Clonal dissemination of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci and comparison of susceptibility testing methods.

One hundred fifty clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis (88 isolates) and Enterococcus faecium (62 isolates) were tested in vitro for their susceptibility to vancomycin and high-level aminoglycosides (HLA). Remel's Synergy Quad Plates (RSQ) were used as the reference method and compared to Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test, Vitek GPS-TA card, MicroScan Panel (GP-6), and Etest. Streptomycin susceptibility results for MicroScan GP-6 and RSQ were recorded at 24 and 48 h and all other methods and antibiotics were read at 24 h or less. When compared with the agar screen method, all of the methods demonstrated > 99% agreement. One isolate was falsely sensitive to gentamicin at 24 h, but resistant at 48 h, when tested on both MicroScan and RSQ agar screen. Thirty-nine isolates showed resistance to vancomycin with all methods. These isolates were from three different local hospitals and were identified as E. faecium. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated that all of the vancomycin-resistant isolates were derived from the same clone. Of interest is the observation that high-level resistance to aminoglycosides varied between the clonally related isolates.

Effect of oral Escherichia coli inoculation on performance of young turkeys.

A strain of Escherichia coli isolated from the yolk sac of stunted turkey poults was administered orally to day-old large white poults. Poults were inoculated with either 0.1 ml of sterile broth or 0.1 ml of a 10(-2) dilution of a 24-hr E. coli culture containing 3.4 x 10(8) viable bacteria per ml. Two levels of dietary protein (28 or 22%) were fed from 1 day to 3 weeks of age. Following E. coli inoculation of 3.4 x 10(5) viable bacteria at day one, body weight gain and feed consumption from 0 to 3 weeks of age were numerically increased 4.5 and 2.1%, respectively, and feed efficiency was significantly increased 2.4%. E. coli had a greater effect on performance of poults fed the 28% protein diet than on poults fed the 22% protein diet. Metabolism studies, conducted from 7 to 10 and from 17 to 20 days postinoculation, showed no significant changes in the measurements of nutrient utilization due to E. coli other than a 17% increase in nitrogen retention from 17 to 20 days by those poults fed the 28% protein diet.

Encephalomalacia associated with hypovitaminosis E in turkey poults.

Four-to-five-week-old turkey poults fed a diet markedly deficient in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) abruptly developed neurologic signs such as tremor, incoordination, and recumbency shortly after being moved to new quarters. Serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in birds on this diet were significantly lower than control values. Associated lesions included recent ischemic necrosis of the cerebellum and spinal cord. The condition closely resembled nutritional encephalomalacia of chicks. This report represents the initial published description of that entity in turkeys.

Bioavailability of phosphorus from various phosphates based on body weight and toe ash measurements.

Two experiments involving 1,152 turkeys were conducted to determine the relative bioavailability of phosphorus of eight phosphates from commercial and experimental sources. The basal diet, composed of 52% dehulled soybean meal and 41% ground yellow corn, contained 1.48% calcium and .44% total phosphorus. Phosphorus from the eight sources was added to the basal diet at levels of .09, .18, or .27% to form 24 diets with a constant calcium content. Each diet was fed to one pen of eight males and eight females from 1 to 4 wk of age in the first experiment and to two pens (one of each sex) of 16 poults/pen from 0 to 4 wk of age in the second experiment. Measurements of percentage ash of the middle toe pooled from all poults within a pen and of average body weight at 4 wk of age provided similar relative phosphorus availability values. With the phosphorus in monocalcium phosphate as the standard set at 100%, phosphorus from two sources of dicalcium phosphate and one source of defluorinated phosphate were found not significantly different in bioavailability (95, 105, and 103%, respectively). Phosphorus in curacao phosphate was only 55% available and in the three experimental defluorinated phosphates, phosphorus was 81, 70, and 87% available. Significant differences in bioavailability between two samples greater than 13 and 18% were found when using toe ash and body weight measurement, respectively.

Alterations in performance and muscle composition of young turkeys in response to dietary amino acid balance.

