© 2010 Poultry Science Association, Inc.

2010 J. Appl. Poult. Res. 19 :373–379 doi: 10.3382/japr.2009-00093

Supplementing l-valine and l-isoleucine in low-protein corn and soybean meal

all-vegetable diets for broilers

J. Berres ,* S. L. Vieira ,*1 M. T. Kidd ,† D. Taschetto ,* D. M. Freitas ,* R. Barros ,* and E. T. Nogueira ‡

* Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 7712, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 91540-000, Brazil; † Department

of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701; and ‡ Ajinomoto Biolatina Ind. e Com. Ltda., Rua Joaquim Távora, 541, São Paulo, São Paulo, 04015-001, Brazil

Primary Audience: Nutritionists

SUMMARY

Corn and soybean meal broiler feeds frequently have Val and Ile as the next limiting amino acids after Met, Lys, and Thr. Supplementation of l-Val and l-Ile is soon likely to be feasible. One study was conducted to evaluate broilers fed diets having increased Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios from 14 to 35 d. A total of 1,775 Cobb × Cobb 500 male broilers were fed a corn and soybean meal all-vegetable diet containing 1.10% digestible Lys. This diet was formulated without CP restriction by using synthetic Lys, Met, and Thr to attain the lowest Ile-to-Lys ratio while maintaining sulfur amino acids and Thr ratios to Lys of 75 and 65%; the diet was deficient in Val (ratio to Lys of 70%), with a minimum requirement ratio of Ile to Lys (65%). Graded increases in Val and Ile, respectively, were prepared using supplementation of l-Val and l-Ile at the expense of kaolin in 5 and 3% intervals to produce the following treatment ratios: 75 and 65%, 80 and 65%, 70 and 68%, 70 and 71%, 75 and 68%, and 80 and 71%. There were 9 repli-cate pens per treatment, with 25 male broilers per pen. Performance differences were detected mainly from 14 to 21 d of age; feed intake was reduced for broilers fed the basal diet, whereas BW gain and FCR were improved when Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios were increased. From 14 to 35 d, the lowest levels of Val and Ile led to reduced BW gain but did not influence FCR. No dif-ferences were found among treatments for mortality and carcass yield, commercial cut yields, and abdominal fat yields. Diets formulated without minimum CP restrictions with Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios of 70 and 65 resulted in impaired live performance. This was overcome when l-Val or l-Ile was supplemented to simultaneous ratios of Val and Ile to Lys of 75 and 65% or 70 and 68%.

Key words: branched-chain amino acid , ideal protein , isoleucine , protein , valine

1 Corresponding author: slvieira@ufrgs.br

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM

The use of synthetic (Met sources) and crys-talline (l-Lys sources and l-Thr) amino acids (AA) in broiler feeds is well established as suc-cessfully meeting the needs of the first-limiting AA for poultry. As AA follow in the limiting order of deficiency, the fourth-limiting AA be-comes more sensitive to the overall allowances of AA in macroingredients. For instance, corn and soybean meal all-vegetable diets, diets containing animal by-products, or even diets with other cereals, such as sorghum, have Val, Ile, Trp, or Arg as the fourth limiting AA [1]. However, actual deficiencies of the fourth limit-ing AA in broiler diets are usually not seen in practical production, even when frequent modi-fications in feed formulation potentially change the dietary AA profile. This is due to CP safety margins adopted during linear least-cost feed formulation, which limits the occurrence of AA deficiencies after Thr.

The use of ratios between essential AA and Lys has gained importance as a method to sup-ply balanced protein in feeds for broilers. Diets formulated using this principle have been pro-posed by scientists to optimize animal utiliza-tion of dietary protein [2–4]. A progressive num-ber of investigations have been directed toward establishing the ideal ratios between essential AA and Lys; however, information is limited on the fourth limiting AA.

The use of synthetic AA has allowed a sig-nificant reduction in the dietary CP content for broilers. Further reductions are theoretically possible as long as the fourth limiting AA is rou-tinely identified as ingredients change during feed formulation.

