Amino Acid Imbalance May Affect Chick Performance

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of balance among the branched-chained amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine, in broiler diets when levels of these amino acids were formulated to be adequate. High levels of leucine, relative to isoleucine and valine, were obtained by either increasing corn gluten meal or by supplementing a corn-soybean meal diet with crystalline leucine. The results of the experiments indicated that an antagonism among leucine, isoleucine and valine is not likely to depress performance of broilers fed practical corn-soybean meal diets when levels of these amino acids are above their minimum requirements. The primary effect was reduced feed intake as the level of corn gluten meal was increased. The researchers indicated that research is needed to investigate the effects of low crude protein diets where one or more of the branched-chained amino acids are at minimal dietary levels with high levels of leucine from corn protein. (Amino acid balance becomes more important as the nutritionist formulates diets to reduce traditional corn-soybean meal levels).

Waldroup, P.W., J.H. Kersey and C.A. Fritts. 2002. Influence of branched-chain amino acids in broiler diets. International J. Poultry Sci. 1(5): 136-144.