See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/7165595

Comparison of Apparent Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility of Feed Ingredients

Measured with Broilers, Layers, and Roosters

Article  in  Poultry Science · May 2006

DOI: 10.1093/ps/85.4.625 · Source: PubMed

CITATIONS READS

52 197

4 authors:

Kim H. Huang Xiuhua Li

The University of Queensland The University of Queensland
43 PUBLICATIONS   203 CITATIONS    129 PUBLICATIONS   1,193 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Velmurugu Ravindran Wayne L. Bryden

Massey University The University of Queensland
241 PUBLICATIONS   9,298 CITATIONS    311 PUBLICATIONS   6,611 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

oxygen reduction View project

Electrocatalysts View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Wayne L. Bryden on 21 May 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 METABOLISM AND NUTRITION
Comparison of Apparent Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility of Feed Ingredients
Measured with Broilers, Layers, and Roosters
K. H. Huang,*1 X. Li,* V. Ravindran,† and W. L. Bryden*2
*School of Animal Studies, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia; and †Institute of Food,
Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Palmerton North, New Zealand
ABSTRACT The apparent ileal digestibility of amino
acids in 7 feed ingredients was determined using broilers,
layers, and roosters. The ingredients included 3 cereals
(wheat, sorghum, and corn), 3 oilseed meals (canola, cot-
tonseed, and soybean meals), and 1 animal protein meal
(meat and bone meal). Dietary protein in the assay diets
was supplied solely by the test ingredient. All diets con-
tained 20 g/kg of acid-insoluble ash as an indigestible
marker, and each diet was offered ad libitum in mash
form to 5 replicate pens of broilers and layers, and 4
replicate pens of roosters. The digestibility coefficients of
individual amino acids for wheat, corn, and sorghum
Key words: amino acid digestibility, feed ingredient, broiler, layer, rooster
INTRODUCTION
Use of nutrients, including amino acids and energy, in
feed ingredients may vary according to the physiological
status of the bird. A number of studies have shown that
the AME of feed ingredients may depend upon the age,
genotype, and gender of bird. Farrell et al. (1997) found
that there were large differences in the AMEn of a diet
between laying hens and 3-wk-old broilers, with hens
having 454 kcal/kg DM higher AME than broilers. Similar
differences in AME between broilers and layers have been
reported by Lodhi et al. (1969), Peterson et al. (1976),
and Shires et al. (1980). Higher AME values have been
reported in adult roosters than in 3-wk-old (Carre et al.,
1995) and 7-wk-old broilers (Mollah et al., 1983), with
differences of 190 and 345 kcal/kg of DM, respectively.
Most of the published data on digestible amino acids
in feed ingredients have been obtained from excreta
assays with roosters (Sibbald, 1986; Green et al. 1987;
Parsons, 1991; NRC, 1994; Rhone-Poulenc, 1993). Al-
though evidence suggests that ileal digestibility values
2006 Poultry Science Association, Inc.
Received April 6, 2005.
Accepted November 4, 2005.
1
Present address: Alltech Biotechnology P/L, Dandenong South, Vic-
toria 3175, Australia.
2
Corresponding author: w.bryden@uq.edu.au
625
were higher (P < 0.05) in broilers than in layers and roost-
ers. The digestibility of most amino acids for corn and
sorghum was higher (P < 0.05) in roosters compared with
those in layers, whereas the digestibility for wheat in
layers and roosters was similar. In general, the digestibil-
ity of amino acids in canola meal, cottonseed meal, and
meat and bone meal was similar among the 3 classes of
chickens. The digestibility of amino acids in soybean meal
was higher (P < 0.05) for layers compared with those for
broilers and roosters but similar between broilers and
roosters. These results suggest that the class of chickens
significantly influenced the apparent ileal digestibility of
amino acids in some feed ingredients.
2006 Poultry Science 85:625–634
are better indicators of amino acid availability than ex-
creta-based values (Ravindran et al., 1999), data sources
on ileal digestibility values are limited (Ravindran et al.,
2005). It is generally assumed that nutrient digestibility
does not change between the class of birds, and amino
acid digestibility values generated with roosters are
widely used in feed formulations for broilers and layers.
To the authors’ knowledge, few comparative data on the
amino acid digestibility in feed ingredients for broilers,
layers, and roosters are available.
The objectives of the present study were to determine
the apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids for broilers,
layers, and roosters in 7 common feed ingredients. It was
expected that this comparative data would yield informa-
tion of the applicability of digestibility values generated
with birds of one physiological status to other birds.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ingredients
Wheat, corn, sorghum, soybean meal, cottonseed meal,
canola meal, and meat and bone meal were evaluated in
the study. The ingredients were obtained from a commer-
cial source, and the same batch of ingredient was used
in all 3 assays. The cereals were coarsely crushed in a
ripple flow mill before incorporation into diets.
626 HUANG ET AL.
Table 1. Composition (g/kg, as-is basis) of diets used in amino acid digestibility assays

