GROWTH, IMMUNE-RESPONSE AND BEHAVIOR OF BROILER AND LEGHORN COCKERELSFED DIFFERENT METHIONINE LEVELS

Growth, leg disorders, immunoresponsiveness, and behaviors were measur ed in commercial broiler and Leghorn cockerels fed diets varying in sy nthetic DL-methionine supplementation. For broilers, Diets A and B wer e moderately and slightly deficient in sulfur containing amino acids, respectively and Diet C was the balanced control diet. Broilers were h eavier, had superior iced conversion, and more leg disorders than Legh orns. They were also less resistant to E. Coli, had poorer response to SRBC antigen and spent a greater percentage of time eating, drinking, and resting but less time standing than Leghorns. Body weights were l ower and feed utilization poorer for Diet A than B or C.