Isoleucine and Val in broiler feeds were op-timized at the ratios to Lys of 65 and 78% when corn and soybean meal diets containing blood cells or corn and peanut meal were used [5, 6]. The use of all-vegetable diets to feed animals destined for human consumption has been man-datory in some countries for several years [7]. A considerable number of all-vegetable broiler diets produced worldwide are corn- and soybean meal-based diets. These types of diets have Val and Ile as fourth- and fifth limiting AA [1, 8, 9]. However, differences between the supplemental needs of these AA are very small. Because Val

and Ile are branched-chain AA, which present a known antagonism in broilers, excesses of one can negatively affect the other and can potential-ly occur if requirements of both are not assessed simultaneously. The objective of this investiga-tion was to evaluate the performance and carcass yields of broilers fed all-vegetable diets based on corn and soybean meal supplemented with Val and Ile, individually or combined, simulat-ing the most common practical feed formulation currently used for international markets requir-ing all-vegetable feeds.

MATERIALS AND METHODSBroiler Husbandry

All procedures adopted throughout this study avoided unnecessary animal discomfort and were managed according to the directives of the Ethics and Research Committee of the Uni-versidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

A total of 1,575 one-day-old Cobb × Cobb 500 male broiler chicks originating from a local hatchery [10] were placed in 63 pens, 1.70 × 1.65 m each. This broiler density was not expected to restrain bird growth and therefore allowed the expression of broiler genetic potential. Chicks averaged 45 ± 1 g and had been vaccinated for infectious bronchitis and Marek’s disease at the hatchery. Average house temperature was 32°C at placement and was reduced with age to provide comfort throughout the study. Lighting was con-tinuous until 10 d of age, after which a 12L:12D cycle was used in which natural light provided the 12 h of light. This is a common lighting pro-gram used with fast-growing male broilers in the south of Brazil. Water and feed were provided for ad libitum consumption. All birds were fed the same commercial crumbled starter diet from 1 to 14 d (3,000 kcal/kg of ME; 23.3% CP; 1.27, 1.07, 0.82, 0.93, and 0.87% digestible Lys, Met + Cys, Thr, Val, and Ile, respectively; 1% Ca; 0.5% available P). Before feed formulation, analyses of AA were conducted for corn and soybean meal using an HPLC autoanalyzer ac-cording to AOAC official method 914.12 [11] and a near-infrared spectroscopy system [12] for Cys and Trp determination. Diets were formu-lated on a true digestibility basis by using pub-lished coefficients [4].

JAPR: Research Report374

Experimental Diets

Diet treatments were fed from 14 to 35 d of age. A basal diet was formulated to attain the lowest digestible Ile-to-Lys ratio (65%) without a CP minimum value restriction and also with-out synthetic AA supplementation other than dl-Met, l-Lys, and l-Thr. Digestible Lys was fixed at 1.10%, and ratios between essential AA and digestible Lys were as shown in Table 1. These

ratios were based on the method of Rostagno et al. [4], with the exception of Met + Cys, which was based on the University of Illinois recom-mendation [2]. Through this feed formulation, ratios of Val and Ile to Lys of 70 and 65% were obtained, whereas all other essential AA require-ments met or exceeded recommendations [4]. Six other treatments were then produced with graded increases of 5 and 3 percentage points in the ratios of Val and Ile to Lys, respectively. These 2 AA were increased individually or si-multaneously using l-Val and l-Ile at the ex-pense of kaolin [13], as formulated in the basal feed. Therefore, supplementation of Val and Ile produced treatments with simultaneous ratios of Val and Ile to Lys of 75 and 65%, 80 and 65%, 70 and 68%, 70 and 71%, 75 and 68%, and 80 and 71%, respectively.

Measurements

Feed intake, BW gain, and feed conversion corrected for the weight of dead birds were eval-uated weekly. At 35 d of age, 10 birds per pen were randomly taken from each pen after an 8-h fast, and then were individually weighed, elec-trically stunned, exsanguinated (3 min) through a jugular vein cut, scalded at 60°C for 45 s, and defeathered. Birds were manually eviscerated and then chilled in slush ice for 3 h and hung for 3 min to draw off excess water. Carcasses were then weighed and abdominal fat was removed and weighed. Commercial cuts were performed by trained industry personnel to obtain deboned breast meat and bone-in thighs, drumsticks, wings, and cages, which were immediately weighed. Carcass yield was expressed relatively to live weight, whereas abdominal fat and cuts were expressed relatively to carcass weight.

Statistical Analyses

Seven treatments with 9 replications were distributed in a randomized complete block de-sign. The experimental unit was a pen with 25 birds, and pen location was the blocking fac-tor. Data were submitted to ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS [14]. Significance was accepted at the P ≤ 0.05 level, and mean differ-ences were separated using Tukey’s test. Mortal-ity data were arcsine transformed before statisti-cal analysis.

BERRES ET AL.: VALINE AND ISOLEUCINE FOR BROILERS 375

Table 1. Basal diet composition (as fed)

Item Amount, %

Ingredient Corn, 7.5% 62.72 Soybean meal, 46% 28.70 Soybean oil 3.61 Dicalcium phosphate 1.90 Limestone 1.27 Sodium bicarbonate 0.41 Vitamin and mineral premix1 0.26 Sodium chloride 0.20 Choline chloride, 75% 0.07 dl-Met, 99% 0.32 l-Lys-HCl, 78% 0.25 l-Thr, 98% 0.10 Kaolin2 0.19Calculated composition ME, kcal/kg 3,100 CP, % 18.70 Digestible Lys, % 1.10 Ca, % 0.98 Available P, % 0.48 Na, % 0.21 Choline, ppm 1,700Digestible amino acid to Lys,3 % Met + Cys 75 Thr 65 Val 70 Ile 65 Arg 106 Trp 18 His 42 Leu 142 Phe + Tyr 1341Supplied (per kg of feed) vitamin A, 8,000 IU; vitamin D3, 2,000 IU; vitamin E, 30 IU; vitamin K, 2 mg; thiamine, 2 mg; riboflavin, 6 mg; pyridoxine, 2.5 mg; cyanocobalamin, 0.012 mg; pantothenic acid, 15 mg; niacin, 35 mg; folic acid, 1 mg; biotin, 0.08 mg; Fe, 40 mg; Zn, 80 mg; Mn, 80 mg; Cu, 10 mg; I, 0.7 mg; Se, 0.3 mg; and sodium monensin (Co-ban 40%, Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN), 0.275 g.2Experimental treatments were formulated with the partial or total replacement of kaolin (Sericita M-200, Mineracao Violani, Colombo, Paraná, Brazil) with l-Val 99%, l-Ile 99%, or both.3True digestibility coefficients as presented in the Brazilian tables [4], which were determined using cecectomized cock-erels and protein-free diets.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Slight deviations were observed between an-alyzed and formulated AA concentrations in the feeds, but these were considered acceptable for the experimental design because the analyzed values followed the trends in the formulated values (Table 2).

There was no effect of diet on feed consump-tion (Table 3). Broilers fed the basal diet con-taining 65 and 70% Ile- and Val-to-Lys ratios had the lowest BW gain, but this BW gain was different only from the BW gain of birds fed the 68 and 75% Ile and Val ratios in the 14 to 21 d of age period. Between 21 and 28 d of age, broil-ers fed the basal diet had the lowest BW gain compared with all other treatments, but no dif-ferences in BW gain were observed between 28 and 35 d of age. Based on cumulative BW gain (14 to 35 d), when l-Val and l-Ile were added separately (diets containing either 75 and 65% or 70 and 68% Val and Ile ratios), broiler BW gain was higher compared with that of birds fed the basal diet.

The ability to convert feed to BW gain was improved in broilers fed the diets containing ei-ther the 75 and 65% or 75 and 68% Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios compared with that of birds fed the diet containing the 70 and 71% Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios. All other diets resulted in interme-diate feed conversions. No differences in feed conversion were seen in the 21 to 28 d of age or the 28 to 35 d of age period or in the cumulative (14 to 35 d) feed conversion.

No differences were due to treatment for car-cass evaluation at 35 d (Table 4). Feather abnor-malities were not observed, and leg problems were not related to the treatments (P > 0.05).

