Modelling Broiler Requirements for Lysine and Arginine

Abstract

Six assays were conducted to investigate male and female broiler responses to standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg). Response data were modeled to estimate the efficiency of utilization (k) of both amino acids and adjust factorial models to predict bird intake for SID Lys and SID Arg. In each assay, 1280 Cobb 500® broilers (640 male and 640 female) were randomly assigned to one of sixteen dietary treatments with four replicates of 20 birds. Dietary treatments consisted of crescent levels of SID Lys or SID Arg based on the dilution technique. The values of k determined for each phase (1- to 14-, 15- to 28-, and 29- to 42-d-old) and sex were contrasted using linear regression with groups (sex and phase). The estimated efficiencies were 0.79 for Lys and 0.62 for Arg, which were unaffected by phase or sex. Factorial models based on body weight and weight gain (M1) and on body and feather protein weight and deposition (M2) were applied to estimate the SID Lys and Arg intake for growth. The amino acid intake based on M2 had a lower error of prediction. Broiler chickens require 94.9 and 92.9 mg/d of SID Lys and SID Arg to deposit 1 g of body protein.

Beyond protein synthesis: the emerging role of arginine in poultry nutrition and host-microbe interactions

“…Similarly, during infections, the immune system is activated, which significantly affects the amino acid availability for muscle protein accretion, thus compromising growth. Arginine requirement will be increased during an active inflammatory response ( Rochell et al, 2017 ; Nogueira et al, 2021 ) indicated by a decreased plasma arginine concentration in infected birds. The increased demand for arginine during enteric infections such as coccidiosis might be due to its role in polyamine synthesis which is required for mucosal tissue repair ( Rochell et al, 2017 ).…”

“…The increased demand for arginine during enteric infections such as coccidiosis might be due to its role in polyamine synthesis which is required for mucosal tissue repair ( Rochell et al, 2017 ). Thus, the body prioritizes the immune response over protein deposition during stress conditions ( Nogueira et al, 2021 ) reducing the metabolic availability of arginine and negatively impacting growth ( Allen and Fetterer, 2000 ). Similarly, during stress conditions, especially during heat stress, the sodium-dependent and sodium-independent uptake of arginine is depressed, increasing the arginine requirement in birds ( Khajali and Wideman, 2010 ).…”

Effects of Different Dietary Starch Sources and Digestible Lysine Levels on Carcass Traits, Serum Metabolites, Liver Lipid and Breast Muscle Protein Metabolism in Broiler Chickens

“…Lysine ( Lys ) is defined as a basic essential amino acid whose carbon skeleton cannot be synthesized by poultry and therefore must be met through the diet for the maintenance and growth of poultry [ 6 ]. Lys is the second-most-limiting amino acid after methionine in corn–soybean meal-based diets for broilers.…”