Comparison of Broiler Performance When Fed Diets Containing Grain from Second-Generation Insect-Protected and Glyphosate-Tolerant, Conventional Control

or Commercial Reference Corn

M. Taylor,*1 G. Hartnell,* M. Nemeth,* D. Lucas,* and S. Davis
*Monsanto Co., Product Safety Center, Creve Coeur, MO 63167; and Colorado Quality Research, Wellington, CO 80549 ABSTRACT Two 42-d oor pen studies were conducted to compare broiler (Ross Ross 308) performance and carcass measurements when broilers were fed diets containing grain from either second-generation lepidopteran insect-protected corn (MON 89034; study 1) or secondgeneration lepidopteran combined with second-generation corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017; study 2) with those of diets containing corn grain from the conventional control and 4 conventional corn hybrids. In both studies, broilers were fed starter diets (approximately 55%, wt/wt, corn grain) from d 0 to 21 and grower-nisher diets (approximately 59%, wt/wt, corn grain) from d 21 to 42. Each study used a randomized complete block design with 6 dietary treatments assigned randomly within 5 blocks of 12 pens each (6 male and 6 female) and 10 pens per treatment group (5 male and 5 female). In study 1 (MON 89034), no treatment differences were detected among dietary treatments for feed intake, weight gain, or any measured carcass parameter. A signicant difference was noted for adjusted feed conversion between MON 89034 and control birds; however, no differences were detected in individual treatment comparisons between the MON 89034 and 3 of the 4 commercial corn diets. In study 2 (MON 89034 MON 88017), no treatment differences were observed for feed intake and most carcass parameters. When signicant treatment differences were detected, no differences were observed between MON 89034 MON 88017, its control, and 2 or more of the commercial corn diets. In each study, comparison of all parameters measured showed no differences between birds fed the test diet and the population of birds fed the control and 4 commercial corn diets. In conclusion, the test diets were nutritionally equivalent to diets containing the control and corn grain from commercial hybrids.

Key words: broiler performance, genetically modied, carcass 2007 Poultry Science 86:19721979

INTRODUCTION
A second-generation lepidopteran insect-protected corn (MON 89034) provides enhanced benets for controlling a wider spectrum of lepidopteran pests. By producing efcacious levels of 2 insecticidal proteins, Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2, MON 89034 increases the durability of the product against the primary lepidopteran pests of corn. In addition, the individual proteins extend the spectrum of control against lepidopteran insects commonly present in corn elds. Specically, the Cry1A.105 protein provides increased activity against the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon). The Cry2Ab2 protein provides improved control from damage caused by corn earworm. MON 89034 has also been combined with MON 88017 to produce MON 89034 MON 88017 corn by

2007 Poultry Science Association Inc. Received January 26, 2007. Accepted April 26, 2007. 1 Corresponding author: mary.l.taylor@monsanto.com

traditional breeding of the individual traits. MON 88017 expresses a variant of the Cry3Bb1 protein isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis that provides protection from feeding damage by the coleopteran pest corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) and a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase protein from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4 (CP4 EPSPS), which confers tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides (Monsanto, St. Louis, MO). Previously, researchers have reported no biologically relevant differences in performance, carcass, and meat quality parameters in studies in which poultry were fed diets containing insect-protected corn, herbicide-tolerant corn, or both as compared with conventional corn (Flachowsky et al., 2005; Taylor et al., 2005). Broiler studies are the model of choice in detecting any unexpected performance or health change because their rapid weight gain makes them sensitive to small nutrient or antinutrient changes in the diet. Two experiments were conducted to compare the nutritional value of genetically modied MON 89034 corn. Study 1 evaluated MON 89034 alone, and study 2 evaluated MON 89034 in combination with MON 88017. Both studies were con-

1972

PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS FED GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN

Table 1. Proximate (%) and amino acid (mg/g) composition of insect-protected corn (MON 89034), corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017), control corn, and conventional reference corn (Asgrow RX690, Asgrow RX772, DKC 60-15, DKC 57-01) Analyzed composition (as-is basis) CP Crude fat Moisture Carbohydrates2 Crude ber Aspartic acid Thr Ser Glutamic acid Pro Gly Ala Cys Val Met Ile Leu Tyr Phe His Lys Arg Trp
1 2 1

1973

Study 1 MON 89034 7.68 3.00 7.75 80.4 2.52 5.14 2.61 3.95 14.5 7.04 3.13 5.71 1.73 3.71 1.66 2.73 9.39 2.59 3.78 2.45 2.65 3.61 0.51 Control 7.84 3.12 8.58 79.3 2.31 5.22 2.71 4.10 14.7 7.11 3.18 5.84 1.67 3.76 1.54 2.75 9.69 2.98 3.91 2.43 2.61 3.79 0.54

