title: Reassessment of riboflavin requirement for single comb White Leghorn pullets from 0 to 6 weeks of age fed on maize-soyabean meal diets and its subsequent effect on sexual maturity and egg production.
abstract: 1. Two experiments were conducted using a total of 228 Hyline W-26 1-d-old pullets in each experiment. The purpose of the study was to reassess the riboflavin requirement from 0 to 6 weeks of age (WOA) and its subsequent effect on sexual maturity and egg production using a maize-soybean meal diet. 2. Approximately 10% incidence of curly toe paralysis was observed among birds fed on the diet with no added riboflavin (1.5 mg total riboflavin/kg diet). 3. Applying the non-linear regression model to the body weight gain data at 3 and 6 WOA in both the experiments, it was found that the minimum total riboflavin required to achieve maximum body weight gain for the two age periods was 2.3 and 2.0 mg/kg of the total diet. This is equivalent to 5.0 and 5.7 micrograms riboflavin/g of body weight gain from 0 to 3 and 3 to 6 WOA respectively. 4. Birds fed on the diet containing no added (1.5 mg total/kg) riboflavin laid fewer eggs and had lower body weights at 24 weeks. 5. We conclude that, from 0 to 6 WOA, at least 2.3 mg total riboflavin/kg should be present in the diet to prevent curly toe paralysis, obtain the maximum body weight gain and sustain the subsequent performance at sexual maturity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bootwalla
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Harms
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013025:Glycine max; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D012256:Riboflavin