Dietary starch influences growth performance, nutrient utilisation and digestive dynamics of protein and amino acids in broiler chickens offered low-protein diets

Abstract Moderately low protein (MLP) diets can help decrease nutrient excretion from the swine production. However, MLP diets negatively impact growth performance. We hypothesized that supplementing MLP diets with phytogenics may reduce the negative effects of these diets on growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a phytogenic water additive (PWA; Herbanimal®) on growth performance, blood metabolite and gene expression of amino acids transporters in pigs fed with MLP diets. Forty-eight weaned barrows were allotted to six dietary treatments (n = 8) for 4 weeks: >CON-NS: standard protein diet-no PWA; CON-LS: standard protein diet-low PWA dose (4 ml/L); CON-HS: standard protein diet-high PWA dose (8 ml/L); LP-NS: low protein diet-no PWA; LP-LS: low protein diet-low PWA dose (4 ml/L); LP-HS: low protein diet- high PWA dose (8 ml/L). Feed intake and body weight were recorded daily and weekly, respectively. At week 4, blood and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for metabolites using a chemistry analyzer and amino acid transporters using qPCR, respectively. The data were analyzed by univariate GLM (SPSS®) and the means were separated using paired Student’s t-test corrected by Benjamini-Hochberg. Pigs fed CON-HS improved the average daily gain and serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations compared to CON-NS. Pigs fed LP-LS had higher serum phosphorus and blood urea nitrogen compared to the pigs fed with LP-NS. The mRNA abundance of SLC7A11 in the jejunum was lower in CON-LS and CON-HS compared to CON-NS. Additionally, mRNA abundance of SLC6A19 in the jejunum of pigs fed with LP-LS was higher compared to LP-NS and lower in CON-HS relative to pigs fed with CON-LS. In conclusion, PWA improved the growth performance of pigs fed standard protein diets but not low protein diets. Further, the PWA improved the concentrations of blood calcium and phosphorous in pigs fed MLP diets. Funding: Agrivida and Animal Health and Production and Animal Products: Improved Nutritional Performance, Growth, and Lactation of Animals from the USDA-NIFA.

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Growth performance, duodenal morphology and the caecal microbial population in female broiler chickens fed glycine-fortified low protein diets under heat stress conditions

British Poultry Science ◽

10.1080/00071668.2018.1440377 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 340-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

E. A. Awad ◽

Z. Idrus ◽

A. Soleimani Farjam ◽

A. U. Bello ◽

M. F. Jahromi

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Microbial Population ◽

Stress Conditions ◽

Low Protein ◽

Protein Diets

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Starch and protein digestive dynamics in low-protein diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an17296 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 57 (11) ◽

pp. 2250 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

S. Y. Liu ◽

P. H. Selle

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Production Systems ◽

Feed Consumption ◽

Meat Production ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Low Protein ◽

Commercial Chicken ◽

Crystalline Amino Acids ◽

Protein Diets

Digestive dynamics of starch and protein is defined as digestion of starch and protein, absorption of glucose and amino acids from the gut lumen and their transition across enterocytes to enter the portal circulation. Digestive dynamics consider the extent, rate and site of nutrient digestion along the small intestine and the bilateral, post-enteral bioavailability of glucose and amino acids. The underlying premise is that glucose and amino acids should be made available in appropriately balanced quantities at the sites of protein synthesis for efficient protein deposition and growth performance. Previous studies have suggested that feed conversion efficiency may be enhanced by rapidly digestible protein and that crystalline amino acids could be considered sources of ‘rapid protein’. At present, crystalline lysine, methionine and threonine are routinely included in broiler diets; moreover, an increasing array of both essential and non-essential crystalline amino acids is becoming commercially available. Despite unrestricted feed access in commercial chicken-meat production systems during the period of illumination, it appears that the intermittent feed consumption patterns of broiler chickens still provide scope for asynchronies in digestion and absorption of nutrients, which affects broiler performance. A better understanding of the post-enteral, bilateral bioavailability of glucose and amino acids in low-protein diets containing high levels of synthetic amino acids is clearly desirable and this applies equally to the relationship between crystalline and protein-bound amino acids.

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