Effect of dietary amino acid regimens on growth performance and body conformation and immune responses in Aseel chicken

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of different levels of Lysine (Lys) on early growth, body conformation and immune response of three varieties of Aseel chicken. Five hundred and forty day old chicks were used in this experiment. Experimental treatments were three verities i-e Mianwali (MW), Peshawari (PW), and Lakha (LK) and three level of Lys i-e L1 (1.35), L2 (1.30) and L3 (1.25%). Treatments were arranged in factorial arrangement under randomized complete block design (RCBD) with sex as block. Each experimental group was replicated 6 times with 10 birds in each. Results indicated that PW variety showed a greater feed intake (FI) throughout the experiment, however, body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were remained unchanged within varieties. Lower FI was observed in birds fed diets containing 1.35, 1.30% digestible Lys. Birds fed diets containing 1.35, 1.30% digestible Lys showed higher (BWG (P less than 0.05) and improved FCR (P less than 0.05). Mianwali variety with 1.35, 1.30% digestible Lys diets, showed (252.0±17.4 and 251.4±7.15; 2.37±0.17 and 2.35±0.06) an interaction for BWG and FCR. Birds fed amino acid dense diets depicted improved body conformation traits (length of body, drum stick, shank keel bone, circumference of drumstick and shank, wing spread and breast width), whereas immune responses (were not influenced by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, it was found that 1.30% digestible Lys level with ideal amino acid ratio was better for improving early BWG and FCR in Mianwali Aseel.