title: Evaluation of a natural methionine source on broiler growth performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, is essential for the health and growth of broilers, so its optimum level should be provided in broiler diets. Synthetic methionine sources used by poultry nutritionists may cause health hazards in broilers as, during conversion of synthetic methionine to the active form, homocysteine is produced which may be injurious to body tissues when there is a lack of coordination between methyl group donors and acceptors. Thus the present study evaluates the efficacy of a natural methionine source.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparative growth performance of broilers fed synthetic and/or natural methionine was observed. Results revealed that the basal diet has a lower growth performance (P < 0.05) than all other diets. However, replacement of synthetic methionine with a naturally sourced methionine has no significant effect (P > 0.05) on weight gain, feed consumption or feed conversion ratio. Serum biochemistry values and slaughter data also indicated no effect due to two different methionine sources (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show that synthetic methionine may effectively be replaced with a naturally sourced methionine without affecting the health and growth performance of broilers. However, additional research is needed to further explore other natural sources of methionine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hayat
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abd Ur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Kashif
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Umar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Gulbeena
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saleem
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D008715:Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine
keywords: amino acid; broilers; natural methionine; synthetic methionine