Cottonseed Soybean Meat and

Ingredient Wheat Sorghum Corn Canola meal meal meal bone meal

Glucose — — — 324.0 425.0 463.0 494.0

Test ingredient 918.0 918.0 918.0 555.0 454.0 416.0 384.0
Vegetable oil 20.0 20.0 20.0 60.0 60.0 60.0 60.0
Solkafloc — — — — — — 30.0
Celite 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0
Dicalcium phosphate 17.0 17.0 17.0 19.0 19.0 19.0 —
Limestone 13.0 13.0 13.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 —
Choline chloride 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
Salt 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
Trace mineral-vitamin premix1 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0
1
Each kilogram of premix contained the following: trans-retinol, 0.66 mg; cholecalciferol, 0.018 mg; DL-α-
tocopherol acetate, 4 mg; menadione, 0.4 mg; thiamine, 0.3 mg; riboflavin, 1.6 mg; calcium pantothenate, 3 mg;
niacin, 6 mg; pyridoxine, 1 mg; folic acid, 0.4 mg; cyanocobalamin, 3 ␮g; biotin, 0.02 mg; manganese, 15 mg;
zinc, 10 mg; iron, 4 mg; copper, 1 mg; iodine, 0.2 mg; cobalt, 0.06 mg; selenium, 0.02 mg; molybdenum, 0.32
mg; choline chloride, 60 mg, ethoxyquin, 25 mg.

Assay Diets
The diets for the 3 assays were mixed at the same time
using the same batch of ingredients. The composition of
the assay diets is presented in Table 1. In all diets, the
test ingredient served as the sole source of protein in the
diet. Different diets were used for the determination of
amino acid digestibility of cereal grains and protein
meals. Assay diets for cereals contained 918 g of test
cereal/kg. For protein meals, assay diets were based on
dextrose (dextrose monohydrate, Starch Australia Ltd,
Tamworth, NSW, Australia) and contained the test ingre-
dient as the only source of protein. The proportion of
dextrose in the test diet varied so that the assay diet
contained approximately 200 g of crude protein/kg. The
assay diet for meat and bone meal also contained cellulose
(Solkafloc, Fibre Sales & Development Corp., Urbana,
OH) as a source of fiber. Celite (Celite Corp., Lompoc,
CA), a source of acid-insoluble ash (AIA), was added to
all diets at 20 g/kg as an indigestible marker.
Birds and Housing
The 3 assays, with broilers, layers, and roosters, were
conducted concurrently. Experimental procedures were
approved by the University of Sydney Animal Care and
Ethics Committee and complied with the Australian Code
of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scien-
tific Purposes.
Broiler Assays. Day-old male broilers (Cobb 500) were
obtained from a local hatchery. The birds were raised in
battery brooders and fed commercial broiler starter (230
g of crude protein/kg) from d 1 to 20. A temperature
of 32 ± 1°C was maintained during the first week and
gradually decreased to approximately 23°C by the end
of the third week. On d 21, all birds were transferred to
group pens housed in an environmentally controlled
room (23°C). A commercial broiler finisher diet (180 g of
crude protein/kg) was offered to birds until assigned to
the assay diets. On d 42, 175 birds of uniform BW (2.3 to
2.6 kg) were selected and transferred to 35 pens (5 birds
per pen). Five replicate pens were then randomly as-
signed to each assay diet.
Layer Assays. A total of 175 layers (ISA Brown, 55
wk old) of uniform BW (1.9 to 2.2 kg) were obtained from
the Layer Unit of the University of Sydney, Camden, and
allocated to individual cages. Five adjacent cages were
treated as a replicate, and the 7 assay diets were randomly
assigned to 5 replicates.
Rooster Assays. A total of 84 roosters (ISA Brown,
44 wk old) of uniform BW (2.4 to 2.8 kg) were obtained
from a commercial farm and allocated to individual cages.
Three adjacent cages were treated as a replicate, and the
7 assay diets were randomly assigned to 4 replicates.
In all 3 assays, birds were fasted for 24 h before the
introduction of assay diets. The assay diets, in mash form,
were offered ad libitum for 4 d prior to the collection of
ileal digesta. Water was available at all times.
Collection of Ileal Digesta
After 4 d on assay diets, the birds were euthanized by
an intracardial injection of pentobarbitone sodium, and
ileal digesta were collected from the terminal ileum by
gently flushing with distilled water into plastic contain-
ers. The ileum is defined as that portion of the small
intestine extending from vitelline diverticulum to a point
40 mm proximal to the ileocecal junction. Ileal digesta
from birds within a pen were pooled and immediately
stored at −20°C in airtight containers. The samples were
subsequently freeze-dried and ground to pass through a
0.5 mm sieve.
Chemical Analyses
The nitrogen content of ingredient, diet, and ileal di-
gesta samples was determined using a FP-428 nitrogen
analyzer (LECO Corporation, St. Joseph, MI) as described
by Sweeney (1989). The AIA content of diet and ileal
digesta samples was analyzed after ashing the samples,
then boiling the ash with 4 N HCl (Siriwan et al., 1993).
The amino acid content of ingredient, diet, and ileal di-
 AMINO ACID DIGESTIBILITY IN BROILERS, LAYERS, AND ROOSTERS 627
Table 2. Crude protein and amino acid concentrations of the test ingredients (g/kg, as-is basis)

