Performance and immune response of broilers born to breeders of different ages and fed different valine levels

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of digestible valine supplementation in pre-starter and starter diets on the productivity, nutrient metabolizability coefficient (NMC), and immune response of broilers from breeders of different ages. Experiments I and II were conducted with broilers in the pre-starter (1 to 7 days of age) and starter (8 to 21 days of age) phases, respectively. Broilers were fed diets that differed in their digestible valine content. In each trial, 400 male Cobb 500® chicks were randomly housed in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with eight treatments and five replicates of 10 birds each. The main effects were breeder age (37 vs. 52 weeks) and the digestible valine level in pre-starter (9.2, 10.2, 11.2, and 12.2 g/kg) and starter (8.3, 9.3, 10.3, and 11.3 g/kg) diets. Productive performance, intestinal histology, and immune response of broilers were evaluated. Supplementation with 11.2 g/kg valine in pre-starter diets improved NMC and increased villus height and villus:crypt ratio in the duodenum, jejunum development, and lymphocyte proliferation in the spleen of broilers at seven days of age, without improving performance (body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio). In the starter phase, valine supplementation reduced feed intake but did not affect NMC, intestinal development, or immune response. The present results suggest that the same level of digestible valine should be used in the diet of broilers born to breeders of different ages, and the use of 9.2 and 8.3 g/kg digestible valine in pre-starter and starter diets, respectively, is sufficient to ensure satisfactory broiler performance. However, to improve the duodenum and jejunum development and immune response of broilers in the pre-starter phase, higher digestible valine levels are required.

Respostas de frangos de corte a aumentos graduais na relação entre treonina e lisina / Broiler responses to graded increases in the threonine to lysine ratio

Um experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de relações crescentes entre treonina (Thr) e lisina (Lys) digestível em dietas de frangos de corte nas repostas produtivas dos 15 aos 37 dias de idade. Os aumentos dos níveis de treonina das dietas foram obtidos a partir de inclusões crescentes de farelo de soja (FS) ou L-treonina (L-Thr). Foram alojados 1.200 frangos de corte machos Ross x Ross 308 em arranjo fatorial com três relações entre Thr e Lys (63,5, 66,0 e 68,5 por cento) e as duas fontes de Thr supracitadas. Cada um dos seis tratamentos foi constituído por oito repetições de 25 aves. As dietas foram formuladas para garantir o nível mínimo de exigência para os demais nutrientes e energia. Não houve efeito do nível de treonina sobre respostas de desempenho zootécnico, consumo de água, matéria seca da cama, lesões de pododermatite e rendimento de carcaça e cortes. Também não foi observado efeito da fonte de Thr sobre peso corporal, consumo de dieta, matéria seca da cama, lesões de pododermatite, rendimentos de carcaça, filé de peito, coxas e sobrecoxas. Entretanto, a conversão alimentar foi melhor (P=0,009) e o consumo de água maior (P=0,011) quando o aumento em Thr foi originado do FS, enquanto o rendimento de peito foi superior (P=0,035) para as dietas suplementadas com L-Thr. Foi possível identificar uma resposta diferenciada entre fonte e nível de Thr para ganho de peso e CA, demonstrando que, quando a relação entre Thr e Lys foi de 68,5 por cento, existiu uma evidente melhora para as aves recebendo este nível de Thr a partir do FS. As quantidades de aminoácidos (AA) essenciais a partir do quarto AA limitante foram superiores para as dietas com níveis crescentes de FS. Supõe-se que as diferenças obtidas entre as respostas das aves recebendo dietas com o aumento em Thr a partir de L-Thr ou FS tenham sido devidas a desiguais quantidades ou balanceamento de AA essenciais consumidos a partir do quarto AA limitante. A relação...

An experiment was carried out with the objective of evaluating the effects of graded increases in the ratios between digestible threonine (Thr) and lysine (Lys) in the diet on broilers from 15 to 37 days old. The increases on Thr levels were obtained with higher amounts of soybean meal (SBM) or L-threonine (L-Thr) in the diets. One thousand and two hundred Ross x Ross 308 male chicks were placed in a factorial arrangement with the three ratios between Thr and Lys (63.5, 66.0 and 68.5 percent) and the two sources of Thr previously cited. Each of the six treatments had eight replicates of twenty five birds. The diets were formulated to attain minimum requirement levels of other nutrients and energy. There were no effects of the Thr level on live performance responses, water intake, litter dry matter, foot pad dermatitis, carcass and processing yields. In addition, there were no effects of the source of Thr on body weight, feed intake, litter dry matter, foot pad dermatitis, carcass, breast tenders, thighs and drumsticks yields. However, feed conversion was better (P=0.009) and water intake was higher (P=0.011) when the increase on Thr was originated by SBM, whereas breast meat yield was higher (P=0.035) with diets supplemented with L-Thr. An interaction between level and source of Thr was identified for weight gain and feed conversion demonstrating improvement when birds were fed 68.5 percent Thr to Lys ratio originated from SBM. Amounts of essential amino acid (AA) quantities after the third limiting AA were greater in the diets with increased SBM. Supposely, differences obtained in broiler responses when fed diets with Thr increased from SBM or L-Thr were related to different amounts or balances in the intake of essential AA. A Thr to Lys ratio of 63.5 percent was considered sufficient to maximize broiler performance, whereas increases in Thr obtained exclusively from SBM influence the results probably because of higher amounts of AA...