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Threonine Responses of Female Cobb 500 Broilers from Days 42 to 56

M. T. Kidd^*, C. D. Zumwalt^*, S. J. Barber^*, W. A. Dozier, III, D. W. Chamblee and C. Wiernusz

^* Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762
University of Georgia, Department of Poultry Science, Tifton, Georgia 31793
South Central Poultry Research Unit, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762
Cobb-Vantress, Siloam Springs, Arkansas 72761

Correspondence: M. T. Kidd, E-mail: mkidd{at}poultry.msstate.edu

Sound knowledge of amino acid needs for heavy broilers is critical in order to optimize profitability in the further processing market. Although research has delineated requirement estimates for the most limiting amino acids for heavy males, research concerning amino acid needs for females for the further processing market is limited. This study examined Thr, the third limiting amino acid, needs in Cobb 500 females from 42 to 56 d of age.

Experiment 1 demonstrated that birds fed the test diet (corn, soybean meal, and peanut meal based) containing added Thr to 0.66% performed as well as birds receiving a traditional corn and soybean meal diet formulated to contain 0.66% Thr. Experiment 2 (0.45 to 0.80% total Thr in 0.07% increments) and experiment 3 (0.52 to 0.72% total Thr in 0.04% increments) were conducted to establish dose responses to Thr for growth and carcass responses. Threonine had minimal effects on carcass attributes (experiments 2 and 3). A total dietary Thr level of 0.60% supported good growth in experiment 2. In experiment 3, however, good growth was attained in birds fed a total dietary Thr level of 0.67% of diet. These results indicate that the 1994 NRC Thr recommendation (0.68% of diet) from 42 to 56 d is safe for female broilers.

Key Words: amino acid • broiler • threonine