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Identification of Volatile Sulfur Derivatives Released from Feathers of Chicks Fed Diets with Various Levels of Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids¹

V. K. Tsiagbe^*,, R. J. Kraus, N. J. Benevenga^,, A. E. Harper^, and M. L. Sunde^*

^* Departments of Poultry Science Departments of Nutritional Sciences Departments of Meat and Animal Science Departments of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706

Physical changes are observed in the feathers of chickens fed diets with high levels of methionine or cysteine. Chicks were fed diets chemically analyzed to contain 21% crude protein, 0.35% methionine and 0.37% cystine (basal) supplemented with DL-methionine [0.063 (control), 0.25 or 1.45%] or L-cysteine (0.203%). At 3 wk of age, the birds were weighed and the feathers scored for softness. Feather strength (i.e., force-displacement curves) was determined on feathers from the pectoral tract. A significant (P < 0.05) reduction in body weight and an increase in feather softness were seen when chicks fed the control diet and those fed the diet with 1.45% added methionine were compared. Chicks fed the diet supplemented with 0.203% L-cysteine produced the strongest feathers; those fed diets supplemented with 1.45% DL-methionine produced the weakest feathers. Volatile sulfur compounds released from the feathers were trapped as dinitrophenyl (DNP) thioethers and were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. More bound sulfide (P < 0.05) was recovered from feathers of chickens fed the diet supplemented with 1.45% methionine than from feathers of chickens fed the other diets. The feather softness score was correlated (r = 0.5; P < 0.05) with bound sulfide. Thus, consumption of a diet with a level of methionine that is approximately three times the requirement resulted in decreased growth, elevated sulfide bound to the feathers and soft, weak feathers.

KEY WORDS: • methionine • cysteine • volatile sulfides • HPLC • TLC • mass spectrometry • feathers • chicks

¹ Research supported by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706.

Manuscript received 11 May 1987. Revision accepted 16 July 1987.