Study 2 MON 89034 MON 88017 6.26 2.73 10.4 79.5 2.85 4.55 2.08 3.34 10.8 5.31 2.77 4.71 1.46 3.11 1.44 2.19 6.87 2.05 2.86 1.94 2.47 3.12 0.47 Control 6.53 2.50 9.79 80.0 2.99 4.74 2.14 3.63 11.8 5.78 2.85 5.08 1.42 3.24 1.36 2.29 7.54 2.42 3.15 2.02 2.53 3.36 0.43 Asgrow RX690 8.47 3.21 7.19 79.9 2.46 5.59 2.74 4.32 15.7 7.34 3.31 6.34 1.67 3.90 1.40 2.93 10.3 3.04 4.09 2.46 2.65 4.02 0.52

Studies 1 and 2 Asgrow RX772 7.07 2.97 7.70 81.1 1.84 5.00 2.55 3.79 13.8 6.79 2.99 5.45 1.62 3.54 1.56 2.61 9.11 2.82 3.62 2.35 2.37 3.30 0.47 DKC 60-15 7.26 2.66 12.2 76.4 3.05 4.84 2.47 3.48 12.6 6.53 2.87 5.16 1.42 3.61 1.34 2.57 8.43 2.48 3.51 2.28 2.44 3.25 0.41 DKC 57-01 8.06 3.00 12.1 75.4 2.89 5.39 2.70 3.83 14.3 6.94 3.12 5.88 1.54 3.85 1.54 2.81 9.53 2.82 3.87 2.38 2.66 3.51 0.49

Single analyses per sample conducted at Covance Laboratories (Madison, WI). Carbohydrates were calculated, not analyzed.

Table 2. Ingredient composition of diets containing insect-protected corn (MON 89034), corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017), control corn, and conventional reference corn (Asgrow RX690, Asgrow RX772, DKC 60-15, DKC 57-01) Ingredient (%, as-is basis) Starter diet (021 d) Corn Dehulled soybean meal Soybean oil Deuorinated phosphate Limestone Sodium chloride DL-Met Choline chloride, 60% Trace minerals1 Vitamins2 Sacox3 (coccidiostat) Grower-nisher diet (2142 d) Corn Dehulled soybean meal Soybean oil Deuorinated phosphate Limestone Sodium chloride DL-Met Choline chloride, 60% Trace minerals1 Vitamins2 Sacox3 (coccidiostat) Study 1 MON 89034 55.09 37.80 3.70 1.80 0.70 0.29 0.23 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.57 33.50 3.75 1.70 0.60 0.31 0.23 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 Control 55.53 37.35 3.65 1.80 0.75 0.29 0.24 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.46 33.50 3.80 1.70 0.65 0.31 0.24 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 Study 2 MON 89034 MON 88017 54.79 37.95 3.80 1.85 0.70 0.28 0.24 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 58.46 34.30 4.00 1.75 0.60 0.30 0.25 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 Control 54.93 37.80 3.75 1.90 0.70 0.28 0.25 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 58.65 34.10 3.95 1.80 0.60 0.30 0.26 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 Asgrow RX690 55.37 37.40 3.70 1.85 0.75 0.29 0.25 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.45 33.50 3.80 1.70 0.65 0.31 0.25 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 Studies 1 and 2 Asgrow RX772 54.69 38.05 3.80 1.85 0.70 0.29 0.23 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.46 33.50 3.80 1.75 0.60 0.30 0.25 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 DKC 60-15 54.92 37.85 3.75 1.80 0.75 0.29 0.25 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.39 33.50 3.80 1.70 0.70 0.31 0.26 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04 DKC 57-01 55.92 37.00 3.60 1.80 0.75 0.29 0.24 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.04 59.41 33.50 3.80 1.70 0.70 0.31 0.24 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.04

1 Trace mineral premix (SEM Minerals, Quincy, IL) contained 5 to 6% Ca and provided the following, in milligrams per kilogram of diet: Mn, 120; Zn, 100; Fe, 40; Cu, 10; I, 1.4; Se, 0.3; and Mg, 26. 2 Vitamin premix (Roche Vitamins Inc., Parsippany, NJ) provided the following, per kilogram of diet: vitamin A, 9,350 IU from all trans-retinyl acetate; cholecalciferol D3, 3,025 IU; vitamin E, 27.5 IU from DL--tocopherol; vitamin B12, 13.75 g; riboavin, 7.7 mg; niacin, 49.5 mg; pantothenic acid, 12.1 mg; menadione, 1.925 mg; folic acid, 0.99 mg; ethoxyquin, 77 mg; biotin, 0.088 mg; thiamine, 1.925 mg; and pyridoxine, 3.08 mg. 3 Sacox was supplied by Intervet Inc. (Millsboro, DE).

