Evonik Industries AG | Facts & Figures 1596 | June 2012

Poultry No. 1596

Dietary lysine requirements of Hubbard x Cobb female broilers from 1 to
14 days of age


Summary
Digestible lysine requirements of modern late-developing broilers are higher than previously indicated.
The standardized ileal digestible lysine requirements of female Hubbard X Cobb broilers are 1.30 and 1.21 %
from 1 to 7 d of age and 1.22 and 1.31 % from 1 to 14 d of age for BWG and feed conversion, respectively.

Introduction
Lysine (Lys) is the second limiting amino acid in most commercial broiler chicken diets, and because of its practically
exclusive use for protein synthesis, Lys is often used as the reference amino acid for the expression of amino acid
requirements (i.e. ideal protein). Accordingly, an accurate evaluation of digestible Lys requirement of broiler chickens
for optimum production is critical as the concentration of other amino acids will be directly influenced when using the
ideal protein concept. Commercial broilers are normally classified based on their growth pattern as early or late
developing strains. For comparison, Ross broilers are generally considered early-developing while Cobb broilers are
late-developing strains. Feeding pattern is heavily influenced by genetic strain as early-developing birds consume
more feed and thus grow faster during the first week(s) of growth than late-developing birds. As such, the digestible
Lys requirement may be lower for early-developing birds and higher for late-developing birds on a percentage basis.
Research by Dozier et al. (2008; 2009; 2010) has suggested that the Lys requirement of modern male broilers is
approximately 10 % higher than previously suggested by the NRC (1994). Given the importance of getting birds,
regardless of early or late-developing, off to a good start to exploit their genetic potential, an accurate evaluation of
the Lys requirement during the early growth phase of broilers is essential. The objective of this study, conducted with
Dr. Bill Dozier at Auburn University, was to determine the digestible lysine requirement of female Hubbard X Cobb
broilers, a modern late developing strain from 1 to 14 days of age.

Materials and Methods
A total of 1,600 one-day-old female broilers (Hubbard Cobb) were randomly distributed into groups of 25 birds per
pen. Eight pens were randomly assigned to each of the 8 dietary treatments. A basal diet consisting of corn, soybean
meal, poultry by-product meal, and peanut meal was formulated to meet or exceed 110 % of the NRC (1994) nutrient
requirements for all amino acids except Lys (Table 1). The basal diet was formulated to contain 0.95 % standardized
ileal digestible (SID) Lys, and then supplemental Lys was added to the basal diet at the expense of sand to produce a
total of 7 dose-response diets at 0.08 % increments starting from 0.95 % to 1.43 % SID Lys levels. A typical U.S.
broiler industry diet was also formulated to contain 1.27 % SID Lys, and it served as the positive control. The dietary
digestible TSAA:Lys, Thr:Lys, Val:Lys, Ile:Lys, Arg:Lys, and Trp:Lys ratios for the control diet were formulated to meet
or exceed the SID ratios of Lemme et al. (2004). All protein ingredients were analyzed for crude protein and amino
acid concentrations, and these analyses were used for diet formulation.

All experimental diets were fed ad libitum from 1 to 14 days of age. Temperature and lighting program were followed
according to the commercial recommendations. Birds and feed were weighed on d 1, 7, and 14 for the determination
of BW gain (BWG), feed intake, dig Lys intake, dig Lys intake/BWG, and feed conversion. Mortality was recorded
daily. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design. Linear and quadratic effects were determined for
the dose-response diets using PROC REG (SAS, 2004). A preplanned orthogonal contrast was used to compare the
positive control diet with the 1.27 % dig Lys dose-response diet. Digestible Lys requirement was estimated using
exponential regression analysis and requirement for maximum performance was defined as 95 % of asymptotic
response.


Evonik Industries AG | Facts & Figures 1596 | June 2012 | Page 2 / 4
Table 1: Ingredient and calculated composition of Lys-deficient basal and U.S. broiler industry control
diets (%, as-fed basis)

Ingredient, % Lys-
deficient
Basal
U.S.
Industry
Control
Calculated Lys-
deficient
Basal
U.S.
Industry
Control
Corn 60.07 61.87 AME
n
, kcal/kg 3,042 3,042
Soybean meal, 48 % CP 19.63 29.31 CP, % 22.16 23.26
Peanut meal, 41 % CP 10.14

SID TSAA, % 1.03 0.94

Poultry by-product meal 5.00 5.00 SID Lys, % 0.95 1.27
Poultry oil 0.78 0.71 SID Thr, % 0.91 0.83
Sand 1.00

SID Ile, % 0.93 0.85

MetAmino

0.47 0.33 SID Val, % 1.04 0.95

Biolys

0.34 SID Trp, % 0.22 0.23
ThreAmino

0.28 0.13 SID Arg, % 1.55 1.42

L-Valine 0.15

L-Isoleucine 0.15

TrypAmino

0.04

Other 2.29 2.31


Table 2: Performance of female broilers fed graded levels of digestible Lys from 1 to 7 d of age
1