Based on these data, we conclude that supple-mental Val or Ile at specific ratios affected BW gain and feed conversion in certain growth phas-es, but no effects were observed on body com-ponent yields or abdominal fat percentages at processing. When determining AA requirements for different measurements, those for maximal growth are the lowest, followed by those for breast meat yield and feed conversion, and fi-

JAPR: Research Report376

Table 2. Formulated and analyzed CP and total amino acid values of experimental diets (%)1

Item

Digestible amino acid2 to Lys, %

Val 70 and Ile 653

Val 75 and Ile 65

Val 80 and Ile 65

Val 70 and Ile 68

Val 70 and Ile 71

Val 75 and Ile 68

Val 80 and Ile 71

Formulated4

CP 18.70 18.75 18.79 18.72 18.75 18.77 18.84 Met + Cys 0.91 Lys 1.17 Thr 0.80 Val 0.86 0.92 0.98 0.86 0.86 0.92 0.98 Ile 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.80 0.84 0.80 0.84 Arg 1.21 Trp 0.22 Leu 1.59Analyzed CP 18.50 18.00 18.60 19.10 18.90 19.00 18.60 Met + Cys 0.91 0.92 0.90 0.92 0.89 0.90 0.94 Lys 1.16 1.20 1.17 1.20 1.21 1.19 1.19 Thr 0.78 0.81 0.79 0.82 0.78 0.80 0.80 Val 0.86 0.90 0.99 0.87 0.87 1.00 0.94 Ile 0.77 0.75 0.79 0.80 0.84 0.79 0.80 Arg 1.22 1.21 1.25 1.27 1.27 1.27 1.19 Leu 1.60 1.55 1.61 1.58 1.59 1.60 1.521Formulated amino acids were obtained by linear formulation using amino acids previously analyzed in 2 samples of corn and 2 samples of soybean meal, whereas analyzed values were obtained from 2 pooled samples of feed per treatment.2True digestibility coefficients as presented in the Brazilian tables [4], which were determined using cecectomized cockerels and protein-free diets.3Basal diet.4Values for Met + Cys, Lys, Thr, Arg, Trp, and Leu in the middle column are common for all treatments.

nally are highest for minimizing abdominal fat percentage [15]. The order of response may, however, be dependent on the specific AA being studied, as shown by Schutte and Pack [16] with sulfur-containing AA. In contrast with previous work [15], in the present study, BW gain was the measure affected the most, whereas body component yields were not affected by diet. In the present study, supplementing Val or Ile in-dividually was similar and was not additive on BW gain or feed conversion.

Valine was shown previously to be limiting before Ile in diets based on corn and soybean meal without animal by-products [6, 8, 9]. It is generally expected that increases in 1 essential AA lead to an increased need for the next lim-iting essential AA to avoid animal protein syn-thesis limitations and decreased growth. In the present study, Val could have been limiting when Ile was increased, which would explain the im-paired feed conversion from 14 to 21 d when 70 and 71% Val- and Ile-to-Lys digestibility ratios were used. Because Val and Ile are branched-chain AA, which present a known antagonism in broilers, an excess of 1 AA can negatively affect the needs of the other [17–19]. In the case of Val and Ile in corn and soybean meal all-vegetable diets, this issue could be relevant because these AA have a very close limiting order; that is, they appear as fourth and fifth limiting at approxi-mately the same dietary protein level. However, in the present study, we did not observe any evi-dence of negative interactions between Val and Ile within the range of supplemental values. Ab-normalities of the legs and feathers have been reported when broilers were fed Val-deficient diets [20–23], but these appeared in studies in which deficiencies were more severe.

Previous results or recommendations for Val and Ile ratios to Lys for broilers have been based on diets formulated with a varied range of in-gredients, and frequently with diets using indi-vidual supplementation of Val or Ile. In the pres-ent study, individual supplementation of these 2 AA was evaluated, as well as their concomitant supplementation. The interactions between these 2 branched-chain AA make interpretation more difficult. Early recommendations for Val and Ile from the NRC [24] allowed calculations of total ratios to Lys of 82% for Val and 73% for Ile in diets from 21 to 42 d of age. Mack et al. [25] re-

BERRES ET AL.: VALINE AND ISOLEUCINE FOR BROILERS 377

Tabl

e 3.

