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METABOLISM AND NUTRITION |











* Solution BioSciences, 2028 Northwood Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801;
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., 7250 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA 50131; and
DuPont Agriculture and Nutrition, DuPont Experimental Station, Wilmington, DE 19880
2 Corresponding author: mcnaughton{at}ahpharma.com
| ABSTRACT |
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Key Words: glyphosate acetyltransferase 4601 acetolactate synthase glyphosate broiler performance carcass yield
| INTRODUCTION |
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The gat4601 gene is the product of a gat gene isolated from Bacillus licheniformis that was functionally improved through multiple rounds of gene shuffling to produce an enzyme that more efficiently acetylates glyphosate than the native GAT protein (Castle et al., 2004). The acetolactate synthase gene (gm-hra) was produced by isolating the herbicide-sensitive gm-als gene from soybean and changing 2 specific amino acids (Mazur and Falco, 1989; Green, 2007). The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of 356043 soybeans by comparing the growth performance and carcass yields of broiler chickens fed diets containing 356043 soybean fractions (meal, hulls, and oil) with those fed diets composed of nontransgenic control (comparable genetic background) soybean fractions or diets composed of nontransgenic commercial soybean fractions.
| MATERIALS AND METHODS |
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Soybean Fraction Production and Characterization
Soybeans from control, reference, and 356043 plants were processed into meal, hull, and oil fractions under similar conditions at GLP Technologies (Navasota, TX). Identity preservation procedures were followed throughout the processing and inventory systems to maintain the identity of each soybean source and the resulting processed fractions. Event-specific real-time PCR testing confirmed the presence of the insert from event DP-35Ø643–5 in 356043 and 356043 + Gly/SU test soybean meal and soy hull fractions and its absence in control and reference soybean meals and soy hull fractions (data not shown). All soybean meals and soy hulls (control, test, and references) were evaluated for nutrient proximate composition, Ca, and P content at Cumberland Valley Analytical Services (Hagerstown, MD). Analytical determinations were conducted according to AOAC (1990, 2000) methods for CM (AOAC, 2000; method 930.15), protein (AOAC, 2000; method 990.03), fat (AOAC, 1990; method 920.39), fiber (AOAC, 2000; method 978.10), ash (AOAC, 2000; method 942.05), Ca, and P (AOAC, 2000; method 985.01). Amino acid content and concentrations of mycotoxins of these fractions were determined at Eurofins Scientific (Des Moines, IA). Amino acid concentrations were determined in accordance with AOAC methods (AOAC, 2000; methods 988.15, 982.30, and 994.12). Concentrations of mycotoxins were determined in accordance with AOAC methods [mycotoxins (method 994.08), fumonisins (method 995.15), and vomitoxin (986.17); AOAC, 2000]. Soy fractions and diet samples were analyzed for gross energy content with a bomb calorimeter (Parr Instruments model 1271, Parr Instruments, Moline, IL) at Pioneer Hi-Bred (Urbandale, IA).
Birds and Housing
Animal care and use practices during this trial conformed to the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching (FASS, 1999). Commercial broilers (Ross x Cobb) were obtained at hatch (trial d 0) from a commercial Maryland hatchery and transported to Solution BioSciences Inc. (farm 1, Tyaskin, MD). Broilers were evaluated upon receipt for signs of disease or other complications that may have affected the outcome of the study. Bird health and actual number of birds received were documented upon receipt. Following examination, broilers were weighed, identified with a wing band, and placed randomly in pens. Broilers were housed at a density of 10 broilers per pen (12 pens per treatment group) in a room containing forced-air heaters and individual pen heat lamps with a cross-house ventilation system. A continuous 24-h lighting program was followed. Broilers were placed in 3 ft x 4 ft (0.914 m x 1.219 m) floor pens at a density of approximately 1.0 ft2 (0.305 m2) of available floor space per broiler. Pens were separated by a wire partition and did not touch other pens from any side to minimize potential for cross-contamination. Birds were observed 3 times daily for overall health, behavior and evidence of toxicity, and environmental conditions. No type of medication was administered during the entire feeding period. Mortalities were recorded, and complete necropsy examinations were performed on all broilers found dead or moribund. Carcasses of necropsied broilers were disposed of according to local regulations via composting. Drinking water was provided for ad libitum consumption. Body weights and feed weights (including amount of feed added and amount remaining) were determined every 7 d. Body weight gain, feed intake, and mortality-corrected feed:gain ratio (feed efficiency) were calculated for d 0 through 42. A growth curve was prepared from weekly BW.
