Organic Poultry Production: Providing Adequate Methionine

Methionine is the most limiting amino acid in a typical poultry diet. In this article, they focus on protein/methionine requirements of poultry and balance in the diet. Some studies found that slow-growing broilers require lysine at the same concentration as fast-growing broilers. Laying hens have lower methionine requirements than broilers. Methionine requirements, amino acid balance and energy balance related to feed intake are also discussed with a table indicating the presence of digestible methionine in different feedstuffs. Another topic is the difference in profit between small-scale vs large scale production looking at plant-based protein, animal-based protein and additional sources and how to add these to poultry diets. The tool concludes that synthetic methionine is necessary to satisfy amino acid requirements for organic poultry but that alternative sources of protein and animal proteins can help to reach amino acid balance. The target group of the tool is organic feed advisors and it can be used for ration formulations