Cottonseed Soybean Meat and

Ingredient Wheat Sorghum Corn Canola meal meal meal bone meal

DM 901 907 897 921 934 904 927

Crude protein (N × 6.25) 123.1 104.7 78.1 339.7 449.7 486.6 547.5
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 3.55 3.21 2.67 14.15 13.62 20.74 16.07
Valine 6.19 5.96 4.14 19.55 22.17 23.21 24.20
Methionine 1.94 1.73 1.69 4.05 5.58 6.64 8.07
Isoleucine 5.23 4.72 3.02 14.98 15.60 22.40 16.99
Leucine 9.36 15.33 10.17 25.42 27.69 37.96 33.78
Phenylalanine 6.16 5.91 4.09 14.12 24.17 23.45 20.91
Histidine 3.10 2.44 2.31 10.12 13.12 14.53 12.63
Lysine 3.78 2.48 2.54 22.46 21.22 30.17 27.18
Arginine 6.44 4.08 3.98 21.31 51.90 35.43 38.85
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 6.90 7.59 5.56 24.93 41.72 54.70 41.53
Serine 4.65 3.78 3.01 11.69 14.89 27.91 15.21
Glutamic acid 27.37 22.58 15.93 63.14 86.50 89.64 68.97
Glycine 5.65 3.49 3.30 18.23 19.63 20.19 69.92
Alanine 4.80 10.12 6.13 15.68 18.14 20.98 41.69
Tyrosine 2.94 3.06 2.33 11.11 14.26 16.72 13.33

gesta samples was determined by high performance liq-
uid chromatography according to the procedures de-
scribed by Ravindran et al. (1999).
Calculations
Apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino
acids were calculated using AIA as an indigestible
marker. Celite was added to diets to increase the AIA
fraction and to improve the precision of the measurement.
Apparent amino acid digestibility coefficient =
(AA/AIA)d − (AA/AIA)i
(AA / AIA)d
where (AA/AIA)d = ratio of amino acid to acid-insoluble
ash in diet and (AA/AIA)i = ratio of amino acid to acid-
insoluble ash in ileal digesta.
Statistical Analysis
The data were statistically analyzed by the GLM proce-
dure (MINITAB, 1996). If the F-ratio indicated signifi-
cance (P < 0.05), the treatment means were separated
using the least significant difference test (Steel and Torrie,
1982). The pooled SEM was calculated as the weighted
average of the SEM of the treatments because of the un-
equal number of replicates used in the trial design.
RESULTS
The crude protein (nitrogen × 6.25) and amino acid
concentrations in the feed ingredients are shown in Ta-
ble 2.
The ileal digestibility of crude protein in wheat for
layers and broilers was higher (P < 0.05) than that for
roosters (Table 3). However, the average digestibility of
amino acids in broilers was higher (P < 0.05) than those in
layers and roosters by 4.8 and 6.1%, respectively. Similar
trends were observed for the digestibility of individual
amino acids. Lysine varied most between the classes of
chicken; a 9.2% reduction was observed between broilers
and layers and roosters compared with broilers.
The digestibility of crude protein in sorghum for broil-
ers tended (P < 0.10) to be higher than those for layers
and roosters (Table 4). The average digestibility of amino
acids in broilers was higher (P < 0.05) than those in roost-
ers and layers, and the digestibility in layers was lower (P
< 0.05) than that in roosters. The digestibility of individual
amino acids in roosters and layers was lower (P < 0.05)
than those observed in broilers. Digestibility values in
roosters were higher (P < 0.05) than those in layers except
for threonine, lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, and serine,
which were similar. The digestibility of glycine in roost-
ers, however, was the lowest (P < 0.05) among the classes.
Histidine was the amino acid that differed most between
the 3 classes of chickens; histidine digestibility was low-
ered by 12.0 and 6.6%, respectively, between broilers and
layers and between broilers and roosters.
The digestibility of crude protein in corn for broilers,
layers, and roosters was similar (P > 0.05; Table 5). How-
ever, the average digestibility of amino acids for broilers
was higher (P < 0.05) than those in layers and roosters.
The digestibility of all amino acids for broilers was higher
(P < 0.05) than those for layers. The broiler estimates were
also higher (P < 0.05) than those for roosters except for
methionine, leucine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, and
tyrosine, which were similar. The digestibility for layers
and roosters was similar except for valine, isoleucine,
histidine, and alanine, which were higher (P < 0.05) for
roosters.
In general, the class of chickens had no effect on the
digestibility of protein and amino acids in canola meal
(Table 6). The digestibility of crude protein and the aver-
628 HUANG ET AL.
Table 3. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in wheat for broilers, layers,
and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance
Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.79a
0.78a
0.71b
0.018 **
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.72a 0.67b 0.66b 0.010 **
Valine 0.82a 0.79b 0.78b 0.009 *
Methionine 0.85a 0.83b 0.82b 0.008 *
Isoleucine 0.86a 0.83b 0.83b 0.007 *
Leucine 0.87a 0.84b 0.84b 0.007 *
Phenylalanine 0.87a 0.84b 0.83b 0.007 **
Histidine 0.83a 0.80b 0.78b 0.009 *
Lysine 0.76a 0.69b 0.69b 0.014 **
Arginine 0.81a 0.77b 0.75b 0.013 *
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.77a 0.72b 0.71b 0.011 **
Serine 0.82a 0.79b 0.78b 0.008 **
Glutamic acid 0.91a 0.90b 0.89b 0.005 *
Glycine 0.79a 0.76b 0.73b 0.010 **
Alanine 0.80a 0.75b 0.75b 0.011 **
Tyrosine 0.80a 0.76b 0.75b 0.010 *
Average3 0.82a 0.78b 0.77b 0.009 **
a,b
Means in a row bearing different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Mean of 15 amino acids.
*P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01.

age digestibility of amino acids in canola meal for broilers, dine, arginine, and glutamic acid tended (P < 0.10) to be
layers, and roosters were similar (P > 0.05). The digestibil- higher in roosters compared with layers and broilers.
ity of individual amino acids for broilers, layers, and No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the ileal
roosters was similar, although the digestibility of histi- digestibility of crude protein and average digestibility of

