title: A comparison of iron bioassay diets.
abstract: Two broiler chick experiments wer conducted to evaluate four basal diets for iron bioassay suitability. The test basal diets, identified according to their principal ingredients and iron content, were: (1) starch-skim milk - 15 p.p.m., (2) degerminated corn-skin milk - 18 p.p.m. (3) degermianted corn-fish meal-isolated soy - 45 p.p.m., and (4) degermianted corn-fish meal-dehulled soy - 59p.p.m. Significant differences between an iron source with known low availability (ferric oxide) and a highly available iron source (ferrous sulfate) were not detected with the degerminated corn-fish meal-isolated soy or the degerminated corn-fish meal-dehulled soy diets. Likewise, there were no significant differences found between supplemental iron levels, 10 and 20 p.p.m. The corn-skim milk and starch-skim milk diets were both found to be satisfactory for iron bioassays. However, the sample size needed to estimate the population mean was almost twice as great for the starch-skim milk fed groups, than was needed for the corn-skim milk fed groups which indicates the corn-skim milk diet obtained greater sensitivity in testing iron sources and levels. Mortality was excessively high in the starch-skim milk fed group. Ferrous sulfate was superior to ferric oxide as a source of iron.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D005396:Fish Products; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D013025:Glycine max; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D013213:Starch; D007501:Iron