ESSENTIAL AMINO-ACIDS IN NORTHERN BOBWHITE FOODS

Frequent population declines, high dietary requirements for protein, a nd the low quality of proteins in agricultural grains led us to hypoth esize that essential amino acid (EAA) deficiencies were common in nort hern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) foods. We analyzed amino acid conc entrations of 21 northern bobwhite foods and compared them with dietar y requirements to derive values that reflected the foods' ability to m eet daily bobwhite requirements of 10 EEAs. Despite adequate concentra tions of crude protein, deficiencies of EAAs were detected in seeds of all species analyzed. Legumes offered the best mix of EAA, and grasse s the poorest. Deficiencies of EEAs relative to maintenance requiremen ts of adults ranged from 13% in legumes to 98% in grasses. About a thi rd of the total nitrogen pool was composed of nonprotein nitrogen with values ranging from 25% for queensdelight stillingia (Stillingia sylv atica) to 44% for redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus). Computed biological values (ratio of EEA concentrations in seed protein to resp ective amounts in whole egg protein) ranged from 69 (netleaf hackberry [Celtis reticulata]) to 93 (erect dayflower [Commelina erecta] and wo olly croton [Croton capitatus]). Amino acid profiles indicate forage q uality better than crude protein estimates.