Effect of feeding graded levels of crude protein on nutrient utilization and feather growth in Lady Amherst's pheasants

Abstract

In order to find out the optimum level of crude protein (CP) in the diet of captive Lady Amherst's pheasants (LAP) on molt, 18 male birds were randomly distributed into three groups of six each in an experiment based on completely randomized block design. The CP content of the diets of birds in groups I, II, and III was 13.4, 16.5, and 19.1%, respectively. Intake and apparent balance of nitrogen increased linearly (P < 0.001) as CP content of the diet increased. Intake and utilization of energy, calcium, and phosphorous were similar among groups. Body mass change and growth rate of feathers were significantly (P < 0.01) lower in group I as compared to groups II and III. There was a positive co-relationship between ME intake and change in body weight (R(2) = 0.89, F = 126.4, P < 0.001). Regression analysis indicates that LAP can maintain body mass when ME supply is 122.2 Kcal/kg BW(0.75)/d. Linear relationships between intake and apparent retention of N, Ca, and P as expressed on mg/kg BW(0.75)/d were all significant. Apparent nitrogen retention, and mean feather growth rate was lower in birds fed diet containing 13.4% CP. Feeding of the diets containing 16.5% CP resulted in improved retention of nitrogen, and mean feather growth rate. Further increase in dietary concentration of CP to 19.1% showed no further improvement. It was concluded that a diet containing 16.5% CP would be optimum for Lady Amherst's pheasants during molt.

Influence of dietary protein on serum metabolites and antioxidant status: A study in Chrysolophus amherstiae

“…This discrepancy could be explained on the basis of facts that in the studies cited above, the magnitude of surplus protein was very high. In contrast, dietary protein was only moderately higher in group III than the predicted requirement of 15.6% [Bajpai et al, ]. This was probably too meager to cause oxidative damage.…”

“…It is imperative to say that the success of such programmes would depend largely on proper nutrition. Apparently, there is no information on the nutrition of this species and there are only few reports on nutrition of exotic pheasants, which mostly pertains to feeding behavior [Sheppard et al, ], intake and utilization of energy, protein and major minerals [Scott et al, ; Woodard et al, ; Sultan et al, ; Bajpai et al, ]. Among the pheasants, Phasianus colchicus , the ring‐necked pheasant is the most widely studied species [Howman, ].…”

Molecular Signaling and Nutritional Regulation in the Context of Poultry Feather Growth and Regeneration

“…Thus, bad feather growth reduces the net profitability of poultry production (Lopez-Coello, 2003;Zeng et al, 2015). However, in the commercial production of poultry, plumage defects often occur, such as feather pecking, molting, and inadequate body coverage (Bajpai et al, 2016;Coton et al, 2019). Therefore, investigating the feather morphogenesis and development, signal transduction pathways, and effective nutrient interventions of poultry is of great economic significance.…”