Effect of amino acids supplementation to marginally deficient local broiler chick diets

Abstract EN

-One hundred day-old unsexed broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used.

Five experimental diets (A, B, C, D and E), based on cereal grains were formulated.

Diet A (basal diet used) was found deficient in lysine , methionine and phosphorus according to the recommended levels by NRC (1994) ,diet B was supplemented with phosphorus only ,diet C with methionine , diet D with lysine only and diet E with both lysine and methionine .All diets were isonitrogenous (22%) and isocaloric (3200 kcal ME).

Chicks fed on diets E and D showed significant (p<0.05) increase in average live body weight and body weight gain throughout the feeding period .Chicks in group C showed significant (p<0.05) more compared with control group A during the 3th and 5th weeks .Feed intake for group A showed significant (p<0.05) low compared to other group .

The tested groups did not differ significant (p>0.05) on hot and cold carcass dressing percentages, commercial cuts, meat percentage of those selected cuts, non-carcass body components (liver, heart, head and gizzard) and average subjective meat quality scores, colour, tenderness, flavour and juiciness.

The objective of this experiment is: to determine the deficiency of amino acids lysine and/or methionine in our locally used diet for broiler chicks.

KEYWORDS: carcass dressing percentages, isonitrogenous, isocaloric, broiler chicks.