Fee

d in

take

, BW

gai

n, a

nd F

CR

of m

ale

broi

lers

fed

diet

s ha

ving

diff

eren

t Val

- and

Ile-

to-L

ys d

iges

tibili

ty ra

tios

from

14

to 3

5 d

of a

ge

Dig

estib

le a

min

o ac

id1 to

Lys

, %Fe

ed in

take

, gB

W g

ain,

2 gFe

ed c

onve

rsio

n

Val

Ile14

to

21 d

21 to

28

d28

to

35 d

14 to

35

d14

to

21 d

21 to

28

d28

to

35 d

14 to

35

d14

to

21 d

21 to

28

d28

to

35 d

14 to

35

d

7065

7565

725

1,12

71,

564

3,41

050

1ab75

1a89

12,

142a

1.44

9b1.

502

1.75

61.

592

8065

737

1,13

21,

539

3,40

350

2ab75

6a87

52,

133ab

1.46

6ab1.

498

1.76

11.

595

7068

736

1,14

31,

541

3,41

850

2ab75

4a88

82,

144a

1.46

7ab1.

517

1.73

61.

595

7071

744

1,11

81,

543

3,40

249

5ab75

2a88

92,

137ab

1.50

3a1.

486

1.73

71.

592

7568

736

1,13

81,

526

3,39

750

8a74

0a87

52,

123ab

1.44

9b1.

539

1.74

51.

600

8071

724

1,11

11,

527

3,35

348

9ab74

4a89

02,

123ab

1.48

1ab1.

495

1.71

61.

580

SEM

811

1827

58

1014

0.01

20.

015

0.02

10.

008

P-va

lue

<0.3

2<0

.07

<0.5

0<0

.16

<0.0

1<0

.01

<0.7

7<0

.05

<0.0

2<0

.08

<0.4

1<0

.71

a,b M

eans

with

diff

eren

t let

ters

in th

e sa

me

colu

mn

are

diffe

rent

(Tuk

ey’s

test

, P ≤

0.0

5).

1 True

dig

estib

ility

coe

ffici

ents

as p

rese

nted

in th

e B

razi

lian

tabl

es [4

], w

hich

wer

e de

term

ined

usi

ng c

ecec

tom

ized

coc

kere

ls a

nd p

rote

in-f

ree

diet

s.2 Av

erag

e B

W a

nd S

EM a

t 35

d w

ere

2,59

9 ±

0.69

g.

ported optimal responses with ideal Val-to-Lys true fecal digestibility ratios of 81% and Ile-to-Lys ratios of 71% for broilers from 20 to 40 d of age. Baker et al. [3] recommended ideal ratios of total Val to Lys and Ile to Lys of 77.5 and 61.4%, respectively. Rostagno et al. [4] recommended digestibility ratios of Val to Lys of 77% and Ile to Lys of 67% from 21 to 42 d, and Corzo et al. [6] reported optimal performance responses to a Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratio of 78% from 21 to 42 d. Based on the responses evaluated in the pres-ent study, we conclude that Val and Ile ratios of 75 and 65%, respectively, were able to optimize broiler live performance but did not affect car-cass characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS

1. Diets formulated without minimum CP restrictions with Val- and Ile-to-Lys ra-tios of 70 and 65% led to poor live per-formance.

2. This was overcome when l-Val or l-Ile was supplemented to Val- and Ile-to-Lys ratios of 75 and 65% or 70 and 68%.

REFERENCES AND NOTES

1. Kidd, M. T., and L. Hackenhaar. 2006. Dietary threo-nine for broilers: Dietary interactions and feed additive sup-plement use. Pages 1–6 in CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Re-sources 1. No. 5. CAB Int., Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK.

2. Emmert, J. L., and D. H. Baker. 1997. Use of the ideal protein concept for precision formulation of amino acid lev-els in broiler diets. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 6:462–470.

3. Baker, D. H., A. B. Batal, T. M. Parr, N. R. Augspurg-er, and C. M. Parsons. 2002. Ideal ratio (relative to lysine) of tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, and valine for chicks during the second and third weeks posthatch. Poult. Sci. 81:485–494.

4. Rostagno, H. S., L. F. T. Albino, J. L. Donzele, P. C. Gomes, R. F. Oliveira, D. C. Lopes, A. S. Ferreira, and S. L. T. Barreto. 2005. Tabelas Brasileiras para Aves e Suínos. Composição de Alimentos e Exigências Nutricionais. 2nd ed. UFV, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

5. Hale, L. L., S. J. Barber, A. Corzo, and M. T. Kidd. 2004. Isoleucine needs of thirty- to forty-two-day-old fe-male chickens: Growth and carcass responses. Poult. Sci. 83:1986–1991.