Table 4. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in sorghum for broilers, layers,
and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance

Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.82 0.76 0.78 0.014 †

Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.71a 0.67b 0.67b 0.008 **
Valine 0.84a 0.78c 0.81b 0.003 ***
Methionine 0.88a 0.80c 0.84b 0.004 ***
Isoleucine 0.87a 0.80c 0.83b 0.007 ***
Leucine 0.91a 0.84c 0.88b 0.007 ***
Phenylalanine 0.89a 0.82c 0.85b 0.008 ***
Histidine 0.75a 0.66c 0.70b 0.009 ***
Lysine 0.83a 0.80b 0.81b 0.005 *
Arginine 0.84a 0.81b 0.81b 0.004 ***
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.85a 0.80b 0.81b 0.007 ***
Serine 0.81a 0.77b 0.78b 0.006 ***
Glutamic acid 0.90a 0.83c 0.87b 0.007 ***
Glycine 0.75a 0.72b 0.70c 0.005 ***
Alanine 0.91a 0.84c 0.87b 0.007 ***
Tyrosine 0.81a 0.73c 0.76b 0.010 ***
Average3 0.84a 0.78c 0.80b 0.006 ***
a–c
Means in a row bearing different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Mean of 15 amino acids.
*P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; ***P ≤ 0.001; †P ≤ 0.10.
 AMINO ACID DIGESTIBILITY IN BROILERS, LAYERS, AND ROOSTERS 629
Table 5. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in corn for broilers, layers,
and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance
Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.80 0.78 0.79 0.016 NS
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.67a 0.61b 0.63b 0.014 *
Valine 0.83a 0.77c 0.80b 0.007 ***
Methionine 0.91a 0.87b 0.92a 0.004 ***
Isoleucine 0.85a 0.81c 0.83b 0.006 ***
Leucine 0.91a 0.88b 0.90a 0.005 **
Phenylalanine 0.88a 0.85b 0.87a 0.005 **
Histidine 0.86a 0.79c 0.83b 0.007 ***
Lysine 0.79a 0.75b 0.73b 0.011 **
Arginine 0.88a 0.85b 0.86b 0.007 *
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.81a 0.77b 0.78b 0.010 *
Serine 0.79a 0.74b 0.76b 0.010 *
Glutamic acid 0.92a 0.89b 0.91ab 0.005 *
Glycine 0.77a 0.72b 0.73b 0.008 ***
Alanine 0.90a 0.86c 0.89b 0.004 ***
Tyrosine 0.79a 0.75b 0.78ab 0.008 *
Average3 0.84a 0.79b 0.81b 0.006 ***
a–c
Means in a row bearing different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Mean of 15 amino acids.
*P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; ***P ≤ 0.001.

amino acids in cottonseed meal for broilers, layers, and
roosters (Table 7). The digestibility of individual amino
acids was also similar (P > 0.05) among the 3 classes, but
the digestibility of threonine tended (P < 0.10) to be higher
in roosters and broilers compared with layers.
The ileal digestibility of crude protein and the average
digestibility of amino acids in soybean meal were higher
(P < 0.05) for layers compared with those for broilers and
roosters (Table 8). The digestibility of individual amino
acids for layers was also higher (P < 0.05) than those in

Table 6. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in canola meal for broilers,
layers, and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance
Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.75 0.76 0.74 0.010 NS
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.71 0.70 0.71 0.010 NS
Valine 0.77 0.75 0.76 0.008 NS
Methionine 0.92 0.93 0.92 0.004 NS
Isoleucine 0.77 0.76 0.77 0.010 NS
Leucine 0.81 0.79 0.81 0.008 NS
Phenylalanine 0.80 0.79 0.81 0.009 NS
Histidine 0.81 0.81 0.82 0.005 †
Lysine 0.79 0.82 0.80 0.007 NS
Arginine 0.88 0.89 0.89 0.004 †
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.007 NS
Serine 0.74 0.72 0.73 0.010 NS
Glutamic acid 0.87 0.87 0.88 0.004 †
Glycine 0.77 0.76 0.77 0.008 NS
Alanine 0.79 0.79 0.80 0.007 NS
Tyrosine 0.79 0.78 0.80 0.008 NS
Average3 0.80 0.79 0.80 0.007 NS
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Mean of 15 amino acids.
†P ≤ 0.10.
630 HUANG ET AL.
Table 7. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in cottonseed meal for broilers,
layers, and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance
Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.011 NS
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.60 0.55 0.59 0.014 †
Valine 0.66 0.64 0.66 0.013 NS
Methionine 0.74 0.72 0.72 0.012 NS
Isoleucine 0.62 0.61 0.63 0.014 NS
Leucine 0.66 0.64 0.66 0.013 NS
Phenylalanine 0.76 0.75 0.76 0.009 NS
Histidine 0.74 0.73 0.73 0.010 NS
Lysine 0.55 0.55 0.53 0.012 NS
Arginine 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.007 NS
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.010 NS
Serine 0.68 0.65 0.68 0.011 NS
Glutamic acid 0.82 0.81 0.81 0.007 NS
Glycine 0.64 0.63 0.65 0.014 NS
Alanine 0.65 0.63 0.65 0.014 NS
Tyrosine 0.77 0.75 0.74 0.009 NS
Average3 0.70 0.69 0.69 0.010 NS
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Means of 15 amino acids.
†P ≤ 0.10.

broilers and roosters, except for threonine and alanine,
which were similar among the 3 classes. Digestibility of
amino acids was similar between broilers and roosters,
except for methionine and lysine, which were higher (P
< 0.05) in broilers. Among the indispensable amino acids,
leucine, and phenylalanine were the amino acids that
differed most between the classes with differences of 3.5
to 4.5%. Among the dispensable amino acids, glutamic
acid was the most affected with differences of 4.5 to 5.4%.
The ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids
in meat and bone meal was not different (P > 0.05) be-
tween the classes of chickens (Table 9).

