Effects of replacing liquid MHA-FA with 65% DL-Methionine on growth performance of male broilers
Results from the trial indicate that replacing 100 parts of MHA-FA with 65 parts of DL-Met did not affect growth performance parameters either below or above the commercial Met+Cys specification. An annual demand of 1,260 metric tons of MHA-FA could therefore be covered with only 819 metric tons of DL-Methionine, equivalent to a 65% ratio, resulting in annual savings of USD 567,000.
This broiler trial conducted at the research facility of a Peruvian broiler integrator, confirmed that liquid MHA-FA can be replaced with 65 parts of DL-Met at any Met+Cys levels without affecting growth performance parameters while improving feeding costs, production efficiency and sustainability.
Technical Director Evonik Guatemala SA
The objective of the trial was to validate the recommended relative bioavailability of 65% at 2 different Met+Cys levels (below and above commercial requirement) by replacing 100 parts of liquid MHA-FA (88% BE) with 65 parts DL-Met on growth performance parameters of male broilers from 1 to 38 days of age.
Location: Broiler research farm of a Peruvian broiler producer
Project team leaders: V. D. Naranjo, J. Correa
| Animals | 960 male Ross 308 broilers |
| Design | Completely randomized block design with 4 treatments and 8 replicates per treatment. Treatments included: 1) Reduced Met+Cys with MHA-FA |
| Housing | Floor pens |
| Diets | Corn-soybean meal, full-fat soybean meal-and animal by products-based diets |
| Feeding | Broilers were fed a 5-phase feeding program that lasted from: d 0 to 12 (starter), 13 to 21(grower I), 22 to 28 (grower II), 29 to 36 (finisher I) and 37 to market (finisher II) |
| Parameters | Body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio |
| Duration | 38 days |
Trial results
- Overall, replacing 100 parts of liquid MHA-FA with 65 parts of DL-Met did not affect final BW, cumulative feed intake or FCR at either below or above the commercial Met+Cys levels in male broilers (Table 2)
- The European Production Efficiency Factor was greater for broilers fed DL-Met than their MHA-FA counterpart at both, the lower and greater Met+Cys levels (Table 2)
- The relative bioavailability of MHA-FA was validated to be equivalent to 65% DL-Met and that it can be applied at any Met+Cys level
- Replacing MHA-FA with DL-Met at a 65% ratio also offers significant potential for feed cost savings, with annual savings estimated at USD 567,000 (Table 3).
