Effects of replacing liquid methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA-FA) with DL-methionine at various protein levels in broilers
The trial showed that liquid methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA‑FA) replacement with DL-methionine (DL-Met) in a 100:65 weight ratio does not compromise broiler performance but allows for economic benefits. This finding once more validates the concept of 65% bioefficacy for MHA-FA relative to DL-Met and confirms earlier conclusions that bioefficacy does not interact with other dietary settings such as the balanced protein level.
There is no doubt anymore that DL-methionine (MetAMINO®) is the more powerful solution for balancing dietary Met+Cys levels.
Global Senior Expert Poultry, Evonik
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing MHA-FA with DL-Met in a 100:65 weight ratio at different balanced protein levels.
Location: Poultry Testing Station, Ustrasice, Czech Republic
Project team leaders: Dr. Andreas Lemme, Jan Tyl, Hana Kozeluhova
| Animals | 5,880 mixed-sex Ross 308 broiler chicken (43.1g/chick); 140 birds per floor pen, 42 pens |
| Design | 2 x 3 factorial feeding trial plus negative control |
| Housing | Floor pens, 8.15 m², wood shavings as bedding |
| Diets | Corn, wheat, soybean and rapeseed meal-based diets according to AMINOChick®
|
| Feeding | Pelleted feed; ad libitum; 3 phases: 1-10, 11-24, 25-35 days |
| Parameters | Body weight gain, feed per gain, productivity index, breast meat yield |
| Duration | 35 days |
Trial results
- Broiler performance was significantly impaired without supplementation of MHA-FA or DL-methionine (DL-Met, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4).
- Increased balanced protein in grower and finisher feeds improved performance only numerically, but by 4 to 6% (Figures 1, 2, 3) resulting in 11% higher productivity (Figure 4).
- Replacing MHA-FA with DL-Met in a 100:65 weight ratio did not impair broiler performance but reduced cost of product supplementation by 27% (Figure 5).
