RELATIONSHIP OF PROTEIN LEVEL OF SORGHUM GRAIN TO ITS NUTRITIVE VALUE AS MEASURED BY CHICK PERFORMANCE AND AMINO ACID COMPOSITION

Two experiments were conducted with egg-production types pullets to compare the relative effectiveness of plant and inorganic P for supporting egg production and hatchability and bone development in chick embryos. A practical corn-soy-alfalfa diet without supplemental phosphate served as a negative control (0.34%). Results of these studies indicate that organic plant phosphate did not support normal egg production or hatchability, but aided in preventing the development of embryonic rickets in 18-day-old chick embryos. A level of 0.19% non-phytin P was necessary to support maximum egg production and hatchability.