Two experiments were performed to determine the effects of essential (EAA) and nonessential amino acid (NEAA) supplementation of a 22% protein corn-soybean meal diet on the performance of muscle composition of male Large White turkeys from 7 to 21 days of age. The 22% protein diet was supplemented with DL-methionine (MET) or a combination of MET and L-lysine (LYS) in Experiment 1. Additions in Experiment 2 included MET; and EAA mixture of MET, LYS, L-threonine, and L-valine; and a mixture of NEAA equal to 2% crude protein combined with either the MET or EAA supplement. Controls received a 30% protein diet. Each diet was fed ad libitum to five and four pens of eight poults in Experiment 1 and 2, respectively. Maximum performance was obtained with the 30% protein diet in both experiments. Methionine was confirmed as the first-limiting amino acid in the 22% protein diet. Lysine addition to the MET-supplemented low protein diet adversely affected performance in Experiment 1, suggesting that LYS was not the second most limiting amino acid. The EAA supplement elicited growth equal to the 30% protein diet although feed efficiency remained inferior. Increases in growth and feed efficiency were associated with NEAA addition. Changes in the weights of the pectoralis and gastrocnemius muscles due to diet, albeit directly related to body weight, were independent of muscle composition. The composition of gastrocnemius muscle was relatively insensitive to dietary manipulation. Pectoral ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) concentrations increased with a decrease in dietary protein. Amino acid supplementation reduced DNA concentration without altering muscle RNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biological values of phosphorus from various sources for young turkeys.

Two experiments, each utilizing 540 turkeys, were conducted to determine the biological value of phosphorus from 13 different sources when compared with that from dicalcium phosphate (dihydrate, purified) as a standard. Each phosphorus source was added to a basal diet composed of 44% ground yellow corn and 52% dehulled soybean meal to supply .09, .18, .27, or .45% inorganic phosphorus. Each of 60 diets, which included duplicates of the standard source, was fed to a pen of 9 male poults from 1 day to 3 weeks of age in each experiment. Body weight and toe ash measurements of poults collected at 3 weeks of age were used in nonlinear (exponential) bioassays to obtain relative biological values of phosphorus from various sources. With the dicalcium phosphate standard set at 100%, the average relative biological values of three samples from each of commercial monocalcium phosphate (21% P), dicalcium phosphate (18.5% P), and defluorinated phosphate were 93, 81, and 70%, respectively. Four samples of experimental defluorinated phosphate averaged 75%. Differences of about 5% between values were required for statistical significance, indicating significant differences among these biological values of phosphorus from the various phosphate sources in diets of young turkeys.

Effects of varying fat and protein in diets of growing large white turkeys. 1. Body weights and feed efficiencies.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of varying levels of dietary fat and protein in corn-soybean meal diets on body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed efficiency (gain:feed ratio) of Nicholas Large White male turkeys between 8 and 22 wk of age. Diets containing 0, 5, 10, or 15% added fat from one of three sources and 18, 21, or 24% protein were fed. At 12 and 16 wk of age, protein levels of all diets were decreased by 2%. A total of 917 turkeys in 36 pens was used. Additions of 5, 10, and 15% fat increased body weight gains 3.3, 7.5, and 6.0%, respectively. Feed consumption decreased 1.3% and feed efficiency increased 2.1% for each 1% fat added to the standard and high protein diets. The fat containing 15% free fatty acids and 1.5% moisture, impurities, and unsaponifiables (MIU) decreased feed consumption 1.5% and increased feed efficiency 2.3% for each 1% added fat, and the two fat sources containing 48% free fatty acids and 5% MIU decreased feed consumption 1.2 or 1.1% and increased feed efficiency 2.1 or 2.0% for each 1% added fat. The former fat source was estimated to contain 7.7% more metabolizable energy than the average of the latter two fat sources. Cumulative body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed efficiency decreased 13.2, 5.7, and 8.1%, respectively, from feeding low protein diets in comparison with results of feeding standard and high protein diets. Maximum increases in body weight gains were obtained with 10% added fat at all levels of protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Deficient amino acids in protein of dehulled soybean meal for young turkeys.

