METABOLISM AND NUTRITION Amino Acid Fortification of a Low-Protein Corn and Soybean Meal Diet for Chicks

ABSTRACT Seven experiments were conducted to investigate whether a 19 % CP corn and soybean meal (CS) diet could be fortified properly with amino acids (AA) to produce performance in 1- to 3-wk-old chicks equal to that obtained with a 23 % CP, CS diet supplemented with Met. In one experiment, the assay was carried out to 6 wk of age. During 4- to 6-wk posthatching, the positive control was a 20 % CP, CS diet with added Met and the low-protein diet was a 16 % CP, CS diet fortified with limiting AA. The two most limiting AA in the low-protein diet (19 % CP) were found to be Met and Lys. Arginine, Val, and Thr were observed to be limiting as well. Weight gain and feed efficiency were substantially increased and body fat content decreased when the low-protein diet was supplemented with the five limiting AA and amino nitrogen in the form of Glu. Addition of potassium had no effect on performance of chicks fed the AA-fortified, low-protein diet. With all trials considered together, chicks fed the low-protein diet fortified with the five limiting AA and Glu gained at the same rate with similar feed efficiency and had estimated body fat levels comparable to birds fed the 23 % CP, positive control diet. From 3 to 6 wk of age, chicks fed the AA-fortified, 16 % CP diet had growth performance similar to chicks fed the 20 % CP, positive control diet. {Key words: low-protein diets, amino acids, broilers, growth performance, potassium