Table 8. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in soybean meal for broilers,
layers, and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance

Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.85b

0.89a
0.84b
0.007 **
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.81 0.83 0.82 0.006 NS
Valine 0.86b 0.88a 0.86b 0.004 **
Methionine 0.93b 0.94a 0.92c 0.003 ***
Isoleucine 0.87b 0.89a 0.86b 0.004 ***
Leucine 0.86b 0.89a 0.85b 0.004 ***
Phenylalanine 0.87b 0.90a 0.86b 0.004 ***
Histidine 0.88b 0.90a 0.88b 0.004 *
Lysine 0.90b 0.92a 0.89c 0.003 ***
Arginine 0.91b 0.94a 0.90b 0.004 ***
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.86b 0.88a 0.85b 0.003 ***
Serine 0.85b 0.87a 0.85b 0.005 *
Glutamic acid 0.89b 0.93a 0.88b 0.005 ***
Glycine 0.84b 0.87a 0.85b 0.005 **
Alanine 0.86 0.87 0.86 0.005 NS
Tyrosine 0.88b 0.91a 0.88b 0.004 ***
Average3 0.87b 0.90a 0.87b 0.004 ***
a–c
Means in a row bearing different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Means of 15 amino acids.
*P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; ***P ≤ 0.001.
 AMINO ACID DIGESTIBILITY IN BROILERS, LAYERS, AND ROOSTERS 631
Table 9. Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein and amino acids in meat and bone meal for
broilers, layers, and roosters1,2

Pooled
Parameter Broilers Layers Roosters SEM Significance
Crude protein (N × 6.25) 0.74 0.74 0.73 0.013 NS
Indispensable amino acids
Threonine 0.75 0.75 0.72 0.012 NS
Valine 0.79 0.80 0.78 0.010 NS
Methionine 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.011 NS
Isoleucine 0.81 0.82 0.80 0.010 NS
Leucine 0.81 0.82 0.80 0.010 NS
Phenylalanine 0.81 0.82 0.80 0.009 NS
Histidine 0.80 0.81 0.79 0.010 NS
Lysine 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.010 NS
Arginine 0.77 0.81 0.78 0.014 NS
Dispensable amino acids
Aspartic acid 0.67 0.67 0.62 0.017 NS
Serine 0.73 0.74 0.70 0.013 NS
Glutamic acid 0.77 0.79 0.76 0.012 NS
Glycine 0.71 0.76 0.71 0.018 NS
Alanine 0.76 0.79 0.76 0.015 NS
Tyrosine 0.81 0.82 0.80 0.009 NS
Average3 0.77 0.79 0.76 0.012 NS
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
3
Mean of 15 amino acids.

