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The objective was to define the Val requirement for weaned piglets in the context of reducing the dietary protein content. A dose-response experiment was conducted to estimate the standardized ileal digestible (SID) Val to Lys ratio required to support the optimum growth of post-weaned piglets. In this study, 96 pigs weighing 8 kg were allotted to one of six dietary treatments (16 pigs for each dietary treatment) and were housed individually. Diets were formulated to provide 0.58, 0.62, 0.66, 0.70, 0.74 and 0.78 SID Val : Lys by adding graded levels of crystalline L-Val to the 0.58 SID Val : Lys diet. Lysine was sub-limiting and supplied 90% of the recommendation (10.95 g SID Lys/kg equal to 11.8 g/kg total Lys). Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G : F) were determined during a 14-day period of ad libitum feeding. Blood and urine samples were taken at the end of each week (day 7 and 14 of the experiment) 3 h after feeding the experimental diets. ImplicationsThere is an increasing interest in reducing the CP level in pig diets, which allows for further reductions in the excretion of N into the environment and eliminates gut problems and diarrhea of post-weaned piglets caused by high CP level in the diet. Data on the Val requirement are scarce for young pigs and the estimated requirements of 0.70 standardized ileal digestible Val : Lys contributes to the knowledge of the requirements of individual amino acid, which is needed in order to formulate reduced CP diets and support animal growth performance simultaneously.

A biological assay was carried out to evaluate the impact of dietary tryptophan (TRP) in aflatoxin B1‐contaminated diets (AFB1‐D) on performance, blood parameters, immunity, meat quality and microbial populations of intestine in Japanese quails. Six experimental diets were formulated to include two levels of dietary TRP; 2.9 (moderate high: MH‐TRP) and 4.9 g/kg (excess: Ex‐TRP); and three levels of AFB1 (0.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/kg). Each experimental diet was fed to the one of the six groups of birds from 7 to 35 days of age in a completely randomized design with 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Decrease in feed intake, body weight gain and gain:feed in birds fed 5.0 mg/kg AFB1‐D was restored to the control level by 4.9 g TRP/kg of the diet. The hepatic enzymes in blood were elevated in quails fed on AFB1‐D but attenuated by 4.9 g TRP/kg of the diet (Ex‐TRP; p ≤ .01). High serum uric acid in birds challenged with AFB1 significantly decreased by Ex‐TRP (p ≤ .01). The skin thickness to 2,4‐dinitro‐1‐chlorobenzene challenge suppressed by AFB1 but increased by Ex‐TRP diet (p ≤ .02). The AFB1 increased the malondialdehyde in meat, whereas TRP efficiently diminished malondialdehyde production (p ≤ .01). The greatest drip loss and pH in meat were observed in the birds fed 5.0 mg/kg AFB1‐D but Ex‐TRP augmented the adverse effects of AFB1 (p ≤ .01). The Ex‐TRP reduced the total microbial and Escherichia coli counts (p ≤ .01). The adverse effect of AFB1 on ileal Lactic acid bacteria was completely prevented by Ex‐TRP (p ≤ .03). This study showed that tryptophan supplementation could be considered as a powerful nutritional tool to ameliorate the adverse effects of AFB1 in growing quails.

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