulfamethazine 100 g/ton, chlortetracycline 100 g/ton and penicillin 50 g/ton). After two weeks the antimicronial drugs were removed from the diet of two groups (28 animals). These swine were compared to four groups fed the medicated diet to determine the effect of duration of treatment and degree of animal isolation on the persistence of resistance in lactose-fermenting enteric organisms. The degree of resistance to penicillin, oxytetracycline, dihydrostreptomycin and neomycin as determined by minimum inhibitory concentrations and the incidence of resistant organisms were examined during and after antibiotic feedings. Ninety-two percent or greater of all isolates tested during and after treatment had minimum inhibitory concentrations for oxytetracycline of greater than 100 mug/ml. Thirty-two weeks after cessation of dietary antibiotic, resistance to oxytetracycline and dihydrostreptomycin remained at 100% and 89% respectively. Variation in degree of contact between swine receiving medicated feed and those receiving nonmedicated feed was not sufficient to reduce the incidence of resistance to oxytetracycline or dihydrostreptomycin in all animals. Factors influencing persistence of resistant enteric organisms are discussed. Addition of the antimicrobials to the ration resulted in significantly greater weight gains for treated animals than for the controls but did not alter feed conversion.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1974