DISCUSSION obtained for 45-wk-old roosters are within the range of

Several published reports are available on the amino
acid digestibility of feed ingredients for poultry (Raharjo
and Farrell, 1984; Green et al., 1987; Green and Kiener,
1989; Parsons, 1991, Angkanaporn et al., 1996; Parsons et
al., 1997; Ravindran et al., 1999, 2005; Kadim et al., 2002;
Huang et al., 2005), but the data are variable due to differ-
ences in methodology used including the class of bird
(broilers or roosters), site of measurement (excreta or il-
eal), and correction for endogenous losses (true or appar-
ent). Although the effects of site of measurement on
amino acid digestibility have been documented (ten
Doeschate et al., 1993; Ravindran et al., 1999; Kadim et
al., 2002), the possible effects of the class of bird have not
been examined. Thus the comparison of values obtained
in the present study with published data is difficult.
Another possible concern with regard to the current
comparison of the 3 classes of chickens is the differences
in age, sex, and genotype, which might confound the
interpretation of the results. For example, there is evi-
dence that sex and age of birds may influence amino acid
digestibility (ten Doeschate et al., 1993; Batal and Parsons,
2002, 2003; Huang et al., 2005). Obviously it is not possible
to separate these confounding factors, but it must be rec-
ognized that evaluation of the effects of these factors was
not the aim of the present study. The aim was to generate
a comparative data to give an indication of the applicabil-
ity of digestibility values generated with 1 class of chick-
ens to other birds.
The apparent ileal amino acid digestibility values ob-
served in 49-d-old broilers for the various ingredients are
within the range of values reported by Ravindran et al.
(1998, 1999) determined with 42-d-old broilers. The values
values reported by Parsons (1991), although the values
determined in the study refer to excreta-based, true di-
gestibility estimates. There are few published data on the
digestibility of amino acids for layers, and an evaluation
for a range of feed ingredients for layers has not been
previously reported
The class of bird influenced the digestibility of amino
acids in cereals. In general, the digestibility estimates
were higher for broilers than those for layers and roosters.
Similar observations have been made by Almirall et al.
(1995), who reported that the crude protein digestibility
in corn for broiler chickens was higher than roosters.
Differences also existed between the digestibility for
layers and roosters. The digestibility of amino acids in
wheat was similar between layers and roosters. For sor-
ghum and corn, the digestibility estimates tended to be
lower in layers than roosters. Part of these differences
may reflect sex differences, but published data on the
effects of sex on nutrient use are contradictory. Zuprizal
et al. (1992) found that the true amino acid digestibility
values of whole and dehulled rapeseed meals were sig-
nificantly higher in male broilers than in females at 6 wk
of age, but no differences were observed at 3 wk of age.
Wakita et al. (1970) reported that amino acid uptake by
intestinal segments from male chickens were higher than
those from females. Ten Doeschate et al. (1993), however,
reported that female broiler chickens had improved pro-
tein and amino acid digestibility compared with males.
In several other studies (Wallis and Balnave, 1984; Zel-
enka and Liska, 1986; Gruhn and Zander, 1989), sex of the
bird was found to have no influence on the digestibility of
protein or amino acids. It must be noted, however, that
these discrepancies may be due partly to the differences
632 HUANG ET AL.
Table 10. Feed intake (grams per bird per day) of broilers, layers, and roosters during the 4-d assay period1,2
Parameter Broilers Layers
a b
Wheat 156 95
Sorghum 139a 881b
Corn 158a 68b
Canola meal 181a 115b
Cottonseed meal 171a 87c
Soybean meal 182a 48c
Meat and bone meal 154a 79c
a–c
Means in a row bearing different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
1
At the time of ileal digesta collection, the age of broilers, layers, and roosters was 49 d, 56 wk, and 45 wk,
respectively.
2
The values are means of 5 replicate pens (5 birds/replicate) for broilers and layers, and of 4 replicate pens
(3 birds/replicate) for roosters.
***P ≤ 0.001.
in methodologies and the maturity of birds used in the
assay.
The class of bird had no influence on the digestibility of
crude protein and amino acids in canola meal, cottonseed
meal, and meat and bone meal. In soybean meal, the
digestibility values for the layers were higher than those
for the broilers and roosters. The reason for these findings
in soybean meal is unclear.
For most ingredients, broilers had higher digestibility
of amino acids than layers and roosters. The reasons for
improved digestion in broilers are unclear. One explana-
tion may be that the modern fast-growing broilers have
more nutrient transport capacity and greater intestinal
mass than layers and roosters (Mitchell and Smith, 1991;
Nir et al., 1993; Uni et al., 1995; Jackson and Diamond,
1996). Mitchell and Smith (1991) reported that the villus
surface area, absolute intestinal weight and length, and
duodenum weight to length ratio were higher in highly
selected broilers compared with birds bred by low selec-
tion. A significant, positive correlation between apparent
excreta amino acid digestibility and duodenum
weight:length ratio in broilers has been reported by Mai-
sonnier et al. (2001).
It can be speculated that part of the observed differ-
ences in apparent ileal digestibility among the class of
birds for some essential amino acids, such as threonine,
was caused by differences in endogenous losses (Ravin-
dran et al., 2004). Mucus glycoproteins, a major compo-
nent of endogenous flow, are known to be rich in threo-
nine (Mantle and Allen, 1989). Mucin also has high con-
centrations of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, and
glycine, and differences in the apparent digestibility of
these nonessential amino acids in some ingredients may
reflect differences in mucin secretion among classes of
