Threonine Requirement of Slow-Growing Male Chickens Depends on Age and Dietary Efficiency of Threonine Utilization

Nitrogen-balance experiments were conducted with a total of 288 male chickens to assess Thr requirement data on 2 commercial slow-growing genotypes (I 657 and Red JA from Hubbard ISA) by use of a modeling procedure described previously. Six graded levels of dietary protein supply from high-protein soybeanmeal were used within 4 age periods (period I: 10 to 25 d; period II: 30 to 45 d; period III: 5 to 65 d; and period IV: 70 to 85 d). The provided dietary amino acid ratio (Lys:Met+Cys:Thr=1:0.85:0.54), with 3.87% Thr in the feed protein, identified Thr as the first limiting dietary amino acid. The nitrogen maintenance requirement (NMR) was established by exponential approximation of N excretion depending on N intake (on average, NMR=173 mg of N/BWkg0.67 per d). The theoretical maximum for daily N deposition was estimated by the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm (SPSS program, version 11.5) and by exponential fitting of N balance data depending on N intake. The observed dietary Thr efficiency was used to model Thr requirements for a given protein deposition depending on age. The optimal dietary Thr concentration (percentage of feed) was established by different predictions for daily feed intake. Daily CP deposition of approximately 60% of the potential required 0.83 and 0.87% (10 to 25 d), 0.73 and 0.75% (30 to 45 d), 0.66 and 0.69% (50 to 65 d), and 0.51 and 0.53% (70 to 85 d) of Thr in feed for genotype I 657 and genotype Red JA, respectively (average daily feed intakes of 30, 75, 100, and 100 g in age periods I to IV). Results of model calculations need verification in comparative growth studies with assessment of nutrient deposition and varying dietary Thr efficiencies.

Modeling of Threonine Requirement in Fast-Growing Chickens, Depending on Age, Sex, Protein Deposition, and Dietary Threonine Efficiency

In addition to dose-response studies, modeling of N utilization, depending on intake of the first limiting amino acid in the diet, is one of the tools for assessing amino acid requirements in growing animals. Based on a verified nonlinear N-utilization model and following the principles of the diet dilution technique, N-balance experiments were conducted to estimate the Thr requirement of fast-growing chickens (genotype Cobb), depending on age, sex, CP deposition. and efficiency of dietary Thr utilization. Different predictions were made for the feed intake to conclude the optimal Thr concentration in the feed. The results are based on N-balance experiments with a total of 144 male and 144 female growing chickens within 4 age periods (I: 10 to 25 d; II: 30 to 45 d; III: 50 to 65 d; IV: 70 to 85 d), using diets with graded protein supply (6.6, 13, 19.6, 25.1, 31.8, and 37.6% CP in DM) from high-protein soybean meal with a constant amino acid ratio and Thr as the first limiting amino acid (3.87 g of Thr/100 g of CP; dietary Lys:Thr = 1:0.54). The observed optimal Thr concentration (% of feed) was influenced by age, sex, level of CP deposition, dietary efficiency of Thr utilization, and predicted feed intake. For male chickens, assuming an average CP deposition (60% of the potential) and average efficiency of Thr utilization, 0.78% (10 to 25 d), 0.73% (30 to 45 d), 0.65% (50 to 65 d), and 0.55% (70 to 85 d) total dietary Thr were observed as optimal total Thr concentration in the diet (corresponding to 60, 135, 160, and 180 g of daily feed intake, respectively). Data are discussed in context with the main factors of influence like age, sex, level of daily CP deposition, efficiency of dietary Thr utilization, and predicted feed intake.