PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS, MEAT QUALITY AND PLASMA CONSTITUENTS OF MEAT TYPE DRAKES FED DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF LYSINE WITH OR WITHOUT A MICROBIAL PHYTASE

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and plasma constituents of Campbell drakes fed diets containing different levels of lysine with or without a microbial phytase. Basal vegetable duck all-mash diets were fed during the growing (1- 35 d of age), and finishing period (36 - 56 d of age) and were formulated to contain 0.90% and 0.73% lysine (negative control), respectively. These diets were supplemented or not with L-lysine HCl, which resulted in a dietary lysine level of 0.90, 0.95, 1.01 and 1.06% and 0.73, 0.80, 0.87 and 0.94%, during the growing and finishing period, respectively. Furthermore, the diets were fed with or without 600 FTU phytase (Natuphos®) except for those containing 1.06 and 0.94% lysine during the growing and finishing period, respectively (positive control). A lysine level of 1.01/0.87% in the growing/finishing diet significantly increased BWG and improved FCR of drakes by 2.1 and 1.8%, respectively. Phytase significantly increased BWG by 2.1% and 3.5% after feeding the basal diet and 1.01/0.87% lysine, respectively. Also, FCR was significantly improved by 2.2 and 1.8% of groups fed 0.95/0.80, and 1.01/0.87% lysine, respectively. Phytase as an independent variable increased BWG by 1.8, and improved FCR by 1.0%. Lysine and/or phytase did not affect carcass yield, and meat quality treats as well as plasma constituents of drakes. However, lysine level at 0.95/0.80% and 1.01/0.87% significantly decreased abdominal fat deposition compared to either the negative or the positive control. In conclusion, a lysine level of 1.01/0.87% in the growing/finishing diets for drakes is adequate. After phytase supplementation of the basal diet the BWG at a lysine level of 0.90/0.73% were similar to the positive control (1.06/0.94% lysine). However, the best FCR was obtained after feeding diets containing 1.01/0.87% lysine supplemented with phytase.