Two 12-day experiments were conducted with Large White turkeys to determine which amino acids are deficient in a diet containing dehulled soybean meal as the sole source of protein. A 22% protein basal diet composed of 43.3% glucose monohydrate, 45.4% dehulled soybean meal, .5% DL-methionine, 6% stabilized fat, and added minerals and vitamins served as the negative control. Two positive control diets were formed by substituting either 16.5% dehulled soybean meal or a mixture containing amounts of essential amino acids equivalent to those in the added dehulled soybean meal in place of an equal amount of glucose monohydrate in the basal diet. Nine additional diets were formed by removing one or more amino acids from the mixture. Each of the 12 diets in a block design was fed to two pens of males and two pens of females with 8 birds per pen from 7 to 19 days of age in each experiment. Average body weight gain of poults fed the 22% protein diet with added amino acids approached that of poults fed the 30% protein diet (288 vs. 300 g, respectively). Removal of the amino acid mixture from the 22% protein diet depressed body weight gain by 19.0%. Depressions of 19, 16, 11, 7, and 6% in body weight gains resulted from the removal of valine, threonine, lysine, phenylalanine (or tyrosine or glycine), and isoleucine, respectively. A decrease of 5% was required for significance (P less than or equal to .05). When evaluated by this deletion technique, effects of valine and threonine deficiency were more pronounced than effects of lysine deficiency in dehulled soybean meal for young turkeys.

Methionine and protein requirements of turkeys 8 to 16 weeks of age.

Turkeys of medium size strains were fed nine diets varying in protein and added methionine content from 8 to 12 and from 12 to 16 weeks of age. Four experiments with a 3 X 3 factorial design were conducted for each age period. Changing the protein content from 18 to 21% and from 21 to 24% during the 8- to 12-week period increased body weight gain by 11.2 and 5.1%, respectively. Changing the protein content from 15 to 18% and from 18 to 21% during the 12- to 16-week period increased body weight gains by 16.7 and 5.4%, respectively. Added methionine at the .2 and .4% levels increased body weight gains by 10.3 and 11.7% from 8 to 12 weeks and 3.5 to 2.3% from 12 to 16 weeks, respectively. The total sulfur amino acid requirements of Medium White turkeys during the 8- to 12- and 12- to 16-week periods were about .93 and .75%, respectively. Using data from the current and previous studies (Potter and Shelton, 1979), we calculated multiple regression analyses of percentage increase in body weight gains (Y1 of males or females during 2-week periods from increasing the dietary protein content by 3% on percent protein(X1) in the diet and average age (X2) of the turkeys. From these regressions, the protein requirement of Medium White turkeys is about 30.3% at one day of age and decreases .61 and .78 percentage units per week for males and females, respectively.

Methionine and protein requirements of young turkeys.

Nine experiments involving a total of 3697 turkeys divided into 48 pens per experiment were conducted to determine the methionine or total sulfur amino acid and the protein requirements of Medium White turkeys between 0 and 4 weeks and between 4 and 8 weeks of age. In each experiment, 24 diets varying in protein and methionine content in a 4 X 6 factorial design were fed. Body weight gains were found to be more closely related to the total sulfur amino acid content than to the methionine content of practical type corn-soybean meal diets. For the respective age periods between 0 to 4 and 4 to 8 weeks, the total sulfur amino acid requirements of Medium White turkeys were approximately 1.10 and 1.00% or 3.8 and 3.4 mg per kcal metabolizable energy, and the minimum protein requirements were at least 27% and 24% when diets contained sufficient total amino acids.

Methionine, cystine, sodium sulfate, and Fermacto-500 supplementation of practical-type diets for young turkeys.

