title: Nitrogen and energy utilization in germ-free and conventional chicks at early stages of growth.
abstract: Influence of aging on N and ME utilization in germ-free and conventional (CV) chicks was investigated at Stage 1 (2 to 6 days old) and Stage 2 (10 to 14 days old). Chicks were fed diets for ad libitum consumption with protein concentrations of 116, 220, or 445 g/kg diet. The N utilization was not affected by the gut microflora at either stages, but it significantly decreased for chicks on the high-protein diet compared with those on the low-protein and adequate-protein diets. The ME values of diets were not influenced by treatments, except for the high-protein diet at Stage 1, in which ME was significantly reduced.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tasaki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okumura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000502:physiology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen