R. Taherkhani, M. Shivazad, M. Zaghari, A. Zare Shahne,
Volume 10, Issue 1 (4-2006)
Abstract
A chick bioassay with chemically defined amino acid (AA) diets was conducted to compare four different AA profiles: the NRC 1994, Feedstuff 2002, Rhone Poulenc Animal Nutrition 1993(RPAN) and Illinois Ideal Chick Protein (IICP) AA profiles. This battery study involved male and female chicks during 7 to 21 days of age. Indispensable AA were rationed to lysine according to requirement ratios presented in the four profiles. Digestible lysine set at 1.07 and 0.98 % of diet for male and female respectively. This experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design using 2 5 factorial arrangement with for replicate per each diets were kept isonitrogenous (2.6 % N ) by varying levels of L-glutamic acid. All diets were checked to have at least 0.3 % proline and 0.6 % glycine. Diets for all profiles contained 3200 kcal ME/kg and a positive control diet were used according to NRC 1994 recommendations. Chicks fed a common corn-soybean meal diet for 160 h and were raised in the floor pen. Then chicks weighted individually and allocated to battery pens so that most uniformity between pens occurs. Four battery pens of five chicks were fed one of four different profiles or positive control diet in both male & female. Weight gain and feed efficiency measured for each pen at day 21. Results indicate an improved weight gain and feed efficiency in male rather than female (p<0.5). Chicks fed positive control diet weighted more (p<0.5). Between semi purified diets chicks fed diets formulated with NRC AA ideal ratios had significantly (P<0.5) better weight gain and gain: feed in both sexes relative to IICP and RPAN, but not to Feedstuff. RPAN had worst weight gain and feed: gain in females. Results of this experiment indicated that new ideal ratio of theronine (relative to lysine) in IICP for starter period may be under-estimated.
