Productivity of chicken broilers at different levels and ratios between arginine and lysine in compound feed

Abstract

The article presents research to determine the optimal levels and ratios of arginine and lysine in complete feed for broiler chickens of different ages. The object of research was broiler chickens "Cobb-500". The experiments were performed by the group method. During the main period of 42 days, taking into account the age of the chickens, there were three subperiods: 1-10; 11–22; 23–42 days. 600 heads of 1-day-old broiler chickens were selected for the experiments, from which 6 groups of 100 heads each were formed on the principle of analogues. The age and live weight of chickens were taken into account when selecting analogues. Chickens were kept in one room on the floor at a planting density of 12 heads per 1 m2. The feeding front was 2.5 cm, the watering front was 1.5 cm. The air temperature and lighting of the premises corresponded to the sanitary norms adopted in poultry farming. The chickens were fed compound feed twice a day. The level of lysine and arginine in poultry diets was regulated by the introduction of synthetic preparations of these amino acids in the feed. According to the scheme of the experiment, broiler chickens were fed complete feed during the experiment, balanced in metabolic energy and all nutrients, in accordance with the standards recommended by Cobb. The set and quantity of the main ingredients in the feed were regulated depending on the period of growing chickens (1-10, 11-22 and 23-42 days) and the required content of lysine and arginine. As a result of the conducted researches it was established that the wide arginine-lysine ratio helped to increase the growth rate by reducing feed costs per 1 kg of growth in all periods of cultivation. A slight narrowing of the arginine-lysine ratio contributed to gains at the control level, or slightly higher. With a more significant increase in the share of lysine, the gains decreased incredibly, but more significantly, also increased feed costs.