The feed industry has been working for long on formulating diets based on the ideal protein: so that this combination of amino acids comes as closely as possible to the needs of the animals and therefore optimizes their growth. And the broiler chicken is not an exception. Therefore, manipulation of nutrient composition in order to enhance production performance and strengthen the immune system is considered a unanimous strategy in the feeding of highly selected animals.
The continuous launching on the market of new amino acids is fundamental for this purpose. That’s why it’s very good news that last March 2018, the L-Arginine of our provider CJ obtained the registration in EFSA for its use as nutritional additive.
L-Arginine (L-Arg) is considered to be the 5th limiting amino acid in broiler soy and maize based diets after L-Valina.
Other than the protein synthesis, L-Arg plays important metabolic functions, acting as the substrate for the biosynthesis of many molecules, including nitric oxide, creatine, glutamate, ornithine and proline.
It is therefore a very necessary amino acid that is present in some natural products but not in a sufficient proportion to obtain the ideal protein. It is necessary to supplement it.
Some recent studies reveal that supplementing the feeds for broiler chickens with L-Arg result in:
- Increase in production parameters.
- Reduction of metabolic disorders.
- Reduction of stress effects.
Advantages of supplementation
In a study of supplementation with L-Arg at different ratios Arg:Lys, we have obtained significant improvements (P<0,05) in:
- the growth
- the Conversion Ratio (IC) – the quantity of feed per kg of produced meat
- the carcass quality – % of breast
During the starter phase (from 0 to 14-day age period) both IC and growth are optimized with the ratio Arg:Lys of 1,15.
Arg:Lys | Initial weight | Weight 14 d | IC 14 d |
0,77 | 43,9 | 490c | 1.26a |
0,85 | 43,9 | 528b | 1.22b |
0,95 | 43,9 | 529b | 1.21b |
1,05 | 43,9 | 543ab | 1.17c |
1,15 | 43,9 | 546a | 1.16c |
1,25 | 43,9 | 553a | 1.17c |
During the growth phase (from 14 to 28-day age period), the ratio Arg:Lys of 1,25 result in a maximum increase in live weight together with the most efficient Conversion Ratio (IC).
Arg:Lys | Initial weight | Weight 28 d | IC 28 d |
0,77 | 490c | 1616b | 1.44a |
0,85 | 528b | 1690ab | 1.38b |
0,95 | 529b | 1690ab | 1.38b |
1,05 | 543ab | 1710a | 1.35bc |
1,15 | 546a | 1773a | 1.34c |
1,25 | 553a | 1778a | 1.33c |
Carcass quality
Carcass quality, based on:
- Percentage of breast
- Content in abdominal fat
It improves according to the increase of supplementation with L-Arg.
T – 1 | T – 2 | T – 3 | T – 4 | T – 5 | T – 6 | |
Arg:Lys | 0,77 | 0,85 | 0,95 | 1,05 | 1,15 | 1,25 |
These results show the needs of Arg:Lys, they would be between 1,15:1 and 1,25:1 for modern genetically improved broiler chicks in order to maximize their performance and carcass quality.