Effects of amino acid dietary supplementation on growth performance and blood profiles of broiler chickens during the starter period

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dietary supplementation of amino acids on the blood profiles and growth performance of broiler chickens fed a low-protein diet during the starter period. One hundred and sixty unsexed broiler chicks, aged one day, were randomly divided into five groups, each with four replications and eight chicks per pen. The control group (T1) was fed a basal diet, while the other four groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with varying amounts of lysine, methionine, threonine, and valine. Growth performance and blood parameters were evaluated. Results indicated that there were significant differences in live body weight (LBW) and body weight gain (BWG) between T1, T2, and the other supplemented treatments (T3, T4, and T5), with the highest LBW observed in T5. However, there were no significant differences in the plasma levels of total protein, albumin, AST, uric acid, T3, T4, IgM, and IgG between the supplemented groups and the control. The findings suggest that the addition of extra amino acids to a low-protein diet during the starter period can enhance broiler chicken performance.