Methodical investigations on the determination of metabolic lysine requirements in broiler chickens. 1

For the estimation of lysine requirement 128 male broiler chickens were used at an age of 7 to 21 days posthatching. They received a lysine-deficient diet composed of wheat and wheat gluten. To this basal diet L-lysine-HCL was supplemented successively resulting in 8 lysine levels ranging from 5.8 to 23.3 g lysine per kg dry matter (DM) (2.2 to 8.7 g lysine per 16 g N). At the end of the two-week feeding period of the experimental diets 14C-lysine was injected intravenously 1.5 and 5.5 hours after feed withdrawal. During the following 4 hours the exretion of CO2 and 14CO2 was measured. The highest daily gain of 21.5 g was observed in animals fed 13.3 g lysine-kg DM. Lysine concentrations exceeding 18.3 g/kg DM depressed body weight gain. The CO2 excretion was not influenced by lysine intake. 14CO2 excretion was low with diets low in lysine content and increased 3 to 4 times with diets meeting the lysine requirement. Based on measurements 1.5 to 5.5 hours after feed withdrawal the saturation value for lysine was reached at 13.3 g/kg DM. This value was lowered (10.8 g/kg DM), however, if the estimation was carried out 5.5 to 9.5 hours after feed withdrawal. These results suggest a higher metabolic lysine requirement during the earlier period after feed intake. Both, reduced weight gain and non linearity in 14CO2 excretion in diets exceeding a lysine content of 18.3 g/kg DM indicate a limited capacity of the organism to degrade excessive lysine. According to the results a lysine requirement betwen 10.8 and 13.3 g/kg DM (27% CP and 660 EFU/sub hen//kg DM) was estimated for broiler chickens 3 weeks posthatching. (author)