Effect of Dietary Supplementation of L-Threonine on Growth Performance and Economics in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Three hundred straight-run Vencobb 400 day-old broiler chicks, were randomly distributed into five treatment groups, having three replicates containing 20 chicks in each and reared up to 6 weeks of age. The dietary treatment groups were the threonine deficient diet-Negative Control (A), diet with threonine as per NRC Control (B), diet containing L- threonine at 10% (C), 20% (D), 30% (E) above NRC (1994) recommendation. The treatment group C showed significantly higher (P<0.05) cumulative weight gain than group A receiving threonine deficient diet. The threonine supplemented groups C, D and E showed numerically higher cumulative weight gain, but non-significant than group B receiving diet as per the NRC. The birds from treatment group C showed significantly higher cumulative feed consumption, than treatment group A. The cumulative feed consumption is numerically higher in treatment groups C, D and E than control group B. The cumulative feed conversion ratio (FCR) was non-significant in all treatment groups. The treatment group C and D supplemented with L-threonine at 10 and 20%, respectively showed better FCR than other treatment groups. The overall mortality in broilers, during the experimental period was within normal range. The net profit per kg live weight was Rs 16.38, 16.46, 18.26, 16.73 and 16.21 for groups A, B, C, D and E, respectively. The birds from group C receiving diet 10% L-threonine above NRC recorded highest net profit per kg, followed by the birds from groups D, B, A and E. Thus, it may be concluded that the dietary supplementation of L-threonine at 10% above NRC (1994) was found to be beneficial, in terms of improved growth performance and economic returns in broiler chickens