Two experiments were conducted using a total of 1,296 poults divided into 144 pens to determine the effects of adding .10% DL-methionine, .10% L-cystine, .50% sodium-sulfate, and .125 or .250% Fermacto -500 to their diets. Large White and Medium White turkeys were raised to 7 and 8 weeks of age in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Each of the 24 diets was fed to one pen of each sex in a 2 X 2 X 2 X 3 factorial design in the first experiment and to two pens of each sex in the second experiment. The basal diet, composed primarily of ground yellow corn and dehulled soybean meal, contained 28% protein, .49% methionine, and .41% cystine. Average body weights at the end of the experiments were increased 3.6% from .10% added DL-methionine, 3.4% from .10% added L-cystine, and 5.3 and 6.0% from .125 and .250% added Fermacto -500, respectively. Although sodium sulfate failed to increase final body weights, 2- and 4-week body weights were increased 3.2 and 2.1%, respectively. Sodium sulfate increased body weights more in the absence of added cystine, indicating a sparing effect of sodium sulfate on cystine. The increases in body weight from methionine and cystine were additive, indicating that the sulfur amino acid requirement is probably in excess of 1.10% and that .51% may be cystine.

Influence of basic and branched chain amino acid interactions on the lysine and valine requirements of young turkeys.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of amino acid interactions on the lysine and valine adequacy of a low protein diet fed to Large White turkeys from 7 to 19 days of age. Corn-soybean meal diets containing 22 and 30% protein served as controls in both experiments. Test diets involved supplementation of the 22% protein diet with several essential amino acid mixtures. Each diet was fed ad libitum to two pens of eight males and two pens of eight females in each of three trials, except that the 22% protein control diet was fed to four and two pens of each sex per trial in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Experiment 1 varied the levels of lysine (0, .60, and 1.20%) and arginine (0, .64, and 1.28%) included in the amino acid mixture. A decrease in supplemental lysine from .60 to 0% reduced weight gain and feed efficiency by 8.6 and 2.4%, respectively. The lysine deficiency was not exacerbated by arginine supplementation up to 179% of the requirement. The effects of altering the leucine (0, .54, and 1.08%) and isoleucine (0 and .4%) contents of the amino acid mixture on the valine requirement were investigated in Experiment 2. Leucine and isoleucine supplementation of diets containing 1.25% valine acted independently to reduce weight gain and feed intake, but the depressions were reversed with the addition of .44% valine. Maximum weight gain and feed efficiency were not achieved with diets containing 1.25% valine and no added leucine or isoleucine, which were indicative of a true valine deficiency in the basal 22% protein diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Protein, methionine, lysine and a fermentation residue as variables in diets of young turkeys.

A study was conducted to determine the effects of adding methionine, lysine and a fermentation residue to practical-type diets containing 24, 27, and 30% protein for young turkeys. A 2 X 2 X 2 X 3 factorial design of variables was used in each of two seven-week experiments. A total of 864 poults were divided into groups such that the 24 diets were each fed to 9 males and 9 females in each experiment. Seven-week body weights were increased 11.4% from 0.1% added DL-methionine and decreased 13.7% from 1.5% added fermentation residue, L-Lysine added at 0.157% failed to increase significantly body weights. Increasing the protein from 24 to 27 and 30% increased seven-week body weights 16.7 and 28.9%, respectively. As dietary protein increased, the increases in body weight from added methionine became smaller, i.e., 16.9, 14.4 and 4.8% in diets containing 24, 27, and 30% protein, respectively. Plots of body weight on (1) amount of methionine and on (2) amount of total sulfur amino acids in the diet show a closer relationship with the latter. The sulfur amino acid requirement of poults to seven weeks of age appears to be at least 1.03%, the highest quantity used in this study. The fermentation residue, a product not currently marketed, remains after the isolation of spectinomycin from controlled fermentation of Streptomyces flavopersicus and contains 14% dry matter. The cause of the depressed growth from the added fermentation residue has been discussed.

Varying fat and protein in diets of growing large white turkeys.

