El. Wo et Dm. Cino, Synthetic amino acids on the efficiency of utilization of an alternative protein source (Vigna unguilata) for broilers, CUBAN J AGR, 34(4), 2000, pp. 327-333
Sun-dried ground grain of Vigna unguiculata cv. INIFAT-94 was assessed lu d
etermine the maximum level of inclusion for the replacement of soybean cake
meal and the effect of amino acid supplementation on the efficiency of uti
lization. 1750 broilers of a Cuban commercial hybrid from 1 to 42 days old
of bath sexes were used with increasing levels until completely substitutin
g imported soybean meal by vigna meal. Synthetic amino acids (SAA) were sup
plemented according to NRC (1994) or with an extra addition of 15% for meth
ionine + cystine and 10% for lysine. in a completely randomized design with
a factorial 5 x 2 arrangement. In a second experimental study with 630 chi
cks of the same hybrid, from 7 to 49 days of; age, 35% of the soybean meal
was substituted by vigna grain meal to eliminate SM supplementation in the
finishing stage (35 to 49 days). The maximum substitution level compared to
tile control was 50% without differences. In no case was there interaction
between the substitution of soybean level by vigna and that of SAA, which
indicates that an additional supplementation was not necessary. Between the
control and vigna diets with or without SAA in the finishing stage, there
were no differences for Final liveweight, conversion, viability and breast
1 yield. On considering feeding expenses, it was demonstrated that the prod
uction of I I of meat;was cheaper when substituting the imported soybean by
raw vigna, even with a 75% substitution. Besides the benefit derived from
the partial substitution of an imported protein source, there is also a sav
ings in foreign currency since there is no need for SAA supplementation in
the finishing stage. It is concluded that Vigna unguiculata is an alternati
ve protein option that does not require more amino acid inclusions than a c
onventional diet, and in the finishing stage they are not needed giving a s
ignificant savings in foreign currency.