birds. It follows that the use of true digestibility estimates
may provide a better comparison of digestibility coeffi-
cients between bird classes. Some recent evidence, how-
ever, suggests that the endogenous losses of most essen-
tial amino acids were similar for broilers, layers, and
roosters (Ravindran and Hendriks, 2004), but mucin se-
cretion was not determined in this study. Nevertheless
the observed differences in apparent ileal digestibility
Pooled
Roosters SEM Significance
a
134 8.53 ***
147a 5.02 ***
147a 7.51 ***
156a 11.04 ***
140b 7.33 ***
145b 8.35 ***
118b 10.57 ***
values in wheat, corn, sorghum, and soybean meal also
reflect, at least in part, true differences in the digestion
and absorption of dietary amino acids among bird classes.
In the present study, the differences between the class
of birds in ileal crude protein digestibility in feed ingredi-
ents followed a trend different to those for the average
amino acid digestibility and individual amino acids.
These differences were particularly obvious for cereals.
These results suggest that the digestion of true protein
cannot be predicted from the digestibility of crude pro-
tein. Reverter et al. (1999) reported that the changes in
the secretion of aminosugars (N-acetylgalactosamine and
N-acetylglucosamine) in mucin influenced the digestibil-
ity of crude protein, but had little effect on the digestibility
of amino acids. Based on the amino acid composition of
mucin (Mantle and Allen, 1989), however, it could be
expected that mucin losses will affect the digestibility of
nonessential amino acids more than those of essential
amino acids, with the notable exception of threonine.
It must be also recognized that a number of factors
such as rate of passage (Shires et al., 1987), physiological
status as related to growth or maintenance, feed con-
sumption, or nutritional adequacy of test diets may influ-
ence apparent digestibility measurements, and such dif-
ferences may be responsible, at least in part, for the differ-
ences observed between test ingredients for broilers and
layers. Especially in low-protein diets, such as those used
for cereals in the current assay, growing birds may be
able to adjust the uptake of amino acids more than the
adult birds that are typically fed diets low in protein.
Intestinal gut flora may also be different between growing
and adult birds and may influence protein digestibility,
but no studies to date have examined this aspect. In the
present assay, the feed intake of all assay diets in layers
was found to be markedly lower than those in broilers
(Table 10), and this may have influenced endogenous
protein losses. Published data on the effects of feed intake
on endogenous protein losses in pigs, however, have been
contradictory (Ravindran and Hendriks, 2004).
In conclusion, the digestibility of amino acids in 4 of the
7 ingredients evaluated differed between broilers, layers,
and roosters. The digestibility of amino acids in wheat,
 AMINO ACID DIGESTIBILITY IN BROILERS, LAYERS, AND ROOSTERS
corn, and sorghum was higher for broilers than layers
and roosters. The digestibility of amino acids in corn and
sorghum was higher for roosters compared with layers,
but the estimates were similar for wheat. Apparent ileal
amino acid digestibility values in canola meal, cottonseed
meal, and meat and bone meal determined for broilers,
layers, and roosters were similar. On the other hand,
digestibility of amino acids in soybean meal was higher
for layers compared with those for broilers and roosters
but was similar between broilers and roosters. Overall,
the present study suggests that the practice of using
amino acid digestibility values generated with roosters
for broilers and layers may not be appropriate for all
feed ingredients.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was conducted while the authors were at the
University of Sydney and was funded by the Australian
Chicken Meat Committee of the Rural Industries Research
and Development Corporation, Canberra, and the Poultry
Research Foundation, The University of Sydney, Camden.
The technical assistance of J. Gill and M. Hayter is grate-
fully acknowledged.
REFERENCES
Almirall, M., M. Francesch, A. M. Perez-Vendrell, J. Brufau,
and E. Esteve-Garcia. 1995. The differences in intestinal
viscosity produced by barley and beta-glucanase alter di-
gesta enzyme activities and ileal nutrient digestibilities
more in broiler chicks than in cocks. J. Nutr. 125:947–955.
Angkanaporn, K., V. Ravindran, and W. L. Bryden. 1996. Addi-
tivity of apparent and true ileal amino acid digestibilities
in soybean meal, sunflower meal, and meat and bone meal
for broilers. Poult. Sci. 75:1098–1103.
Batal, A. B., and C. M. Parsons. 2002. Effects of age on nutrient
digestibility in chicks fed different diets. Poult. Sci.
81:400–407.
Batal, A. B., and C. M. Parsons. 2003. Utilization of different soy
products as affected by age in chicks. Poult. Sci. 82:454–462.
Carre, B., J. Gomez, and A. M. Chagneau. 1995. Contribution of
oligosaccharide and polysaccharide digestion, and excreta
losses of lactic acid and short chain fatty acids, to dietary
metabolisable energy values in broiler chickens and adult
cockerels. Br. Poult. Sci. 36:611–629.
Farrell, D. J., A. Smulders, P. F. Mannion, M. Smith, and J.
Priest. 1997. The effective energy of six poultry diets mea-
sured in young and adult birds. In Energy Metabolism of
Farm Animals. K. J. McCracken, E. F. Unsworth and A. R.
G. Wylie, ed. Pages 371–374 in Proc. 14th Symp. Energy
Metab., Newcastle, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
Green, S., and T. Kiener. 1989. Digestibilities of nitrogen and
amino acids in soya-bean, sunflower, meat and rapeseed
meals measured with pigs and poultry. Anim. Prod.
48:157–179.
Green, S., S. L. Bertrand, M. J. C. Duron, and R. Maillard. 1987.
Digestibilities of amino acids in maize, wheat and barley
meals, determined with intact and caecectomised cockerels.
Br. Poult. Sci. 28:631–641.
Gruhn, K., and R. Zander. 1989. Comparative investigations
of the digestion performance between colostomized hens
and roosters with wheat and maize. Arch. Geflugelkd.