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Table 3. Nutrient composition of diets containing insect-protected corn (MON 89034), corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017), control corn, and conventional reference corn (Asgrow RX690, Asgrow RX772, DKC 60-15, DKC 57-01) Study 2 Analyzed composition1 (as-is basis) Starter diet (021 d) ME (kcal/kg)2 CP (%) Crude fat (%) Moisture (%) Arg (%) Lys (%) Met (%) Cys (%) Trp (%) Thr (%) Val (%) Ca (%) P (%) Grower-nisher diet (2142 d) ME2 (kcal/kg) CP (%) Crude fat (%) Moisture (%) Arg (%) Lys (%) Met (%) Cys (%) Trp (%) Thr (%) Val (%) Ca (%) P (%)
1 2

Study 1 MON 89034 3,079 22.8 5.9 10.8 1.52 1.34 0.57 0.40 0.30 0.83 1.13 0.81 0.70 3,134 20.1 6.1 10.3 1.29 1.14 0.51 0.34 0.26 0.71 1.01 0.79 0.66 Control 3,080 22.7 6.1 12.5 1.54 1.36 0.56 0.39 0.30 0.84 1.16 0.76 0.65 3,135 20.8 6.4 12.7 1.33 1.16 0.57 0.35 0.24 0.75 0.99 0.80 0.66

MON 89034 MON 88017 3,082 22.3 5.6 12.4 1.50 1.34 0.57 0.34 0.31 0.80 1.12 0.78 0.66 3,137 19.5 5.8 11.7 1.33 1.18 0.55 0.33 0.28 0.71 1.01 0.82 0.68

Studies 1 and 2 Control 3,079 21.8 5.6 11.4 1.49 1.33 0.56 0.36 0.32 0.82 1.09 0.81 0.69 3,135 19.8 6.1 11.4 1.31 1.17 0.58 0.34 0.28 0.72 0.99 0.81 0.68 Asgrow RX690 3,080 22.8 5.9 11.2 1.54 1.33 0.60 0.40 0.30 0.89 0.99 0.77 0.66 3,135 20.6 6.9 11.3 1.33 1.16 0.57 0.35 0.26 0.74 1.01 0.80 0.70 Asgrow RX772 3,080 22.9 6.0 13.1 1.50 1.34 0.58 0.39 0.30 0.82 1.15 0.73 0.61 3,135 20.0 6.1 12.3 1.30 1.15 0.60 0.35 0.27 0.74 0.98 0.78 0.63 DKC 60-15 3,080 22.2 5.6 11.7 1.48 1.33 0.56 0.38 0.29 0.81 1.13 0.80 0.66 3,133 19.9 5.8 11.9 1.29 1.15 0.55 0.34 0.26 0.73 0.99 0.78 0.65 DKC 57-01 3,081 22.9 5.5 12.2 1.54 1.37 0.59 0.40 0.30 0.87 1.15 0.71 0.64 3,133 20.5 6.2 11.9 1.36 1.19 0.55 0.35 0.25 0.78 1.01 0.80 0.67

Single analysis per diet sample. ME = calculated value.

ducted to compare bird performance (feed intake, BW, and adjusted feed:gain), carcass yield, and meat quality of the birds fed the diets containing the test corn, control corn (genetic background similar to the test corn), and conventional corn.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Broilers and Housing

These experiments were conducted in accordance with the principles and guidelines for the care and use of agricultural animals in research (FASS, 1999), were consistent with the recent recommendations issued by the International Life Sciences Institute (Cromwell et al., 2003), and, as applicable, were in compliance with US FDA (1979) and US EPA (1983) Good Laboratory Practice Regulations. Ross Ross 308 broiler chickens were obtained (Welps Hatchery, Bancroft, IA) at 1 d of age. Broilers were vaccinated for Mareks disease at the hatchery and for Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis at the test site on the study start days. The broilers were randomly assigned by sex to concrete-oored pens (1.5 0.9 m, providing approximately 0.09 m2 per bird), with approximately 13 cm of clean wood shavings, in an environmentally controlled building with incandescent lighting. Incandescent lighting was provided for 23 to

24 h/d for approximately the rst 4 d of the experiments and for 10 to 16 h for the remainder of the experiments. The target room temperature was 34C at the start of the experiments and was gradually decreased each day to a target room temperature of 23C from d 30 through the remainder of the experiments. Water and feed were available for ad libitum consumption throughout the experiments. Within each pen, water was provided via a hanging automatic bell drinker (36 cm diameter), and feed was provided via a hanging tube feeder (43 cm diameter). A chick feeder tray was also placed in each pen for the rst 6 d. Environmental conditions (oor space, temperature, lighting, bird density, and feeder and water space) were similar for all treatments.

