Environmental temperature alters the maintenance nitrogen requirement of turkeys

Conference · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5432306

Moran, Jr, E T; Ferket, P R

Small type male breeder turkeys not producing semen and at constant body weight were used to represent the maintenance state. All birds were accustomed to receiving 14 hr of light at 10 lux intensity. Each bird was individually kept in floor pens of ca. 3m/sup 2/ with ad libitum access to water. Plastic cups were sutured over the cloaca to permit attachment of bags for complete collection of excreta. Birds were given ad libitum access to a 14% crude protein standard ration for 4 days, then force-fed a N-free diet for a subsequent 8 days. This feeding regimen was first done at 15.5/sup 0/ then repeated at 26.6/sup 0/ with 10 birds. Voluntary energy consumption approximated 75 kcal/kg BW/day at 15.5/sup 0/ and 50 kcal at 26.6/sup 0/ while N retention/kg BW day approximated 175 mg and 20 mg, respectively. Force feeding the N-free feed to ad libitum energy intake led to -85 mg N/kg BW/day, regardless of temperature. Decreased N retention in the presence of adequate dietary protein when temperature is reduced can be rationized as a reduction in feather synthesis. Feather synthesis when birds are confronted with a N-free feed is presumably fixed to amino acids supplied from tissue turnover.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Guelph, Ontario
• OSTI ID: 5432306
• Report Number(s): CONF-8604222-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Journal Volume: 45:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560205* -- Thermal Effects-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
BIRDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DIET
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FEATHERS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
RETENTION
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
VERTEBRATES
VISIBLE RADIATION
WEIGHT