Item
BW
(g)
BWG
(g)
Feed Intake
(g)
dig Lys
intake
(mg/d)
dig Lys
intake:BWG
(mg/g)
FCR
2
(kg:kg)
Mortality
(%)
Digestible Lys (%)
0.95 135 96 116 158 11.49 1.205 2.0
1.03 152 113 127 187 11.55 1.107 1.5
1.11 162 124 133 212 11.99 1.064 2.5
1.19 164 125 137 232 12.60 1.062 1.0
1.27 170 131 136 247 13.23 1.043 1.5
1.35 172 133 141 272 14.06 1.057 2.0
1.43 168 129 133 271 14.74 1.029 1.5
Control (1.27 %) 172 133 137 249 13.13 1.029 2.5
SEM 0.2 0.2 0.2 4 0.13 0.011 1.0
Source of variation Probability
Linear response 0.012 0.013 0.048 <0.001 <0.001 0.019 0.609
Quadratic response 0.003 0.003 0.006 0.017 0.011 0.047 0.790
Control vs. 1.27 %
3
0.497 0.413 0.706 0.689 0.589 0.323 0.463
1
Values are least-square means of 8 replicate pens with 25 broilers per pen at 1d of age. Grand BW mean at 1 d of age was
0.039 kg and 1-d BW was not significantly different among the treatments (P = 0.783).
2
FCR = Feed conversion ratio
corrected for mortality weight.
3
Orthogonal contrast.

Results and discussion
On d7 and d14, BWG, feed intake and feed conversion linearly and quadratically increased as Lys level increased
(Table 2 and 3). Additionally, SID Lys intake and SID Lys intake:BWG increased as Lys level increased. Birds fed
dose-response diet containing 1.27 % dig Lys had similar BWG and FCR as those fed the positive-control diet
(1.27 % dig Lys). Mortality was not affected by digestible Lys concentrations.


Evonik Industries AG | Facts & Figures 1596 | June 2012 | Page 3 / 4

Table 3: Performance female broilers fed graded levels of digestible Lys from 1 to 14 d of age
1


Item
BW
(g)
BWG
(g)
Feed Intake
(g)
dig Lys
intake
(mg/d)
dig Lys
intake:BWG
(mg/g)
FCR
2
(kg:kg)
Mortality
(%)
Digestible Lys (%)
0.95 352 314 424 287 12.85 1.352 2.0
1.03 425 386 486 358 12.99 1.260 2.0
1.11 460 421 511 405 13.47 1.208 2.5
1.19 464 425 507 431 14.18 1.192 1.0
1.27 480 441 517 469 14.88 1.173 1.5
1.35 484 445 516 498 15.67 1.159 2.5
1.43 469 430 503 514 16.74 1.171 2.5
Control (1.27 %) 472 433 510 462 14.95 1.176 2.5
SEM 0.4 0.4 0.5 4 0.07 0.006 1.1
Source of variation Probability
Linear response 0.026 0.026 0.074 <0.001 <0.001 0.009 0.667
Quadratic response 0.004 0.004 0.011 0.008 0.001 0.003 0.299
Control vs. 1.27 %
3
0.132 0.139 0.305 0.264 0.467 0.724 0.508
R
2
0.96 0.96 0.92 0.99 1.00 0.98 0.29
CV, % 2.39 2.62 2.34 1.74 0.54 0.97 29.76
1
Values are least-square means of 8 replicate pens with 25 broilers per pen at 1d of age. Grand BW mean at 1 d of age was
39 g and 1-d BW was not significantly different among the treatments (P = 0.783).
2
FCR = Feed conversion ratio corrected
for mortality weight.
3
Orthogonal contrast.

The SID Lys requirement are 1.30 and 1.21 % from 1 to 7 d of age and 1.22 and 1.31 % from 1 to 14 d of age for
BWG and FCR, respectively (Table 4 and Figure 1).

Table 4: Determination of digestible Lys requirement of female broilers from 1 to 7 and 1 to 14 d of age
based on exponential regression analyses


Response Criteria
Estimated
Requirement
R
2
P value
1 to 7 d of age
BWG 1.30 0.98 0.001
FCR 1.21 0.97 0.001
1 to 14 d of age
BWG 1.22 0.98 0.001
FCR 1.31 0.99 0.001










300
320
340
360
380
400
420
440
460
0.90 1.00 1.10 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50
SID Lys, %
B
W
G
,

g
1.100
1.150
1.200
1.250
1.300
1.350
1.400
0.90 1.00 1.10 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50
SID Lys, %
F
C
R
Y=313.7+0.1256*(1-e
(-11.0836*X)
)
Y=1.3522-0.1913*(1-e
(-8.3678*X)
)











Figure 1: Responses to graded levels of dietary SID Lys on body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion
ratio (FCR) from d 1 to 14 in Hubbard Cobb female broilers



Evonik Industries AG | Facts & Figures 1596 | June 2012 | Page 4 / 4
These data clearly indicate that the Lys requirement of modern broiler strains is higher than previously indicated by
the NRC (1994). These data confirm our current recommendations of 1.25 % SID Lys for 1-12d are also sufficient for
Hubbard x Cobb female broilers.


References

Dozier, W. A., III, A. Corzo, M. T. Kidd, P. B. Tillman, and S. L. Branton. 2009. Digestible lysine requirements of
male and female broilers from fourteen to twenty-eight days of age. Poult. Sci. 88:1676-1682.
Dozier, W. A., III, A. Corzo, M. T. Kidd, and M. W. Schilling. 2008. Dietary digestible lysine requirements of male
and female broilers from forty-nine to sixty-three days of age. Poult. Sci. 87: 1385-1391.
Dozier, W. A., III, A. Corzo, M. T. Kidd, P. B. Tillman, and S. L. Branton. 2010. Digestible lysine requirements of
male broilers from 28 to 42 days of age. Poult. Sci. 89:2173-2183.
Lemme, A., V. Ravindran, and W. L. Bryden. 2004. Ileal digestibility of amino acids in feed ingredients for broilers.
Worlds Poultry Science 60:423-427.