title: Evaluation of National Research Council amino acid recommendations for large white turkeys.
abstract: Two trials of identical experimental design were conducted to evaluate the NRC (1994) amino acid requirements for growing turkeys. Diets were formulated for 4-wk age intervals using intact ingredients and amino acid supplements to provide 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, and 120% of the suggested requirements. Formulation was done in a manner to minimize excess levels of as many essential amino acids as possible. Day-old male poults of a commercial Large White strain were grown to 20 wk on the test diets with body weight and feed conversion determined at intervals throughout the test; representative samples of birds were processed to determine carcass composition and parts yield. Results suggested that diets formulated to provide 105% of the suggested NRC requirements were needed to provide maximum body weight gain, feed conversion, and breast meat yield. Ambient temperatures in the present study frequently exceeded 27 C and may have contributed to the need for somewhat greater amino acid needs than the present NRC (1994) suggestions.
authors.affiliation: Poultry Science Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701, USA.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Waldroup
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Waldroup
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D009307:National Academy of Sciences, U.S.; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011897:Random Allocation; D013696:Temperature; D014422:Turkeys / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids