Dietary methionine requirement of Jing Brown layer hens from 9 to 17 weeks of age

Effects of Varying Dietary DL-Methionine Levels on Productive and Reproductive Performance, Egg Quality, and Blood Biochemical Parameters of Quail Breeders

Simple Summary

This study investigated the effects of different DL-methionine levels on quail breeders kept from 8–16 weeks of age. The results revealed that using DL-methionine at levels of 0.5 or 1.5 g/kg improved the liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, immunity and antioxidant parameters of quail breeders.

Abstract

The present study was carried out to study the effects of varying dietary DL-methionine (0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 g/kg) levels on the productive and reproductive performance, egg quality and blood biochemical parameters of quail breeders. In total, 150 mature Japanese quails at eight weeks of age were randomly allotted to five groups of 30 for each group. Each group included five replicates, each of six quails (four females and two males). The results showed that egg number, egg weight and egg mass were higher (p < 0.05) with the addition of all DL-methionine levels than that of the control group. Quails from the control group had a lower feed intake (p < 0.001) and a worse feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those from the DL-methionine-treated groups. Supplementation of DL-methionine up to 2.5 g/kg in quail diets increased fertility and hatchability percentages. Birds fed DL-methionine at 1.5 g/kg had the best egg production indices, better FCR and the highest values of fertility and hatchability. Egg weight, yolk %, Haugh unit, egg shape index and unit surface shell weight (USSW) were increased and eggshell % was decreased in quail supplemented with DL-methionine levels compared with the control quail (p < 0.05). Dietary DL-methionine levels did not affect (p > 0.05) the hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and packed cell volume (PCV) of quails. DL-methionine levels (0.5 and 2.5 g/kg) augmented lymphocytes and basophile (p < 0.05). Low DL-methionine levels (0.5 or 1.5 g/kg) improved liver enzymes and kidney functions. Dietary DL-methionine levels (except 3.5 g/kg) declined serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and decreased lipid profile parameters (except high-density lipoprotein—HDL). Supplementation of DL-methionine at 0.5 and 1.5 g/kg increased immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM and IgA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.001) compared with the control. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of DL-methionine (1.5 g/kg) can enhance the reproductive performance and egg quality of quail breeders. DL-methionine use at levels of 0.5 or 1.5 g/kg improved the liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, immunity and antioxidant parameters of Japanese quail.

Effects of dietary threonine supplementation on productivity and expression of genes related to protein deposition and amino acid transportation in breeder hens of yellow-feathered chicken and their offspring

This study investigated the effects of the dietary threonine (Thr) levels on the performance, offspring traits, embryo amino acid transportation, and protein deposition in breeder hens of yellow-feathered chickens. In total, 720 breeder hens of Lingnan yellow-feathered chickens were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments, with 6 replicates per treatment (20 birds per replicate). The breeder hens were fed either basal diet (Thr = 0.38%) or basal diet supplemented with 0.12, 0.24, 0.36, 0.48, or 0.60% Thr from 197 to 266 D. There was a positive response in terms of the laying rate after adding different levels of Thr to the diet, but no significant effects on the average daily gain, average daily egg weight, feed conversion ratio, average broken eggs, and unqualified egg rate (P > 0.05). However, the eggshell strength and eggshell percentage decreased in a linear manner as the dietary Thr concentration increased (P = 0.05). Dietary supplementation with Thr had significant effects on the expression of mucin 2 (MUC2) in the uterus and zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum of breeders (P < 0.05). In chick embryos at embryonic age 18 D, significant upregulation of poultry target of rapamycin (pTOR) occurred in the liver and breast muscle, as well as threonine dehydrogenase (TDH) in the thigh, and aminopeptidase (ANPEP) (P < 0.05) in the duodenum and ileum due to dietary Thr supplementation, but there were no effects on MUC2 expression in the duodenum and ileum (P > 0.05). The livability of the progeny broilers tended to increase with the dietary Thr concentration (quadratic, P = 0.08). Thus, dietary supplementation with Thr had positive effects on the laying production by breeder hens and offspring performance, and it also regulated the expression levels of genes related to amino acid transportation and protein deposition. The optimal dietary Thr concentration that maximized the laying rate in yellow-feathered chicken breeders aged 197 to 266 D was 0.68% according to quadratic regression analysis.

