Order of amino acid inclusion in the diet of DeKalb White laying hens

Abstract

Three hundred and twenty-four DeKalb White laying hens aged 42 weeks were distributed in a completely randomised design with nine treatments and six replicates of six birds in each treatment. The experiment lasted 112 days. Diets were: T1 = 16.02% crude protein-CP [Met + Lys + Thr + Trp + Val]; T2 = 14.02% CP [Met + Lys + Thr + Trp + Ile + Val]; T3 = 14.02% CP [no amino acid supplementation]; T4 = 14.02% CP [Met + Lys + Thr + Trp]; T5 = 14.02% CP [Met + Lys + Thr]; T6 = 14.02% CP [Met]; T7 = 14.02% CP [Lys]; T8 = 14.02% CP [Thr]; T9 = 14.02% CP [Trp]. Regarding the quality of the eggs, the percentage of yolk and albumen, shell thickness and Haugh unit were not affected by the different diets. The percentage of shell, specific gravity and albumen height showed significant differences. We found that supplementation of only one amino acid in the diet (T7, T8 or T9), with the exception of methionine (T6), worsened performance relative to the control. Supplementation of three amino acids (methionine, lysine and threonine; T5) or four amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan; T4) worsened egg production and conversion per mass and per dozen eggs; however, feed intake and egg weight and mass were similar to the control treatment. When all amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine and valine; T2) were supplemented performance was similar to the control treatment in all variables. Supplementation of methionine, lysine and threonine is essential for birds in the laying phase; however the addition of six essential amino acids (lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, valine and isoleucine) to the diet of laying hens is important for a good productive performance comparable with the control treatment T1. However, the inclusion of the latter two (isoleucine and valine) is justified only if the production cost is lower.