Experimental Design
For both studies, a randomized complete block design was used with 6 dietary treatments (test, control, and 4 conventional reference corn diets). For each of the 6 treatment groups, there were 100 broilers in 10 pens (total of 600 broilers): 5 pens of males (10 broilers/pen) and 5 pens of females (10 broilers/pen). Initially, there were 2 additional broilers in each pen to compensate for early chick mortality during the rst few days posthatch. At d 7, the group size was adjusted to 10 broilers/ pen. The initial criterion for d 7 bird removal was un-

PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS FED GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN

1975

Table 4. Study 1performance, carcass yield, and meat quality comparison of broilers fed diets containing insect-protected corn (MON 89034), control corn, and conventional reference corn (Asgrow RX690, Asgrow RX772, DKC 60-15, DKC 57-01)1 Item Performance Live weight, d 0 (g/bird) Live weight, d 42 (kg/bird) Feed intake (kg/bird) Adjusted feed conversion3 (kg/kg) Carcass yield Processing live weight4 (kg) Chill weight (kg) Chill weight (% of live weight) Fat pad weight (kg) Fat pad weight (% of live weight) Breast meat weight (kg) Breast meat weight (% of chill weight) Thigh weight (kg) Thigh weight (% of chill weight) Drum weight (kg) Drum weight (% of chill weight) Wing weight (kg) Wing weight (% of chill weight) Breast meat analysis5 Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis) Thigh meat analysis5 Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis)
ac 1

MON 89034 38.817 2.796 4.377 1.593c 2.752 1.970 71.591 0.045 1.628 0.545 27.654 0.352 17.834 0.275 13.935 0.219 11.145 74.941 23.804 1.024 76.673 21.245 2.171

Control 38.733 2.796 4.478 1.636a 2.748 1.973 71.809 0.045 1.652 0.548 27.717 0.352 17.832 0.276 13.991 0.221 11.229 75.335 23.537 0.877 76.589 21.485 1.941

Asgrow RX690 38.633 2.744 4.312 1.608bc 2.713 1.938 71.337 0.046 1.712 0.533 27.422 0.352 18.093 0.268 13.838 0.216 11.181 75.203 23.76 0.939 76.833 21.495 1.856

Asgrow RX772 39.283 2.809 4.475 1.625ab 2.759 1.977 71.624 0.044 1.613 0.552 27.888 0.352 17.793 0.275 13.896 0.220 11.156 75.211 23.688 0.885 76.636 21.883 1.773

DKC60-15 38.967 2.775 4.364 1.598c 2.741 1.968 71.794 0.046 1.692 0.549 27.895 0.358 18.145 0.275 13.960 0.218 11.073 75.389 23.555 0.711 76.797 21.176 1.765

DKC57-01 39.150 2.810 4.320 1.591c 2.754 1.977 71.736 0.046 1.681 0.551 27.891 0.357 18.067 0.276 13.960 0.218 11.048 74.865 23.875 0.853 76.462 21.714 1.439

Treatment P NS NS NS * NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS

Pooled SEM 0.313 0.034 0.051 0.009 0.030 0.023 0.179 0.001 0.044 0.008 0.152 0.006 0.129 0.003 0.074 0.003 0.059 0.145 0.173 0.085 0.139 0.206 0.191

LSD2 5.0% 0.891 0.096 0.145 0.026 0.086 0.066 0.509 0.003 0.125 0.023 0.435 0.016 0.369 0.010 0.211 0.008 0.167 0.412 0.493 0.241 0.396 0.586 0.545

Individual treatment means (sample size of 10) with the same superscript letter in the same row are not different (P > 0.05). Values are means across sex. 2 Least signicant difference between 2 means (P < 0.05). NS = not signicant (P > 0.05) 3 Feed conversion adjusted by dividing the total feed consumption/pen by the total BW of the surviving broilers and those that died or were removed from the pen. 4 Processing live weight = preprocessing weight on d 43 (males) or d 44 (females). 5 Mean values of breast and thigh meat analyses were based on 1 bird per pen. *P < 0.05.

thrifty birds with a health or deformity problem (leg problem, crooked beak, swollen eyes) that would prevent the bird from surviving the length of the study, followed by random selection, the reason for the majority of removals.

Corn Grain
For study 1, MON 89034 and the control corn grain, with background genetics similar to MON 89034, were grown under a controlled production plan in Warren County, Illinois, during the 2004 growing season. For study 2, MON 89034 MON 88017 and the control corn grain, with background genetics similar to MON 89034 MON 88017, were grown under a controlled production plan in Honolulu County, Hawaii, during the 20042005 growing season. The conventional reference corn grain (ASGROW RX690, ASGROW RX772, and DKC60-15) was also produced in 2004 in Warren County, Illinois, and DKC57-01 was produced in 20042005 in Maui County, Hawaii. All reference grain lots were also grown under controlled production plans, were representative of commercial hybrids, and were used for comparison purposes to provide a range of typical bird responses. All corn lots were handled similarly, dried to less than

14% moisture, and ground using a hammer mill with a 0.5-cm-diameter opening screen. Mycotoxin analyses (aatoxins, ochratoxin, citrinin, zearalenone, trichothecenes, and fumonisins; Romer Laboratories, Union, MO) and pesticide residue analyses (organochlorinates, organophosphates, organonitrogens, and N-methylcarbamates; Covance, Madison, WI; FDA, 1999) of the corn grain were conducted to verify that the levels were below the limits of concern for broiler performance. Proximate [CP (955.04 and 979.09), crude fat (960.39 and 948.22), crude ber (962.09), and moisture (926.08 and 925.09)] and amino acid (982.30) analyses were performed on the grain at Covance Laboratories according to methods of the AOAC International (2005). Carbohydrate values were calculated.

