Performance Index of Growing Chickens

Research Notes
"PERFORMANCE I N D E X " OF GROWING CHICKENS

H . R. BIRD
Department of Poultry Husbandry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
(Received for publication March 26, 1955)
In commercial broiler production and criticism. It would seem, however, that

in research on growth of chickens, it is there is logical justification for the use of
common practice to compare groups with the "performance index," and the justi-
respect to weight and with respect to feed fication lies in the fact that research
efficiency which is defined as the gain per workers and producers are interested in
unit of feed consumed. It often happens two rates of gain, namely, rate of gain per
that groups are arranged in one sequence unit of feed and rate of gain per unit of
when compared on the basis of mean live time. On this basis, the calculation of
weight and in an entirely different se- Wilder et al, becomes:
quence when compared on the basis of
efficiency. It then becomes desirable to Performance index =
make an over-all comparison that takes Gain Gain
account of both weight and efficiency. Unit time-x-Unit feed
Very frequently this is accomplished by
multiplying mean live weight by effi- 100
ciency or dividing mean live weight by Unit time was 8 weeks, unit feed was one
feed conversion which is the reciprocal of gram, and gain was expressed in grams.
efficiency. The resulting figure, designated Since Lanson and Smyth used average
the "performance index," "efficiency in- weight rather than average gain, ex-
dex," or "performance efficiency" has pressed weight and feed in pounds, and
been used both by commercial broiler multiplied by 100 rather than dividing by
producers and by research workers (Lan- 100, their calculation becomes:
son and Smyth, 1955; Wilder et al., 1955).
Gain-(-initial weight
Wilder et al., after explaining that they Performance index =
obtained "performance efficiency" by Unit time
multiplying weight gains by the reciprocal Gain
of the feed conversion figure and dividing X- -X100
Unit feed
by 100, stated, "While some persons hold
that this calculation is invalid because it Unit time was 10 weeks, unit feed was 1
involves the weight gains twice along pound, and gain was expressed in pounds.
with the feed consumption, it neverthe- In calculating performance index it is
less is a useful index in measuring over-all customary to give equal weight to gain
performance." per unit time and gain per unit feed. This
Gain Gain2 practice appears to be justified by the
Performance index = Gain X = report of McAllister and Bausman (1950).
Feed Feed
Their analysis of management practices
The writer has often heard the same in commercial broiler production indi-
1163
1164 RESEARCH NOTES
cated that the gain per pound of feed had Poultry Sci. 34: 234-235.
a little more effect on net return than did McAllister, W. T., and R. 0 . Bausman, 1950. In-
fluence of management practices on cost of
gain per week, but the difference was producing broilers in Delaware. Delaware Agr.
small. Exp. Sta. Bui. 282.
Wilder,O.H.M.,P.C.OstbyandB. R.Gregory, 1955.
REFERENCES The nutritive value of meatscrap and tankage.
Lanson, R. K., and J. R. Smyth, 1955. Pellets vs. Progress Report No. 20, American Meat Institute
mash plus pellets vs. mash for broiler feeding. Foundation, Chicago.
THE RESTRICTION OF OOPORPHYRIN DEPOSITION

ON EGG SHELLS BY DRUG FEEDING
CECIL F. MCCLARY
State College of Washington, Western Washington Experiment Station,
Puyallup, Washington
(Received for publication March 29, 1955)
The development, through research, of days after drug feeding ended, was re-
new growth stimulants and drugs for corded as to color grades according to a
disease and parasite preventives and color standard supplied by Kosin (1954).
treatments in poultry might be expected Grade 1 was assigned to white eggs, grade
to result in some "accidental" discoveries 2 light cream, with each successive grade
of fundamental value in research. One increasing in brown color intensity up to
such discovery has resulted from the use a medium dark brown egg at grade 6.
of a new coccidiostat recommended for Because of the many shades of brown
chickens under 12 weeks of age. The drug color among eggs, all colors more intense
which is known by the trade name than medium brown were also included in
Nicarbazin (Merck) has the formula grade 6. Color grades for each hen's eggs
4,4' dinitrocarbanilide, 2 hydroxy-4,6- by dates are listed in Table 1.
dimethylpyrimidine. Some indication of It may be noted from Table 1 that some
peculiar results of feeding this drug to color change in egg shells was apparent
certain breeds of laying hens prompted within two days after the start of nicar-
the work herein reported. bazin feeding. After three to four days on
In a preliminary test on the effect of the drug, the egg shells had lost all of their
nicarbazin on egg shell color, three White brown surface color. One hen's eggs (hen
Rock hens were selected and initial indi- #2890) were chalk white and the other two
vidual egg shell color established. They laid pink-white eggs that change to white
were then moved to a small pen and with a green hue after long exposure to
changed from the conventional breeder light. All eggs laid between the fourth
ration to a ration containing .0125 percent
TABLE 1.—Effect of Nicarbazin in diet on egg shell
nicarbazin. The hens were trapnested color of Single Comb White Plymouth Rock hens
daily for seven days and the eggs were
Days on drug Days off drug
saved. The hens were then placed back Hen 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
on the coventional breeder ration and No.
Egg shell color score
trapnesting was continued for four more
2737 6 5 1 1 — 1 1 2 — 5 6
days. The color of each egg laid from one 2857 6 6 3 1 1 1 1 — 6 6 6
2890 6 6 3 1 — 1 1 1
day before drug feeding began until four — — 6 6

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Research Notes

"PERFORMANCE I N D E X " OF GROWING CHICKENS

In commercial broiler production and criticism. It would seem, however, that

THE RESTRICTION OF OOPORPHYRIN DEPOSITION

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