title: Effect of low protein diets for growing Leghorn pullets upon subsequent laying performance.
abstract: An experiment was conducted with White Leghorn pullets to study the effect on laying performance of dietary protein content and amino acid supplementation during the growing period. From 0 to 6 weeks of age birds fed on diets containing either 149 g protein/kg supplemented with methionine and lysine or 182 g protein/kg grew faster than those fed on a diet containing 149 g protein/kg alone. However, only those fed on the supplemented diet utilised their food more efficiently. From 7 to 20 weeks of age neither body weight gain nor food utilisation was affected by the dietary protein content. Pullets fed the low protein diet supplemented with 2 g methionine/kg and 2.5 g lysine/kg during the period of 0 to 6 weeks of age had significantly better egg production than birds fed the low protein diet alone. The dietary protein content during 7 to 20 weeks of age did not influence subsequent egg production.
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D008239:Lysine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008715:Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008715:Methionine; D008239:Lysine