Diets
Diets were formulated based on the individual nutrient analyses of each grain lot (Table 1). Dietary protein was provided by the corn grain supplemented with commercial dehulled soybean meal. Diets were formulated on a total amino acid basis to meet or exceed NRC (1994) values for poultry. A coccidiostat, salinomycin (Sacox, Intervet Inc., Millsboro, DE), was included in all diets

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TAYLOR ET AL.
Table 5. Study 1performance, carcass yield, and meat quality1 Corn diet Parameter Performance Live weight, d 0 (g/bird) Live weight, d 42 (kg/bird) Feed intake (kg/bird) Adjusted feed conversion (kg/kg) Carcass yield Processing live weight (kg/bird) Chill weight (kg/bird) Chill weight (% of live weight.) Fat pad weight (kg/bird) Fat pad weight (% of live weight.) Breast weight (% of chill weight) Thigh weight (% of chill weight) Drum weight (% of chill weight) Wing weight (% of chill weight) Breast meat analysis Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis) Thigh meat analysis Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis) MON 89034 (SEM) 38.817 2.796 4.377 1.593 2.752 1.970 71.591 0.045 1.628 27.654 17.834 13.935 11.145 (0.385) (0.033) (0.082) (0.019) (0.029) (0.022) (0.194) (0.001) (0.042) (0.205) (0.161) (0.071) (0.075) Control and conventional references (SEM) 38.953 2.787 4.390 1.612 2.743 1.967 71.660 0.045 1.670 27.763 17.986 13.929 11.137 (0.172) (0.015) (0.037) (0.008) (0.013) (0.010) (0.087) (0.001) (0.019) (0.092) (0.072) (0.032) (0.034) Variety effect SSD2 NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS LSD3 5% 0.972 0.072 0.248 0.057 0.063 0.049 0.591 0.003 0.093 0.623 0.491 0.156 0.229 0.620 0.365 0.260 0.465 0.812 0.579

74.941 (0.204) 23.804 (0.166) 1.024 (0.085) 76.673 (0.153) 21.245 (0.267) 2.171 (0.190)

75.201 (0.091) 23.683 (0.074) 0.853 (0.038) 76.663 (0.068) 21.551 (0.119) 1.755 (0.085)

1 Comparison of insect-protected corn (MON 89034) with population of control and conventional references (values are means across sex). 2 SSD = statistical signicance of differences; NS = not signicant, P > 0.05. 3 LSD = least signicant difference between 2 means. Sample size is 10 (5 blocks and 2 sexes).

at a level of 50 g/ton. Broilers were fed a starter diet containing approximately 55% (wt/wt) corn grain from d 0 to 21. For the rest of the experiment (d 21 to 42), broilers were fed a grower-nisher diet containing approximately 59% (wt/wt) corn grain (Table 2). Proximate [CP (990.03), crude fat (954.02), and moisture (934.01)], amino acid (982.30), and mineral (985.01) analyses of poultry diets (Experiment Station Chemical Laboratories, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO) were conducted according to AOAC International (2005) methods for conrmation of formulated levels of nutrient composition.

Measurements
In both studies, broilers were observed regularly for general health. All dead birds and those killed because of their unhealthy condition were weighed and necropsied, and the probable cause of death (dehydration, sudden death syndrome, bacterial infection, ascites, or cannibalism) or reason for removal (sex slip or moribund condition) was documented by study personnel under the oversight of a board-certied poultry veterinarian. Broilers were weighed at d 0 and 42 by pen and individually at the termination of the experiment (d 43 for males and d 44 for females). Average BW (kg) and feed intake (kg) were calculated from pen data. Adjusted feed conversion was calculated by dividing the total feed consumption per pen by the total BW of the surviving broilers and those that died or were removed from the pen. At the end of both experiments, broilers were fasted for

approximately 12 h and then processed for assessment of carcass yield by severing the jugular, scalding, plucking, eviscerating, and then placing the eviscerated bird in an aerated chill tank (ice and water) for approximately 50 min to approximately 7C. The fat pad was removed and weighed during the eviscerating process. Individual bird chilled weight was obtained, the bird was deboned, and the individual parts (skin on except for breast meat) were weighed and recorded. Skinless thigh and breast tissues were collected from one randomly selected broiler from each pen and analyzed for moisture (934.01), protein (984.13), and fat (954.02) at the Experiment Station Chemical Laboratories according to AOAC International (2000) methods.