53:86–90.
633
Huang, K. H., V. Ravindran, X. Li, and W. L. Bryden. 2005.
Influence of age on the apparent ileal digestibility of feed
ingredients for broiler chickens. Br. Poult. Sci. 46:236–245.
Jackson, S., and J. Diamond. 1996. Metabolic and digestive
responses to artificial selection in chickens. Evolution
50:1638–1650.
Kadim, I. T., P. J. Moughan, and V. Ravindran. 2002. Ileal
amino acid digestibility assay for the growing meat
chicken—Comparison of ileal and excreta amino acid di-
gestibility in the chicken. Br. Poult. Sci. 44:588–597.
Lodhi, G. N., R. Renner, and D. R. Clandinin. 1969. Studies
on the metabolizable energy of rapeseed meal for growing
chickens and laying hens. Poult. Sci. 48:964–970.
Maisonnier, S., J. Gomez, A. M. Chagneau, and B. Carre. 2001.
Analysis of variability in nutrient digestibilities in broiler
chickens. Br. Poult. Sci. 42:70–76.
Mantle, M., and A. Allen. 1989. Gastrointestinal mucus. J. S.
Davison, ed. Pages 202–229 in Gastrointestinal Secretion.
Butterworth Co. Ltd., London, UK.
Mitchell, M. A., and M. W. Smith. 1991. The effects of genetic
selection for increased growth rate on mucosal and muscle
weights in the different regions of the small intestine of the
domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol.
99A:251–258.
MINITAB. 1996. Minitab User’s Guide, Version 11. Minitab
Inc., State College, PA.
Mollah, Y., W. L. Bryden, I. R. Wallis, D. Balnave, and E. F.
Annison. 1983. Studies on low metabolisable energy wheats
for poultry using conventional and rapid assay procedures
and the effects of processing. Br. Poult. Sci. 24:81–89.
Nir, I., Z. Nitsan, and M. Mahagna. 1993. Comparative growth
and development of the digestive organs and of some en-
zymes in broiler and egg type chicks after hatching. Br.
Poult. Sci. 34:523–532.
NRC. 1994. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9th rev. ed.
Natl. Acad. Press, Washington, DC.
Parsons, C. M. 1991. Amino acid digestibility for poultry: Feed-
stuff Evaluation and Requirements. Kyowa Hakka Techni-
cal Review–1, Nutri Quest Inc., Chesterfield, MO.
Parsons, C. M., F. Castanon, and Y. Han. 1997. Protein and
amino acid quality of meat and bone meal. Poult. Sci.
76:361–368.
Peterson, C. F., G. B. Meyer, and E. A. Sauter. 1976. Comparison
of metabolizable energy values of feed ingredients for
chicks and hens. Poult. Sci. 55:1163–1165.
Raharjo, Y., and D. J. Farrell. 1984. A new biological method for
determining amino acid digestibility in poultry feedstuffs
using a simple cannula, and the influence of dietary fibre
on endogenous amino acid ouput. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol.
12:29–45.
Ravindran, V., and W. H. Hendriks. 2004. Endogenous amino
acid flows at the terminal ileum of broilers, roosters and
layers. Anim. Sci. 79:265–271.
Ravindran, V., L. L. Hew, and W. L. Bryden. 1998. Digestible
amino acids in poultry feedstuffs. RIRDC Publ. 98/9. Rural
Ind. Res. Dev. Corp., Canberra, Australia.
Ravindran, V., L. I. Hew, G. Ravindran, and W. L. Bryden.
1999. A comparison of ileal digesta and excreta analysis
for the determination of amino acid digestibility in feed
ingredients for poultry. Br. Poult. Sci. 40:266–274.
Ravindran, V., L. I. Hew, G. Ravindran, and W. L. Bryden.
2004. Endogenous amino acid flow in the avian ileum:
Quantification using three techniques. Br. J. Nutr. 92:217–
223.
Ravindran, V., L. I. Hew, G. Ravindran, and W. L. Bryden.
2005. Apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids in feed
ingredients for broiler chickens. Anim. Sci. 81:85–97.
Reverter, M., T. Lundh, and J. E. Lindberg. 1999. Ileal amino
acid digestibilities in pigs of barley-based diets with inclu-
sion of lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium
634 HUANG ET AL.
repens), red clover (Trifolium pratense) or perennial ryegrass
(Lolium perenne). Br. J. Nutr. 82:139–147.
Rhone-Poulenc. 1993. Rhodimet Nutrition Guide. 2nd ed.
Rhone-Poulenc Anim. Nutr., Antony, France.
Shires, A., J. R. Thompson, B. V. Turner, P. M. Kennedy, and Y.
K. Goh. 1987. Rate of passage of corn-canola meal and corn-
soybean meal diets through the gastrointestinal tract of
broiler and white leghorn chickens. Poult. Sci. 66:289–298.
Shires, A., A. R. Robblee, R. T. Hardin, and D. R. Clandinin.
1980. Effects of the age of chickens on the true metabolizable
energy values of feed. Poult. Sci. 59:396–403.
Sibbald, I. R. 1986. The T.M.E. System of Feed Evaluation:
Methodology, Feed Composition Data and Bibilography.
Technical Bulletin 1986-4E, Agric. Ottawa, Canada.
Siriwan, P., W. L. Bryden, Y. Mollah, and E. F. Annison. 1993.
Measurement of endogenous amino acid losses in poultry.
Br. Poult. Sci. 34:939–949.
Steel, R. G. D., and J. H. Torrie. 1982. Principles and Procedures
of Biostatistics. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New
York, NY.
Sweeney, R. A. 1989. Generic combustion method for determi-
nation of crude protein in feeds: Collaborative study. J.
Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 72:770–774.
View publication stats
ten Doeschate, R. A. H. M., C. W. Scheele, V. V. A. M. Schreurs,
and J. D. vander Klis. 1993. Digestibility studies in broiler
chickens: Influence of genotype, age, sex and method of
determination. Br. Poult. Sci. 34:131–146.
Uni, Z., Y. Noy, and D. Sklan. 1995. Posthatch changes in
morphology and function of the small intestines in heavy
and light strain chicks. Poult. Sci. 74:1622–1629.
Wallis, I. R., and D. Balnave. 1984. The influence of environ-
mental temperature, age and sex on the digestibility of
amino acids in growing broiler chickens. Br. Poult. Sci.
25:401–407.
Wakita, M., S. Hoshino, and K. Morimoto. 1970. Factors affect-
ing the accumulation of amino acid by chick intestine. Poult.
Sci. 49:1046–1050.
Zelenka, J., and I. Liska. 1986. Effect of sex and age on amino
acids digestibility in a feed mixture. Pages 298–302 in Proc.
7th European Poult. Conf., August 24-28. M. Larbier, ed.
Vol. 1. World’s Poult. Assoc., Paris, France.
Zuprizal, M., M. Larbier, and A. M. Chagneau. 1992. Effect of
age and sex on true digestibility of amino acids of rapeseed
and soybean meals in growing broilers. Poult. Sci.
71:1486–1492.