Effects of acidifier added to diets containing graded levels of crystalline tryptophan on growth performance, protein digestibility, and on brain serotonin level in broiler chickens

摘要

The objective of the study was to investigate whether addition of acidifier (A) to a diet containing crystalline tryptophan (TRP) does not impair utilization of the amino acid both for growth and serotonin synthesis in broiler chicken. Eight groups, each of 12 eight-day-old, individually housed, female broilers, were fed on diet containing 1.57 g TRP/kg, or diets supplemented with 0.21, 0.42 and 0.63 g TRP, without or with 3 g acidifier (A - mixture of phosphoric, citric and fumaric acids) per kg. Feed intake and body weight (BW) was registered for 3 weeks, followed by balance experiment, at the end the birds were killed and digesta and brain tissue were sampled.