A comparison of iron bioassay diets.
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.
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
D006454:Hemoglobins; D013213:Starch; D007501:Iron