Progress in ileal endogenous amino acid flow research in poultry

The progress in our understanding of the endogenous protein concept over the past century is reviewed.Nondietary proteins found in the digesta at the terminal ileum of poultry,known as endogenous protein loss,are comprised of digestive secretions,mucus and sloughed gut epithelial cells.The measurement of this loss is of fundamental importance because it is an indicator of gut metabolism and is essential to adjust apparent estimates of ileal amino acid digestibility.The ileal endogenous amino acid losses comprise of two components,namely basal and specific losses.The basal losses are fixed and associated with feed dry matter intake,whereas the specific losses are variable and induced by the presence of dietary components such as fibre and anti-nutrients.Currently there is no methodology available to directly measure the specific endogenous losses and these losses are calculated by determining the basal and total(basal plus specific)losses and,then subtracting the basal losses from total losses.The seminal features,specific applications and shortcomings of available methodologies are briefly outlined as well as the practical challenges faced in using the published endogenous amino acid loss values for true digestibility corrections.The relevance of taurine as a component of endogenous protein flow in poultry is identified for the first time.

A Comparative Study of the Difference Method and the Enzyme-Hydrolyzed Casein Method for Determining True Amino Acid Digestibilities and Endogenous Amino Acid Losses in Duck Feed

In this study, we examined the varia- tions between the difference method and the enzyme- hydrolyzed casein method for determining endogenous amino acid loss and the true amino acid digestibility in ducks fed normal protein-containing diets. These methods were compared to the nitrogen-free （N-free） diet method. The difference method was based on soy- bean meal as the only protein source, with the experi- mental diets containing crude protein levels at 15% and 20%. The enzyme-hydrolyzed casein method was based on enzyme-hydrolyzed casein meal as the pro- tein source, with the experimental diet containing a crude protein level of 17.5%. The N-free diet was prepared with starches and paper fibers. In each meth- od,64 Tianfu meat drakes （7-weeks-old） with an av- erage body weight of 2.77±0.16 kg were used and divided into four groups, and fed four different diets. Each group contained four replicates of four drakes and they were force fed trial diets according to the Sirbald method for detecting their apparent amino aciddigestibility, endogenous amino acid loss and true a- mino acid digestibility. The results demonstrated that using the difference, enzyme-hydrolyzed casein and N-free diet methods, endogenous amino acid losses were 0. 9946,1. 2243 and 0. 9297 mg/g dry matter in- take （ DMI）, respectively. The true amino acid digest- ibility measured by the difference method was 88.93 %±4.43 %. Using the enzyme-hydrolyzed ca- sein method with two dietary crude protein levels of 15% and 20%, the digestibility was 91.15%±4.33% and 91.97%±4. 16%, respectively, and by the N-free diet methods with two dietary crude protein levels of 15% and 20% ,it was 88.55%±4.29% and 88.82 %±4.61%, respectively. The results suggested that when the dietary protein level was 15% to 20 %, the true amino acid digestibility and endogenous ami- no acid loss as determined by the difference method was more accurate than the values determined by the enzyme-hydrolyzed casein method.

Determination of basal ileal endogenous losses and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids in barley fed to growing pigs

Background： Basal ileal endogenous amino acid（AA） losses（IAAend） and standardized ileal digestibility（SID） values of cereal grains, such as barley, are apparently underestimated when determined according to the nitrogen（N）-free method. Regression analysis between the dietary apparent ileal digestible content（c AID） and total crude protein（CP） and AA can be considered as alternative approach to obtain more accurate values for IAAendand SID of AA in cereal grains.Methods： Eight hulled barley genotypes were used, with barley being the only source of CP and AA in the assay diets. The diets contained 95 % as-fed of these eight barley genotypes each, ranging in CP content between 109.1 and 123.8 g/kg dry matter（DM）. Nine ileally T-cannulated barrows, average body weight（BW） 30 ± 2 kg, were allotted to a row-column design comprising eight periods with 6 d each and nine pigs. On d 5 and the night of d 6 of every period, ileal digesta were collected for a total of 12 h. The IAAend and the SID were determined by linear regression analysis between c AID and total dietary CP and AA.Results： There exist linear relationships between cA ID and total CP and AA（P 〈 0.001）. The IAAend of CP, Lys, Met, Thr and Trp amounted to 35.34, 1.08, 0.25, 1.02 and 0.38 g/kg DM intake（DMI）, respectively, which are greater compared to average IAAend determined previously under N-free feeding conditions. The SID of CP, Lys, Met, Thr and Trp was 90,79, 85, 79 and 86 %, respectively, and was greater when compared to tabulated values. Moreover, these SID values were greater than those reported in literature, based on correction of apparent ileal digestibility（AID） of CP and AA for their IAAendvalues. Summarized, the results of the present regression analysis indicate greater IAAendin barley-based diets compared to those obtained by N-free feeding.Conclusions： For low-protein feed ingredients like barley the regression method may be preferred over correction of AID values for their IAAenddetermined under N-free feeding conditions, as intercepts and slopes of the linear regression equations between cA ID and total dietary CP and AA provide direct estimates of IAAendand SID of CP and AA in the presence of the assay feed ingredient.

High amylose to amylopectin ratios in nitrogen-free diets decrease the ileal endogenous amino acid losses of broiler chickens

This study explored the variation of ileal endogenous amino acid(IEAA)losses and its influencing factors in chickens offered nitrogen-free diets(NFD)containing different ratios of amylose to amylopectin(AM/AP).A total of 252 broiler chickens at 28 d old were randomly allocated into 7 treatment groups for a 3-d trial.The dietary treatments included a basal diet(control),a NFD containing corn starch(CS),and 5NFD with AM/AP ratios of 0.20,0.40,0.60,0.80,and 1.00,respectively.As the AM/AP ratio increased,the IEAA losses of all AAs,starch digestibility and maltase activity linearly decreased(P<0.05),but the DM digestibility linearly and quadratically decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the control,the NFD increased the number of goblet cells and its regulatory genes mucin-2 and krüppel-like factor 4(KLF-4)while decreasing serum glucagon and thyroxine concentrations,ileal villus height,and crypt depth(P<0.05).Additionally,NFD with lower AM/AP ratios(0.20 and 0.40)decreased the ileal microbiota species richness(P<0.05).In all NFD groups,the number of Proteobacteria increased whereas the abundance of Firmicutes dropped(P<0.05).However,the broilers in the AM/AP 0.60 group were closer to the digestive physiological state of chickens fed the control diet,with no significant change in maltase activity and mucin-2 expression(P<0.05).In conclusion,increasing AM/AP ratio in a NFD decreased the IEAA losses and the apparent ileal digestibility of starch but inevitably resulted in malnutrition and disruption of gut microbiota homeostasis.This study recommends AM/AP in NFD at 0.60 to measure IEAA of broiler chickens.