6. Corzo, A., M. T. Kidd, W. A. Dozier III, and S. L. Vieira. 2007. Marginality and needs of dietary valine for broilers fed certain all-vegetable diets. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 16:546–554.

7. CEC. 2000. Council Regulation 2000/766 concern-ing certain protection measures with regard to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the feeding of animal pro-tein. Off. J. Eur. Commun. 43(L306):32–33.

8. Han, Y., H. Suzuki, C. M. Parsons, and D. H. Baker. 1992. Amino acid fortification of a low-protein corn and soybean meal diet for chicks. Poult. Sci. 71:1168–1178.

9. Fernandez, S. R., S. Aoyagi, Y. Han, C. M. Parsons, and D. H. Baker. 1994. Limiting order of amino acids in corn and soybean meal for growth of the chick. Poult. Sci. 73:1887–1896.

10. Coop. Languiru, Teutonia, Rio Grande do Sul, Bra-zil.

11. AOAC. 1998. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International. 16th ed. AOAC Int., Gaithersburg, MD.

12. Model 5000-N, Foss NIRSystems Inc., Silver Spring, MD.

13. Kaolin is an inert clay mineral used as filler. The product (Sericita M-200) was obtained from Mineracao Vio-lani, Colombo, Paraná, Brazil.

JAPR: Research Report378

Table 4. Carcass, abdominal fat, and commercial cut yields of male broilers at 35 d fed diets having different Val- and Ile-to-Lys digestibility ratios from 14 to 35 d of age (%)

Digestible amino acid1 to Lys, %

CarcassAbdominal

fatBreast meat2

Leg quarters3 WingsVal Ile

70 6575 65 74.1 1.89 29.2 32.8 11.080 65 74.4 1.82 29.4 32.5 11.170 68 74.8 1.80 29.3 32.7 11.070 71 74.3 1.88 29.1 32.3 11.075 68 74.2 1.87 29.4 32.5 11.180 71 74.1 1.91 29.2 32.5 11.1SEM 0.2 0.06 0.2 0.2 0.1P-value <0.18 <0.87 <0.10 <0.32 <0.691True digestibility coefficients as presented in the Brazilian tables [4], which were determined using cecectomized cockerels and protein-free diets.2Pectoralis major plus pectoralis minor muscles.3Thighs plus drumsticks.

14. SAS Institute. 2001. SAS Proprietary Software. Re-lease 8.1. SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC.

15. Leclercq, B. 1998. Specific effects of lysine on broil-er production: Comparison with threonine and valine. Poult. Sci. 77:118–123.

16. Schutte, J. B., and M. Pack. 1995. Sulfur amino acid requirement of broiler chicks from fourteen to thirty-eight days of age. 1. Performance and carcass yield. Poult. Sci. 74:480–487.

17. D’Mello, J. P. F., and D. Lewis. 1970. Amino acid in-teractions in chick nutrition. 2. The interrelationship between leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Br. Poult. Sci. 11:313–323.

18. D’Mello, J. P. F., and D. Lewis. 1970. Amino acid interactions in chick nutrition. 3. Interdependence in amino acid requirements. Br. Poult. Sci. 11:367–385.

19. Smith, T. K., and R. E. Austic. 1978. The branched-chain amino acid antagonism in chicks. J. Nutr. 108:1180–1191.

20. Anderson, J. O., and R. E. Warnick. 1967. Gross ab-normalities in chicks fed amino acid deficient diets. Poult. Sci. 46:856–862.

21. Robel, E. J. 1977. A feather abnormality in chicks fed diets deficient in certain amino acids. Poult. Sci. 56:1968–1971.

22. Farran, M. T., and O. P. Thomas. 1992. Valine defi-ciency. 1. The effect of feeding a valine-deficient diet during the starter period on performance and feather structure of male broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 71:1879–1884.

23. Farran, M. T., and O. P. Thomas. 1992. Valine defi-ciency. 2. The effect of feeding a valine-deficient diet during the starter period on performance and leg abnormalities of male broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 71:1885–1890.