Statistical Analysis
Statistical analyses were performed on d 0 and 42, and for preprocessing live weights; feed consumption; adjusted feed conversion; chilled carcass weight; fat pad, breast, thigh, wing, and drum weight; and moisture, protein, and fat values for breast and thigh meat. Carcass yield values were evaluated on a weight basis and as a percentage of preprocessing live or chilled carcass weight, as appropriate. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) was carried out using a linear mixed model procedure of SAS, version 9.1.3 (SAS Institute, 20022003). The statistical model included effects of treatments, sex, block, and sex by treatment interactions, with the experimental unit being the pen. The mean values obtained for the broilers fed MON 89034 (study 1) or MON

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1977

Table 6. Study 2performance, carcass yield, and meat quality comparison of broilers fed diets containing corn rootworm-protected and glyphosatetolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017), control corn, and conventional reference corn (Asgrow RX690, Asgrow RX772, DKC 60-15, DKC 57-01)1 Item Performance Live weight, d 0 (g/bird) Live weight, d 42 (kg/bird) Feed intake (kg/bird) Adjusted feed conversion3 (kg/kg) Carcass yield Processing live weight4 (kg) Chill weight (kg) Chill weight (% of live weight) Fat pad weight (kg) Fat pad weight (% of live weight) Breast meat weight (kg) Breast meat weight (% of chill weight) Thigh weight (kg) Thigh weight (% of chill weight) Drum weight (kg) Drum weight (% of chill weight) Wing weight (kg) Wing weight (% of chill weight) Breast meat analysis4 Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis) Thigh meat analysis4 Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis)
ac 1

MON 89034 MON 88017 36.567 2.657a 4.024 1.536a 2.623a 1.863ab 71.040 0.042 1.620 0.511abc 27.421 0.336 18.001 0.257 13.786 0.207 11.119 75.421 23.236 1.040 76.745 21.065 2.055

Control 36.717 2.650a 3.987 1.536a 2.628a 1.875a 71.394 0.042 1.609 0.515a 27.494 0.338 17.985 0.257 13.695 0.207 11.051 75.883 22.914 1.072 76.940 21.153 2.104

Asgrow RX690 36.583 2.597ab 3.926 1.535a 2.572abc 1.836abc 71.372 0.043 1.677 0.497bc 27.098 0.334 18.199 0.254 13.801 0.204 11.135 75.564 23.151 1.067 76.555 21.430 1.914

Asgrow RX772 36.850 2.575b 3.980 1.570b 2.555bc 1.825bc 71.408 0.040 1.600 0.496c 27.131 0.332 18.175 0.252 13.808 0.204 11.217 75.412 23.289 1.138 76.772 21.503 1.907

DKC60-15 36.850 2.644a 3.992 1.538a 2.614ab 1.869ab 71.507 0.041 1.594 0.513ab 27.445 0.337 18.035 0.258 13.765 0.207 11.084 75.543 22.865 1.166 76.759 21.113 1.980

DKC57-01 36.383 2.568b 3.859 1.524a 2.547c 1.814c 71.240 0.040 1.586 0.496c 27.320 0.332 18.288 0.251 13.806 0.203 11.180 75.561 22.995 1.390 76.755 21.102 2.385

Treatment P NS * NS * * * NS NS NS * NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS

Pooled SEM 0.270 0.022 0.497 0.006 0.021 0.016 0.172 0.001 0.057 0.006 0.130 0.003 0.083 0.002 0.075 0.002 0.046 0.177 0.209 0.146 0.146 0.219 0.204

LSD2 5.0% 0.770 0.062 0.115 0.017 0.061 0.046 0.490 0.004 0.164 0.016 0.370 0.010 0.236 0.007 0.214 0.005 0.132 0.506 0.597 0.417 0.416 0.625 0.582

Individual treatment means (sample size of 10) with the same superscript letter in the same row are not different (P > 0.05). Values are means across sex. 2 Least signicant difference between 2 means (P < 0.05). NS = not signicant (P > 0.05). 3 Feed conversion adjusted by dividing the total feed consumption per pen by the total BW of the surviving broilers and those that died or were removed from the pen. 4 Processing live weight = preprocessing weight on d 43 (males) or d 44 (females). *P < 0.05.

89034 MON 88017 (study 2) diets were compared (combined sex) with those fed the control and conventional reference corn diets at the 5% level of signicance with a protected Fishers least signicant difference test (Fisher, 1949). When a signicant sex by treatment interaction was noted (P < 0.15), the mean values were also evaluated by sex at the 5% level of signicance. An additional statistical analysis using a nested statistical model, with the control and reference corn diets treated as random effects, compared data from broilers fed the MON 89034 or MON 89034 MON 88017 diets with the population of responses from broilers fed the control and commercial corn diets.

