Digestible lysine in rations for free range broiler chickens

Abstract

Two experiments were carried in order to determine digestible lysine requirements for free-range broiler hillbilly, Redbro lineage, males and females, created in free range system during the growing (43 to 56) and final phases (57 to 70 days). For this, 630 chickens were housed in 30 pens with pasture area and the experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial arrangement 5x2 (lysine and gender), with three replications with 21 chicks each. The digestible lysine levels evaluated were: 6.07, 7.07, 8.07, 9.07 and 10.07 (growth phase) and 6.00, 7.00, 8.00, 9.00 and 10.00 g/kg (final phase). Were evaluated the performance, the carcass and cuts yield, abdominal fat and meat quality characteristics. For the growth phase there were no differences of lysine levels on performance of the chiks, except for the consumption of digestible lysine. Therefore, the level of 6.07 g lysine /kg of diet meet the requirements of broilers of both genders. For the final phase it we observed effect of digestible lysine levels only to feed conversion, and the level of 8.51 g of lysine/kg of diet improve this trait.