Effects of dietary methionine on productivity, reproductive performance, antioxidant capacity, ovalbumin and antioxidant-related gene expression in laying duck breeders

The study investigated whether dietary methionine (Met) affects egg weight and antioxidant status through regulating gene expression of ovalbumin (OVAL), nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2) and haem oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in laying duck breeders. Longyan duck breeders (n 540, 19 weeks) were randomly assigned to six treatments with six replicates of fifteen birds each. Breeders were fed diets with six Met levels (2·00, 2·75, 3·50, 4·25, 5·00 and 5·75 g/kg) for 24 weeks. The egg weight (g), egg mass (g/d), feed conversion ratio, hatchability, 1-d duckling weight, albumen weight, albumen proportion and OVAL mRNA level improved with dietary Met levels, whereas yolk proportion decreased (P<0·05). The weight of total large yellow follicles increased linearly (P<0·001) and quadratically (P<0·05) with dietary Met concentration, and their weight relative to ovarian weight showed a linear (P<0·05) effect. Dietary Met level had a linear (P<0·05) and quadratic (P<0·001) effect on the gene expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX1), HO-1 and Nrf2, and quadratically (P<0·05) increased contents of GPX and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in liver of duck breeders. In addition, maternal dietary Met enhanced gene expression of GPX1, HO-1 and Nrf2, increased contents of GPX and T-AOC and reduced carbonylated protein in the brains of hatchlings. Overall, dietary Met concentration affected egg weight and albumen weight in laying duck breeders, which was partly due to gene expression of OVAL in oviduct magnum. A diet containing 4·0 g Met/kg would achieve optimal hepatic GPX1 and Nrf2 expression, maximise the activity of GPX and minimise lipid peroxidation.

Effects of different methionine sources on production and reproduction performance, egg quality and serum biochemical indices of broiler breeders

Objective

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different methionine (Met) sources on production performance, reproduction performance, egg quality and serum biochemical indices in broiler breeders.

Methods

After receiving a basal diet (containing 0.25% Met) for a 2-wk pretreatment period, a total of 360 39-wk-old Lingnan yellow broiler breeders were randomly allocated to four treatments with six replicates each (15 birds per replicate). Breeders were fed with basal diets (control) or diets supplemented with DL-methionine (DLM), DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthio butytric calcium (MHA-Ca) and coated DL-Met (CME) respectively.

Results

The results showed that CME supplementation promoted laying rate and decreased feed-to-egg ratio (F/E) (p<0.05), DLM and MHA-Ca supplementation decreased F/E (p<0.05) when compared with control group. The rate of fertility, hatchability and birthrate were higher (p<0.05) in DLM, MHA-Ca, and CME groups than control group. Compared with control group, CME increased the eggshell thickness (p<0.05); MHA-Ca improved the eggshell thickness, shell ratio and eggshell strength (p<0.05). Results also showed that CME elevated the concentration of total protein in serum (p<0.05); MHA-Ca improved the concentration of calcium in serum (p<0.05). The concentration of serum uric acid in DLM, MHA-Ca, and CME groups was lower than that in control group (p<0.05). Besides, CME had higher concentrations of serum taurine, cysteine and cystanthionine (p<0.05) while MHA-Ca and DLM promoted the serum taurine concentration (p<0.05) compared with control group.

Conclusion

Based on the results, it was concluded that Met supplementation could enhance the production and reproduction performance as well as the antioxidant status and egg quality of broiler breeders. In terms of improving the production performance, reproduction performance and antioxidant performance, CME was superior to DLM and MHA-Ca; but in regard to the enhancement of eggshell quality and serum Ca concentration, MHA-Ca was superior to DLM and CME.