NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND FEEDING VALUE OF PROSO MILLETS, SORGHUM GRAINS AND CORN IN POULTRY DIETS

Seven cultivars of proso millet contained higher protein and ash than sorghum grains or corn. These millets were similar or slightly higher in fat than corn and much higher in fat than sorghum (milo), and similar to sorghum in calcium and phosphorus contents. All grains contained tannin except corn. On the average, proso millets contained higher fiber and gross energy (GE) than corn and sorghum. Millets were similar to sorghum in true metabolizable energy (TME) but lower than corn, and were lower in dry matter digestion (DMD) and TME/GE than corn and sorghum. Except for lower levels of lysine, histidine and glycine, proso millet protein was comparable to commercial milo and corn proteins. Three trials each with broiler chicks and starting turkeys and two trials with layers were conducted to determine the feeding value of proso millets, sorghum grains and corn. All diets were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous by adjusting the levels of soybean meal, cerelose (dextrin-glucose) or animal fat and solka floc. When the millets, sorghum grains and corn were fed at nearly the same level in broiler diets which contained a suboptimal protein level (15%), the millet and BR-65 diets with no amino acid supplementation significantly depressed body weight gain and feed efficiency at four weeks. Methionine and lysine supplementation of these diets resulted in significant improvements in body weight gain and feed efficiency, with the chicks fed millet and BR-65 diets showing the greatest improvements. When millet D was compared to commercial milo and yellow corn on an equal weight or a protein equivalent basis in broiler diets with adequate protein (22.5%), there were no significant differences in body weight gain or feed efficiency. Millet D was compared with three sorghum grains (commercial milo, RS 626 and high lysine sorghum) on a protein equivalent basis with or without methionine supplementation in starting turkey diets containing a suboptimal protein level (18%). Poults fed millet D with no methionine supplementation showed significant depressions in body weight gain, but not in feed efficiency. Methionine supplementation of these diets slightly improved body weight gain and feed efficiency of poults. When millet D was compared to corn and commercial milo on an equal weight or a protein equivalent basis in starting turkey diets containing an optimal protein level (28%) and with adequate supplemental methionine, there were no significant differences in body weight gain and feed efficiency among grains. Millet C and D were compared to corn and four sorghum grains (commercial milo, AR 64, 9040 and CK 60) in starting turkey diets containing adequate protein with supplemental lysine and methionine. Poults fed the millet diets showed significantly heavier four-week body weight when compared to poults fed corn or sorghum diets. All millet diets except one with dehydrated alfalfa meal supported equivalent egg production, egg weight, feed consumption and feed efficiency in both experiments as compared to corn and commercial milo diets. Supplementation of the millet diet with 2.5 percent alfalfa meal significantly depressed (P \u3c .05) egg weight in hens, and in egg weight and feed efficiency in pullets. Hens and pullets fed whole millet diets showed slight depressions in egg production but tended to lay larger eggs. Pullets fed millet diets had body weight gains similar to those fed the corn diet, but greater though not significant in all cases than those fed commercial milo diets. Millet D gave yolk color scores significantly (P \u3c .05) greater than milo, but less than corn in both experiments. The specific gravity of eggs from pullets did not differ greatly among diets