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Long- and Short-Term Studies with Free Amino Acid Diets for the Laying Hen^1,2,

Departments of Poultry Husbandry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

A protein-free, amino acid diet, equivalent in amino acid content to a diet containing 19.6% of crude protein, supported reasonably satisfactory egg production and body weight maintenance of hens and pullets for 6 months. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first time laying birds have been maintained with a diet completely devoid of protein for this length of time. Since one hen completely molted and refeathered during the experiment, it appears that feather replacement progresses normally when an amino acid diet is fed.

Reducing the level of amino acids in this diet by 50% resulted in unsatisfactory performance. A 40% reduction of all amino acids, except L-glutamic acid, glycine, phenylalanine and tyrosine, resulted in a decrease in egg production by the birds previously fed higher levels of amino acids for 12 to 20 weeks.

Hatchability was not affected by feeding free amino acid diets. Growth of chicks from hens fed amino acid diets was comparable with that of chicks hatched from control hens when both groups were fed a practical diet. Interior quality of eggs from birds fed the amino acid diets measured by the method of Haugh was as high as that of eggs from control hens.

In a preliminary study, only one out of three Japanese quail had a good rate of egg production (78.5%) when fed an amino acid diet for 4 weeks. The data suggest that the protein requirement of the Japanese quail is greater than 15%.

² Supported in part by the Research Committee of the Graduate School from funds supplied by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, Wisconsin.

Manuscript received 27 July 1961.