Experimental Design
Sufficient numbers of broilers were obtained before study initiation to ensure availability of 720 healthy chicks (50% males and 50% females) for the conduct of the study. There were 10 broilers per pen (5 males and 5 females) with 12 pens (replicates) per treatment of a total of 120 broilers per treatment. Broilers were fed their respective dietary treatments from time of hatching (trial d 0) to 42 d of age.
Diets
Diets were fed in 3 phases: starter (d 0 to 21), grower (d 22 to 35), and finisher (d 36 to 42). All diets were offered as a mash feed for ad libitum consumption. Starter, grower, and finisher diets were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of a typical commercial broiler diet using the NRC as a guideline (NRC, 1994). Diets were prepared at the Pioneer Livestock Nutrition facility (Polk City, IA). Control, test, or reference soy fractions were added to the indicated diets in equal amounts; requirements for protein, Lys, Met, cystine, Ca, and P were met by adjusting the concentrations of nonsoy ingredients. Within each phase, all diets were formulated to the same ME level: starter diets, 3,124 kcal of ME/kg; grower diets, 3,151 kcal of ME/kg; and finisher diets, 3,175 kcal of ME/kg. Starter, grower, and finisher diets for each soy source were mixed in the following order to minimize the potential for cross-contamination of nontransgenic soy with transgenic soy: control, 93B86, 93B15, 93M40, 356043, and 356043 + Gly/ SU. Mixing equipment was flushed with nontransgenic soy hulls before diet preparation. All diets were prepared using a ribbon mixer (Sudenga M750, Sudenga Industries Inc., George, IA) that was cleaned between each diet (starter, grower, and finisher) using compressed air and vacuum; mixing equipment was flushed with nontransgenic soybean hulls between each soy source, and flush material was disposed of by composting. Prepared diets were subsampled, and samples were composited for proximate analysis (including Ca and P), amino acid analysis, and gross energy analysis. Homogeneity and stability analyses of the GAT and GM-HRA proteins in the diets were not performed due to the inability to detect the transgenic proteins by ELISA in the toasted soybean meal and soy hull fractions used to prepare the test diets (356043 and 356043 + Gly/SU; data not shown). The inability to detect the GAT and GM-HRA proteins was likely due to the denaturing effect of heat on the proteins during the toasting process.
Measurements
All surviving birds were euthanized on study d 42 by cervical dislocation and subjected to a gross necropsy. Carcass and carcass parts yield data were collected from 576 broilers (4 males and 4 females per pen); yield data included carcass yield (postchilled), thighs, breasts, wings, legs, abdominal fat (including fat around gizzard), kidneys, and whole liver. Combined total mass was recorded for all parts considered as pairs (i.e., legs, thighs, both sides of the breast). Kidney and liver weights were expressed as percentages of whole live bird weight. Carcass yield was expressed as the percentage of whole live bird weight, and parts yields were expressed as the percentage of postchilled dressed carcass weight. Birds and remaining test feeds were disposed of by composting, conforming to local and state regulations.
Statistical Analysis
The mean value of data from the 356043 soybean group was calculated for each variable to test the primary hypothesis that growth performance and carcass yield would be different between broiler chickens fed diets containing test soy fractions with the processed fractions from Optimum GAT soybeans and those fed diets containing nontransgenic near-isoline control soy fractions. A secondary hypothesis tested was that growth performance and carcass yield of birds fed diets containing 356043 soy fractions produced under a herbicide spray regimen (356043 + Gly/SU) would differ from that of birds fed diets containing nontransgenic near-isoline control soy fractions. Data generated from control, 356043, and 356043 + Gly/SU soy treatment groups were analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA (PROC MIXED, SAS version 9.1 software, SAS Inst. Inc., Cary NC). The model used for live performance data analysis was: Yij = U + Ti + Bj + eij, where Yij = observed pen response; U = overall mean; Ti = treatment effect; Bj = random block effect; and eij = residual error. The model used for carcass data analysis was: Yijk = U + Ti + Bj + TBij + eijk, where Yijk = observed bird response; U = overall mean; Ti = treatment effect; Bj = random block effect; TBij = random treatment x block effect (called pen); and eijk = residual error. The error term used for the fixed effect of treatment (Ti) was TBij, which allowed within-pen variability to become residual error. Statistical analysis of live performance data was determined on a per-pen basis and did not consider sex, whereas analysis of carcass data was determined on a per-bird basis and did consider sex. Estimate statements were used to generate the treatment comparisons for each live performance and carcass trait. The observed P-values generated from the estimate comparison statement determined whether 1) the mean of the 356043 test soy group was statistically different from the mean of the control soy group and 2) the mean of the 356043 + Gly/ SU test soy group was statistically different from the control soy mean; differences between means were considered significant at P
