EFFECT OF DIETARY METHIONINE AND LYSINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, HEALTH STATUS AND IMMUNE RESPONSE OF TURKEY

Abstract

In a feeding trial , the effects of dietary fortification with essential amino acid lysine and I or methionine on growth performance, health status and immune response of turkey were studied. A total ofl80 4 -weeks old BUT Big 6 heavy turkey poults were randomly separated into 6 turkey houses ( each of 30 birds ) , group I fed on basal diet and to the other groups , lysine and/or methionine were added !0-20% above the recommended level of breed producers. Results indicated that supplementation of diets with lysine significantly increased final live body weight and breast meat yield , also improved feed conversion ratio along the whole experimental period. Blood chemistry profile was within the normal ran:;e for all poults . Turkey poults fed diets supplemented with methionine (20 % above the recommended level had high immune response against Newcastle disease virus vaccine .