RESULTS General Observations

Mycotoxin and pesticide levels in corn grain [MON 89034 (study 1), MON 89034 MON 88017 (study 2), and the respective control and conventional references] mixed into the diets were below the limits of concern for broiler performance. Aatoxins were not detectable, and levels of fumonisins in the grain ranged from not detectable to 10 ppm. All pesticide values were below the assay limits of detection reported (in parentheses):

organophosphates (0.050 ppm), organonitrogens (0.500 ppm), organochlorinates (0.200 ppm), and N-methylcarbamates (0.100 ppm). The nutrient assay results for diets are presented in Table 3. Chick mortality was low during the rst 7 d (4.0 and 0.5% in studies 1 and 2, respectively), and the mortality observed was primarily due to bacterial infection, dehydration, or starve out. In study 1, mortality from d 7 to 42 averaged 4.5% and ranged from 0 to 8% across treatments (mortality for the MON 89034 and control groups was 3 and 7%, respectively). In study 2, mortality from d 7 to 42 averaged 1.8% and ranged from 1 to 4% a a across treatments (mortality for the MON 89034 MON 88017 and control groups was 1 and 3%, respectively). For both studies, the d 7 to 42 deaths were primarily attributed to sudden death and ascites, mortality was random across treatments, and the remaining broilers in all treatments were in good health.

MON 89034Study 1
For all parameters measured, no treatment by sex interactions were signicant (P > 0.05); therefore, values reported are means across sex. Weight at d 42, feed intake, and all measured carcass parameters were not different (P > 0.05) for birds fed the MON 89034, control,

1978

TAYLOR ET AL.
Table 7. Study 2performance, carcass yield, and meat quality1 Corn diet MON 89034 MON 88017 (SEM) 36.567 2.657 4.024 1.536 2.623 1.863 71.040 0.042 1.620 27.421 18.001 13.786 11.119 (0.256) (0.038) (0.057) (0.017) (0.036) (0.027) (0.170) (0.001) (0.055) (0.187) (0.124) (0.072) (0.068) Control and conventional references (SEM) 36.677 2.607 3.949 1.541 2.583 1.844 71.384 0.041 1.613 27.298 18.136 13.775 11.133 (0.114) (0.017) (0.025) (0.008) (0.016) (0.012) (0.076) (0.001) (0.025) (0.084) (0.056) (0.032) (0.030) Variety effect SSD2 NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS LSD3 5% 0.562 0.117 0.172 0.052 0.109 0.082 0.374 0.003 0.121 0.473 0.378 0.159 0.206 0.387 0.452 0.312 0.479 0.570 0.448

Parameter Performance Live weight, d 0 (g/bird) Live weight, d 42 (kg/bird) Feed intake (kg/bird) Adjusted feed conversion (kg/kg) Carcass yield Processing live weight (kg/bird) Chill weight (kg/bird) Chill weight (% of live weight) Fat pad weight (kg/bird) Fat pad weight (% of live weight) Breast weight (% of chill weight) Thigh weight (% of chill weight) Drum weight (% of chill weight) Wing weight (% of chill weight) Breast meat analysis Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis) Thigh meat analysis Moisture (%) Protein (%, as-is basis) Fat (%, as-is basis)

75.421 (0.176) 23.236 (0.206) 1.040 (0.142) 76.745 (0.190) 21.065 (0.226) 2.055 (0.204)

75.593 (0.079) 23.043 (0.092) 1.167 (0.064) 76.756 (0.085) 21.260 (0.101) 2.058 (0.091)

1 Comparison of corn rootworm-protected and glyphosate-tolerant corn (MON 89034 MON 88017) with the population of control and conventional references (values are means across sex). 2 SSD = statistical signicance of differences; NS = not signicant P > 0.05. 3 LSD = least signicant difference between 2 means. Sample size is 10 (5 blocks and 2 sexes).

and conventional reference corn diets (Table 4). A small but signicant difference (P < 0.05) was detected for adjusted feed conversion between MON 89034 and control birds (1.593 and 1.636 kg/kg, respectively). However, in individual treatment comparisons no differences were detected in adjusted feed conversion among broilers fed the MON 89034 and 3 of the 4 conventional corn diets. Although within typical commercial ranges for feed conversion, there is no obvious reason for the slightly higher feed conversion values for birds that received the control and one conventional reference diet relative to that of birds receiving the MON 89034 or 3 other conventional reference diets. Comparison of the data from broilers fed corn containing MON 89034 with data from the population (combined sex) fed control and conventional reference corn showed no differences (P > 0.05) in any measured performance, carcass yield, or meat quality parameter (Table 5).

