DIETARY LYSINE AND ELECTROLYTE BALANCE DO NOT INTERACT TO AFFECT BROILER PERFORMANCE

The most limiting amino acids in poultry (methionine, lysine, and thre onine) have become increasingly available for dietary supplementation at economical prices. This has given poultry nutritionists the opportu nity to formulate low crude protein diets which more closely meet the birds' amino acid needs while minimizing amino acid excesses. As crude protein is decreased, potassium is decreased, reducing dietary electr olyte balance (DEB). However, the interaction of low crude protein-ami no acid supplemented diets and DEB with subclinical acidosis in broile rs is poorly understood. This experiment evaluated two dietary levels of lysine (110 and 120% of NRC, 1994) and three DEB levels (180, 240, and 300 mEq/kg of diet) in commercial broilers from 1 to 35 days of ag e. Increasing dietary lysine to 120% of NRC recommendations improved 3 5 day broiler performance independent of DEB level.