0.05. False discovery rate, as described by Benjamini and Hochberg (1995), was applied across all traits analyzed to control the false positive rate. Data generated from reference soy (93B86, 93B15, and 93M40) treatment groups were used in the estimation of experimental variability but were not included in the statistical output; instead, these data were used to construct a 95% tolerance interval containing 99% of the observed performance and carcass trait values from birds fed typical (nontransgenic commercial) soy diets, as described by Graybill (1976). Tolerance intervals were used as estimates of expected ranges of response variables within reference control groups obtained from the same source and housed and fed under the same conditions as the experimental and control broiler chickens within this study. If after false discovery rate adjustments there were still statistically significant differences among response variables in control, 356043, and 356043 + Gly/SU treatment groups, they were evaluated graphically to determine whether the observed values were contained within this interval. If individual observed values for a treatment group were contained within the tolerance interval, the treatment response was considered to be similar to feeding typical soy fractions. Tolerance intervals for organ and carcass variables were created by sex due to expected yield differences between male and female broilers.
| RESULTS |
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| DISCUSSION |
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The current study was conducted to assess the nutritional performance of processed fractions obtained from a newly developed GM soybean (Optimum GAT; 356043) with the processed fractions obtained from its near-isoline control. Optimum GAT soybeans were produced by insertion of the gat4601 and gm-hra genes. The expression products of these genes, GAT and GM-HRA proteins, respectively, confer in planta tolerance to the herbicidal active ingredients glyphosate and acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides such as sulfonylurea and imidazolinone (Lee et al., 1988; Castle et al., 2004).
The nutritional composition of the soybean meal and hull fractions from 356043 soybeans treated with in-field application of glyphosate and sulfonylurea herbicides (356043 + Gly/SU), untreated 356043 soybeans (356043), and control soybeans were compared in the current study. Processed fractions of 3 additional non-GM commercial reference soybeans (93B86, 93B15, and 93M40) obtained from the same field trial were also included. Information about the nutrient composition of soybean fractions necessary for formulating broiler chicken diets is limited primarily to nutritional proximates, amino acids, Ca, P, and gross energy values. In this study, no nutrient compositional differences were identified between the soybean meal and hull fractions from these different soybean sources. These results indicated that the processed fractions from these different soybeans were suitable for the production of broiler chicken diets.
Processed fractions (meal, hulls, and crude oil) from these different soybeans were used to produce starter, grower, and finisher broiler chicken diets in a manner consistent with that used by commercial poultry farmers (McNaughton et al., 2007). No compositional differences were identified in the diets from each respective phase regardless of the source of soybeans.
The performance of these different diets was compared using standard nutritional performance variables and organ and carcass yields. No significant differences in BW, weight gain, or carcass yields were observed among broiler chickens consuming diets prepared with processed soybean fractions from 356043, 356043 + Gly/ SU, near-isoline control, or reference soybeans. Organ yields from broiler chickens have not previously been reported in nutritional comparison trials of grains from transgenic crops. However, in addition to nutritional performance and carcass traits, they are indicators of overall broiler health. Liver weights in chickens are sensitive to changes from nutritional deficiencies in diets (Velu et al., 1971; Carew et al., 2005). The kidney weights of chickens are also sensitive to change from dietary differences, as best documented from studies with mycotoxins (Edrington et al., 1997; Morris et al., 1999; Farran et al., 2005). Further, liver and kidney weights are among the organs that have been assessed in nutritional performance trials of grains from transgenic crops in other species such as rodents (Hammond et al., 2004, 2006a,Hammond et al., b; MacKenzie et al., 2007; Malley et al., 2007). In the current study, there were no biologically significant differences in organ yield between broiler chickens consuming diets formulated with processed fractions obtained from Optimum GAT soybeans and those consuming diets formulated with feed fractions from near-isoline nontransgenic control soybeans.
The results from this study demonstrated that the processed fractions obtained from Optimum GAT soybeans are nutritionally equivalent to the fractions obtained from a near-isoline nontransgenic control and commercially available non-GM reference soybeans.
| FOOTNOTES |
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Received for publication April 3, 2007. Accepted for publication August 27, 2007.
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