Two series of three consecutive 4-week experiments with a total of 1,370 Large White turkeys between 8 and 20 weeks of age were conducted to determine the effects of varying levels of dietary fat and protein on body weight gain and feed efficiency. Diets containing 0, 5, and 10% added fat and 18, 20, 22, and 24% protein in a 3 X 4 factorial were each fed to a total of three pens of males and three pens of females. At the end of each 4-week period, the turkeys were rerandomized to form 12 new equivalent groups, and similar diets with 2% less protein were fed. As part of this study, two fats, varying in fatty acid composition, were also compared but found not to affect significantly body weight gain or feed efficiency. Interaction effects of fat and protein on body weight gain, feed consumption, or feed efficiency were not significant. Body weight gain increased .5, .6, and 1.1%, feed consumption decreased 1.1, 1.0, and .9%, and feed efficiency increased 1.7, 1.8, and 2.2% for each 1% added fat during the 8 to 12-, 12 to 16-, and 16 to 20-week periods, respectively. The greater-than-expected increase in feed efficiency from added fat to diets of older turkeys is postulated to be due to stimulated feed consumption and body weight gain rather than to an extra caloric content of fat per se.

Relative deficiencies of amino acids and nitrogen per se in low protein diets for young turkeys.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the relative deficiencies of lysine, threonine, valine, and nitrogen per se in a low protein diet composed primarily of corn, soybean meal, and .3% added DL-methionine fed to young turkeys. Diets containing 22, 26, and 30% protein served as controls. A mixture of amino acids (AA) was added to the 22% protein diet. Additional diets were formulated by individually removing lysine, threonine, or valine from the AA mixture and by adding 4% glutamic acid to each to form a 5 X 2 design exclusive of 26 and 30% protein diets. In each experiment, each diet was fed ad libitum to two pens of nine male poults and two pens of nine female poults of a medium body-size variety from 8 to 19 or 20 days of age. Body weight gains and feed consumptions were increased (P less than .001) by supplementing the 22% protein diet with the AA mixture or by increasing the protein level to 26 or 30%. Removal of either lysine, threonine, or valine from the AA mixture produced body weight gains and feed efficiencies smaller (P less than .001) than from the fully supplemented diets but greater (P less than .05) than from the unsupplemented diets. The addition of 4% glutamic acid to the diets failed to improve performance, indicating that nitrogen per se is not the limiting factor for growth. From these results, it is postulated that sulfur AA appear more deficient than either lysine, threonine, or valine in the 22% protein corn-soybean meal diet containing .3% added methionine.

Bioavailability of phosphorus in various phosphate sources using body weight and toe ash as response criteria.

The relative bioavailability values of P from seven sources were determined using male chickens fed a basal corn-soybean meal diet (.40% total P and 1.10% Ca) with varying levels of test and standard phosphates from 0 to 3 wk of age. Each of seven test phosphates was added to the basal diet at .05, .08, .12, .17, .23, and .32% levels. In addition, standard diets were formulated by adding the same levels of P plus .44 and .60% levels from dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (CaHPO4.2H2O) to the same basal diet. Each of the 42 test diets was fed to two pens of 10 chicks each, and each of the standard diets was fed to six pens of 10 chicks each. Three-week body weight gain and percentage ash of dried toe data were fitted with nonlinear (asymptotic and sigmoidal) regression equations, and the ratios of regression coefficients were used to determine the bioavailability of various test phosphates relative to the reference standard. Based on the asymptotic regression equation of body weight gain and on the sigmoidal regression equation of toe ash on the percentage of P added to the diets from the seven phosphate sources, the average relative bioavailability of the P (compared with the standard given a value of 100%) was as follows: Lucaphos-48, 88.4%; Lucaphos-40, 95.1%; Rukana, 83.7%; Cefkaphos-N, 104.8%; phosphoric acid, 93.0%; monocalcium phosphate monohydrate [Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O], 111.8%; and Biophos, 92.0%. A difference of 7.7% units for the average bioavailability of the P was required for significance (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Supplementary inorganic sulfate and methionine for young turkeys.