MON 89034 MON 88017Study 2

For all parameters measured, no treatment by sex interactions were signicant (P > 0.05); therefore, the values reported are means across sex. Total feed intake was not different across treatments for the broilers fed MON 89034 MON 88017, control, or conventional reference corn diets. Differences (P < 0.05) were detected between treatments for weight at d 42 and adjusted feed conversion; however, for both parameters, no differences were observed between MON 89034 MON 88017, its control,

and 2 or more of the conventional corn diets. No differences (P > 0.05) were detected for carcass yield measurements of chill weight (% of live weight), fat pad (kg and % of live weight), breast (% of chill weight), thigh (kg and % of chill weight), wing (kg and % chill weight), and drum weight (kg and % chill weight; Table 6). Statistically signicant differences (P < 0.05) were noted for carcass measurements of live and chill weight (kg) and breast weight (kg). However, live and chilled carcass weights (kg) were not different (P > 0.05) between MON 89034 MON 88017, its control, and multiple conventional reference grain diets. Breast weight (kg) differences (P < 0.05) were detected among the control and commercial references only. No differences (P > 0.05) among diets were observed in the percentages of moisture, protein, and fat in the thigh and breast meat of broilers. Comparison of the data from broilers fed MON 89034 MON 88017 diets with data from the population (combined sex) of broilers fed control and conventional reference corn diets showed no differences (P > 0.05) in any measured performance, carcass yield, or meat quality parameter (Table 7).

DISCUSSION
The results of these broiler feeding studies support the conclusion that there were no biologically meaningful differences in the parameters evaluated among broilers fed MON 89034 or MON 89034 MON 88017 and those fed genetically similar control and conventional refer-

PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS FED GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN

1979

ence corn. Grain from the genetically modied corn (MON 89034 or MON 89034 MON 88017) evaluated in these studies was nutritionally equivalent in broiler diets to grain from the control and conventional references. This conclusion is consistent with the compositional evaluation of the genetically modied corn, which showed no relevant differences in nutritional and compositional properties relative to control and conventional corn (Ridley, et al., 2002; George, et al., 2004). In addition, in a review, Flachowsky et al. (2005) reported that no signicant effects were observed when broilers were fed grain containing either insect-protected or herbicide-tolerant traits. These data support the conclusion that the grain from MON 89034 or combined-trait MON 89034 MON 88017 is as nutritious as conventional corn.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge senior statistician Hong Su for her contributions in the statistical analyses, and statistical programmer-analyst Susan Riordan for preparation of the data for statistical analyses.

REFERENCES
AOAC. 2000. Ofcial Methods of Analysis of AOAC International. 17th ed. AOAC Int., Gaithersburg, MD. AOAC International. 2005. Ofcial Methods of Analysis of AOAC International. 18th ed. AOAC Int., Gaithersburg, MD. Cromwell, G., G. Dana, and G. Hartnell. 2003. Best Practices for the Conduct of Animal Studies to Evaluate Crops Genetically Modied for Input Traits. Int. Life Sci. Inst., Washington, DC.

FASS. 1999. Guidelines for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching. 1st rev. ed. FASS, Savoy, IL. FDA. 1979. 21 CFR Part 58. Good Laboratory Practice Regulations for Nonclinical Laboratory Studies. Dept. Health Hum. Serv., Food Drug Admin., Washington, DC. Fisher, R. A. 1949. The Design of Experiments. Oliver Boyd, Edinburgh, UK. Flachowsky, G. A., A. Chesson, and K. Aulrich. 2005. Animal nutrition with feeds from genetically modied plants. Arch. Anim. Nutr. 59:140. George, C., W. P. Ridley, J. C. Obert, M. A. Nemeth, M. L. Breeze, and J. D. Astwood. 2004. Composition of grain and forage from corn rootworm protected corn event MON 863 is equivalent to that of conventional corn (Zea mays L.). J. Agric. Food Chem. 52:41494158. NRC. 1994. Nutritional Requirements of Poultry. 9th ed. Natl. Acad. Sci., Washington, DC. Ridley, W. P., R. S. Sidhu, P. D. Pyla, M. A. Nemeth, M. L. Breeze, and J. D. Astwood. 2002. A comparison of the nutritional prole of Roundup Ready corn event NK603 to that of conventional corn (Zea mays L.). J. Agric. Food Chem. 50:72357243. SAS Institute. 20022003. SAS Software Release 9.1 (TS1M3). SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC. Taylor, M. L., G. Hartnell, M. Nemeth, K. Karunanandaa, and B. George. 2005. Comparison of broiler performance when fed diets containing corn grain with insect-protected (corn rootworm and European corn borer) and herbicide-tolerant (glyphosate) traits, control corn, or commercial reference cornRevisited. Poult. Sci. 84:18931899. US EPA. 1983. 40 CFR Part 160. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA): Good Laboratory Practice Standards. US EPA, Washington, DC. US FDA. 1999. Multiclass Multiresidue Methods: 304. Method for Fatty Foods. Pages 133 in Pesticide Analytical Manual. 3rd ed. Vol. 1: Multiresidue Methods. Cent. Food Saf. Appl. Nutr., US Food Drug Admin., College Park, MD.