24. National Research Council. 1994. Nutrient Require-ments of Poultry. 9th rev. ed. Natl. Acad. Sci., Washington, DC.

25. Mack, S., D. Bercovici, G. De Groote, B. Leclercq, M. Lippens, M. Pack, J. B. Schutte, and S. Van Cauwen-berghe. 1999. Ideal amino acid profile and dietary lysine specification for broiler chickens of 20 to 40 days of age. Br. Poult. Sci. 40:257–265.

AcknowledgmentsGrants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Rio

Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa (Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil), and Ajinomoto Biolatina (São Paulo, Brazil) are recognized.

BERRES ET AL.: VALINE AND ISOLEUCINE FOR BROILERS 379

©2011 Poultry Science Association, Inc.

Erratum to “Supplementing l-valine and l-isoleucine in low-protein corn and soybean meal

all-vegetable diets for broilers” (J. Appl. Poult. Res. 19:373–379)

Tables 3 and 4 were incorrectly printed with a row of values missing. The corrected tables are reprinted below with the values shown in bold. The journal regrets the error.

REFERENCES AND NOTESBerres, J., S. L. Vieira, M. T. Kidd, D. Taschetto, D. M.

Freitas, R. Barros, and E. T. Nogueira. 2010. Supplementing l-valine and l-isoleucine in low-protein corn and soybean meal all-vegetable diets for broilers. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 19(4):373–379. doi: 10.3382/japr.2009-00093.

Table 3. Feed intake, BW gain, and FCR of male broilers fed diets having different Val- and Ile-to-Lys digestibility ratios from 14 to 35 d of age

Digestible amino acid1 to Lys, %

Feed intake, g

BW gain,2 g

Feed conversion

Val Ile14 to 21 d

21 to 28 d

28 to 35 d

14 to 35 d

14 to 21 d

21 to 28 d

28 to 35 d

14 to 35 d

14 to 21 d

21 to 28 d

28 to 35 d

14 to 35 d

70 65 719 1,096 1,511 3,323 484b 712b 889 2,084b 1.486ab 1.541 1.700 1.59575 65 725 1,127 1,564 3,410 501ab 751a 891 2,142a 1.449b 1.502 1.756 1.59280 65 737 1,132 1,539 3,403 502ab 756a 875 2,133ab 1.466ab 1.498 1.761 1.59570 68 736 1,143 1,541 3,418 502ab 754a 888 2,144a 1.467ab 1.517 1.736 1.59570 71 744 1,118 1,543 3,402 495ab 752a 889 2,137ab 1.503a 1.486 1.737 1.59275 68 736 1,138 1,526 3,397 508a 740a 875 2,123ab 1.449b 1.539 1.745 1.60080 71 724 1,111 1,527 3,353 489ab 744a 890 2,123ab 1.481ab 1.495 1.716 1.580SEM 8 11 18 27 5 8 10 14 0.012 0.015 0.021 0.008P-value <0.32 <0.07 <0.50 <0.16 <0.01 <0.01 <0.77 <0.05 <0.02 <0.08 <0.41 <0.71a,bMeans with different letters in the same column are different (Tukey’s test, P ≤ 0.05).1True digestibility coefficients as presented in the Brazilian tables [4], which were determined using cecectomized cockerels and protein-free diets.2Average BW and SEM at 35 d were 2,599 ± 0.69 g.

Table 4. Carcass, abdominal fat, and commercial cut yields of male broilers at 35 d fed diets having different Val- and Ile-to-Lys digestibility ratios from 14 to 35 d of age (%)

Digestible amino acid1 to Lys, %

CarcassAbdominal

fatBreast meat2

Leg quarters3 WingsVal Ile

70 65 74.7 1.88 29.8 32.3 11.175 65 74.1 1.89 29.2 32.8 11.080 65 74.4 1.82 29.4 32.5 11.170 68 74.8 1.80 29.3 32.7 11.070 71 74.3 1.88 29.1 32.3 11.075 68 74.2 1.87 29.4 32.5 11.180 71 74.1 1.91 29.2 32.5 11.1SEM 0.2 0.06 0.2 0.2 0.1P-value <0.18 <0.87 <0.10 <0.32 <0.691True digestibility coefficients as presented in the Brazilian tables [4], which were determined using cecectomized cockerels and protein-free diets.2Pectoralis major plus pectoralis minor muscles.3Thighs plus drumsticks.