Effects of dietary protein levels on amino acid digestibility at different sites of male adult chicken intestines

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of varying dietary protein levels on amino acid digestibility at different sites of fistulized chicken intestines. Chickens were fistulized to either the middle part of the jejunum (MJ), the distal end of the jejunum, the middle part of the ileum, the distal end of the ileum or the distal end of the rectum (DR). Intestinal digesta were collected from each site of the intestine, and contents of amino acids were measured. The true digestibilities of all amino acids in intestinal digesta at MJ were significantly lower than those at DR in the 10% protein group. In the 15% protein group, the true digestibilities of Asp, Thr, Glu, Pro, Gly, Val, Met and Ile in intestinal digesta at MJ were significantly lower than those at DR. The true digestibility of Ser in intestinal digesta at MJ was significantly lower than that at DR in the 20% protein group. In the 30% protein group, there was no significant difference in the true digestibilities of amino acids in intestinal digesta between the sites of the intestine. The true digestibilities of all amino acids in intestinal digesta at MJ in the 10% protein group were significantly lower than those in other groups. These results clearly demonstrated that dietary protein levels influence amino acid digestibility at MJ in chickens. © 2010, Japan Poultry Science Association.