Effects of 65 parts of DLM replacing 100 parts of MHA-FA on growth performance in white broilers
The trial showed that 65 parts of DL-methionine (DLM) can replace 100 parts of MHA-FA without compromising the growth performance of broilers with even better effects during their early phase and the potential to reduce feed costs. This proves that the bioefficacy of MHA-FA is only 65% on weight-basis compared to DLM.
As the trial revealed, replacing 100 parts of MHA-FA with 65 parts of MetAMINO® in broilers is feasible and shows advantages in the early development phase. Overall, DLM promotes growth and feed utilization more effectively.
Business Manager, Evonik China
The objective of this study was to verify that the biological efficacy of MHA-FA is only 65% of solid DL-methionine, providing experimental evidence for the rational selection of methionine sources and reduction of feed costs.
Location: Dongying, Shandong province, China
Project team leaders: Bill Chu, Dr. Tom Han
| Animals | 720 one-day-old white broilers |
| Design | A total of 720 healthy, similarly weighted one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into 2 treatments, each with 6 replicates and 60 birds per replicate |
| Housing | Commercial 3-layer cage rearing system |
| Diets | Basal diet: corn-soybean meal-based commercial broiler feed The feeding period (1-40 days) included 3 feeding phases: Materials: MHA-FA (liquid MHA, 88% content); MetAMINO® (solid DL-methionine with 99.5% content) 1) MHA-FA treatment (Control group): 2) 65% DLM treatment: |
| Feeding | Broilers were fed in a cage system under Top Sunshine’s commercial trial farm conditions |
| Parameters | Body weight (BW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival |
| Duration | 1-40 days |
Trial results
- Compared to the MHA-FA group, broilers in the 65% DLM group showed a significantly higher body weight (P=0.013), better average daily gain (ADG) (P=0.012), and a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P=0.019) during the starter phase (1-12 days, Table 1).
- During the grower phase (13-21 days; Table 2) and the finisher phase (22 – 40 days; Table 3) performance in terms of body weight, daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio did not differ between the MHA-FA treatment and the 65% DLM treatment.
- Overall, the growth performance during the entire period (1-40 days) was the same in the 65% DLM group compared to 100% MHA-FA (Table 4) confirming a relative bioefficacy of 65% for MHA-FA relative to DLM.
- The replacement of MHA-FA by only 65% dose with DLM reduced feed cost by 2.46 RMB/t (Table 5).
