feed disappearance were measured at

three-week intervals.
In a companion study, Noll said
four different batches of poults with
beaks trimmed as described above
were placed in cages instrumented to
obtain intensive feeding data during
8-21 days of age when fed either mash
or crumbles.
According to Noll, by feeding pel-
lets, live weight improved 5.3%, or
0.9 kg (2 lb.), at 18 weeks of age, and
cumulative feed efficiency improved
9.5%. Turkeys fed pellets spent 2.9%
of their time feeding compared to
9.3% for those fed mash, she added.
Beak trimming did not affect the
percentage of time spent feeding,
drinking, preening, standing, walk-
ing or foraging, Noll reported. Beak
trimming also did not affect body-
weight.
Feed efficiency was improved in
beak-trimmed birds compared to the
non-trimmed controls when fed mash
feed only, Noll noted. Higher mortal-
ity to six weeks of age was noted with
the birds that had beaks trimmed by
hot blade compared to non-trimmed
controls.
According to Noll, the greatest
effect of beak trimming was the inci-
dence of damage related to pecking
and the extent of birds that were
removed from the experiment due to
pecking injuries. Removals averaged
19, 7, 11 and 21% for the non-trimmed
controls and poults trimmed by elec-
tric arc, infrared and hot blade meth-
ods, respectively, she reported.
Turkeys beak trimmed by hot blade
10
Feedstuffs, November 6, 2006
A
T this years Minnesota Nutri-
tion Conference, research labo-
ratories from the University of
Minnesotas department of animal sci-
ence presented research updates on
current and ongoing experiments.
Sally Noll discussed research on the
effect beak trimming method and feed
form have on market turkey produc-
tion.
Noll explained that commercial
turkeys undergo beak trimming at the
hatchery prior to placement on the
farm to decrease cannibalism that
may lead to late mortality losses, es-
pecially in tom flocks grown to heavy
weights.
She said a concern with beak trim-
ming is that it may interfere with
normal feeding behavior due to a pain
response.
However, she noted, some limited
research on beak trimming in turkeys
has dealt with hot blade cutting of the
upper beak, a method that has been
associated with blood loss, stress and
early poult mortality.
According to Noll, other beak trim-
ming methods include electric arc
and infrared, a relatively new method.
However, research has not been
conducted to determine if these pro-
cedures are less stressful and how
much influence the beak trimming
process has on behavior, feed intake
and turkey performance, she said.
Noll, along with collaborators H.
Kassube of the University of Minne-
sota, E. Hoerl Leone and I. Estevez of
the University of Maryland and H. Xin
of Iowa State University, conducted a
research project designed to assess
(1) the method of beak trimming and
feed form on early poult performance
and subsequent performance to mar-
ket and (2) the method of beak trim-
ming and interaction with feed form
on feeding behavior of young poults.
Noll reported that 1,600 Large
White male poults were obtained
from a commercial hatchery follow-
ing trimming of beaks via application
of electric arc, hot blade or infrared
along with non-trimmed control.
Within each beak trimming treat-
ment, one-half of the pens received
a crumbled feed (pellets later) while
the other half received the same feed
in mash form, Noll said. Three poults
per pen were randomly selected and
marked as focal birds for behavioral
observations. Each focal bird was
observed once during each of eight
age periods, with the study ending at
18 weeks of age. Turkey weight and
Beak trimming may
not alter turkey growth
Nutrition & Health: Poultry
Research
with
TIM LUNDEEN
exhibited more regrowth of the beak.
Daily feeding behaviors of young
poults were found not to be signifi-
cantly different for the beak trim and
feed form treatments when tested in
the intensive feeding measurement
system, she added.
Noll concluded that these results
indicate that beak trimming did not
negatively affect production perfor-
mance or modify feeding behavior
with the exception of the hot blade
treatment.
Also, she said, beak trimming sub-
stantially reduced the incidence of
pecking damage when regrowth did
not occur.
Commercial market tom turkeys
responded favorably to the feeding
of pellets with increased bodyweight,
most likely as a result of increased
early intake, she added.
Noll added that this research was
supported by the U.S. Poultry & Egg
Assn.
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In 60 seconds
Mycotoxin factbook: Wagenin-
gen Academic Publishers has pub-
lished The Mycotoxin Factbook: Food
& Feed Topics, edited by D. Barug,
D. Bhatnagar, H.P. van Egmond, J.W.
van der Kamp, W.A. van Osenbrug-
gen and A. Visconti. The 384-page
hardbound book is aimed at the latest
developments to combat the mycotoxin
problem and contains peer-reviewed
papers of the third World Mycotoxin
Forum. Ordering information is avail-
able at ww.wageningenacademic.com/
factbook.
AOAC approval: DSM Nutri-
tional Products announced that its DSM
Premi Test, used to detect antimicro-
bial substances and antibiotics in fresh
meat, fish, eggs, animal urine and ani-
mal feed, has been officially approved
by the AOAC for testing bovine meat.
DSM noted that it is working on obtain-
ing AOAC certificates for the test in all
species.
Scours protection: Pfizer
A n i m a l
Health has
i nt roduced
ScourGuard
4KC, the
first scours
vaccine with demonstrated rotavirus G6
and G10 protection. Pfizer noted that the
vaccine adds a critical level of defense
in safeguarding the health of beef and
dairy calves by helping provide strong
protection against both rotavirus G6 and
G10 serotypes, Escherichia coli K99,
coronavirus and Clostridium perfringens
Type C.
Poultry research: The Mid-
west Poultry Consortium (MPC) recently
unveiled a new portion of its web site
devoted specifically to the extension and
outreach of poultry research. In 2001,
MPC established the Midwest Poultry
Research Program to focus on poultry
research priority areas of local need
and issues of regional/national scope.
MPC noted that due to the abundance
of substantial poultry research data from
the program, it was necessary to cre-
ate a venue to make the program more
industry accessible. The new database
is now available at www.mwpoultry.org/
MPRP.html.
Annual report: Alltech, in con-
junction with the University of Kentucky,
has published the first annual report
of the Alltech-University of Kentucky
Nutrition Research Alliance at Cold-
stream Research Farm. This partner-
ship, Alltech said, has resulted in one
doctoral dissertation, four scientific jour-
nal articles, nine scientific posters and
25 scientific abstracts in its first full year
of operation.
Nutritional system: INRA,
Frances agricultural research organi-
zation, has developed INRAPORC, which
integrates current knowledge of nutri-
tion of growing pigs and sows in a
model and software tool. INRA said
the models objective is to evaluate
different nutritional scenarios, and it is
one of the few decision support tools
developed for the nutrition of repro-
ducing sows. The complete version of
INRAPORC can be purchased from INRA
TRANSFERT via its web site at www.
rennes.inra.fr/inraporc.
Feed supplement: Effective
immediately, Novus International Inc.
is raising the price for its ALIMET feed
supplement sold in the U.S. 20 cents/lb.
(44 cents per kilo). Increases in other
countries will be announced locally and
implemented accordingly. Novus will ful-
fill all existing contracts.