Two replicated experiments utilizing a total of 864 Large White Turkeys were conducted to determine the effects and possible interactions of supplementary inorganic sulfate and DL-methionine on body weight gain and feed consumption. Experimental diets, in which a corn-soybean meal basal diet was supplemented with inorganic sulfate either in the form of sodium sulfate (0, .0952, and .1904%) or potassium sulfate (0, .1180, and .2360%), and with methionine (0, .05, .10 and .15%) in the place of glucose monohydrate, were fed in a 3 X 2 X 4 experimental design. Each diet was fed to 9 males and 9 females from 1 day to 7 weeks of age. For 0, .05, .10, and .15% added methionine, 7-week body weights were 2020, 2162, 2238, and 2243 g, and feed consumptions were 3346, 3478, 3587, and 3571 g, respectively, producing significant (P less than .001) increases. For 0, .0215, and .0430% added sulfur from sulfates, body weights were 2163, 2167, and 2167 g, and feed consumptions were 3483, 3510, and 3494 g, respectively, but none were significantly different. Interactions were not significant; thus, sulfates did not replace or alter the requirement for added methionine in diets of young turkeys in this study.

Relative lysine potencies of eight analogues in diets of young turkeys.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the biological potencies of eight lysine analogues in diets of young turkeys. Diets containing increasing levels of added L-lysine or a lysine analogue were fed to 9-day-old male poults for periods of 12 or 14 days. Multiple regression analyses of body weight gains on levels of supplemental L-lysine or analogue were computed. Relative potencies of the lysine analogues were calculated using the slope-ratio technique. Relative potencies of 6-N-N-dimethylamino-2-hydroxyhexan-N,N-dimethylamide, 6-N-acetylamino-2-hydroxyhexanamide, 6-N-propionylamino-2-hydroxyhexanamide. 6-N-butyrylamino-2-hydroxyhexanamide, 6-N-methylamino-2-hydroxyhexan-N-methylamide and alpha-keto-epsilon-acetylamino-caproic acid were not significantly different from 0%. Mono-hydroxymethyl-L-lysine-calcium and bis-hydroxymethyl-L-lysine-calcium had relative potencies of 62 +/- 6 and 52 +/- 7%, respectively, on a molar basis.

Amino acid digestibility of dehulled soybean meal by adult turkeys.

Nine adult Large White male turkeys were fed dehulled soybean meal (DSBM) as the sole dietary component to determine the apparent digestibilities of its dry matter and amino acids. Apparent digestibility was determined by the total excreta collection method. Average apparent dry matter digestibility of DSBM was 53.3%. Amino acid contents of the DSBM and excreta for all except the sulfur amino acids were determined after acid hydrolysis. The sulfur amino acid levels were determined after performic acid oxidation and acid hydrolysis. Apparent amino acid digestibility averaged 87%. Glycine and arginine were the least and most efficiently digested amino acids with values of 80% and 93%, respectively.

Response from menhaden fish meal in diets of young turkeys.

Diets involving three or five fish meal treatments and two zinc bacitracin treatments were fed to 5410 poults. The poults were divided into 552 pens and raised to two, three or four weeks of age in five series of 3 X 2 or 5 X 2 factorial experiments. Body weights increased 9.0 to 31.3% from the addition of 5% menhaden fish meal and 5.4 to 11.9% from the addition of 44 ppm bacitracin. No interaction existed between fish meal and bacitracin. Residues derived from either water or petroleum ether extraction of fish meal, when added to diets at levels equivalent to those in 5% fish meal, produced body weight gains nearly equal to those obtained from 5% fish meal. Body weights were not increased by the addition of either water or petroleum soluble extracts or by charred or ashed fish meal. The addition of a mixture of crystalline amino acids, defluorinated phosphate, and fat equivalent to 5% fish meal produced only a 4.4% increase in body weight. An unidentified growth factor which is non-lipid, non-mineral, and non-water soluble appears to be present in menhaden fish meal when added to well foritified po