Effect of moderate methionine deficiency on food, protein and energy utilisation in the chick

Synopsis The effects of feeding a diet marginally deficient in methionine to chicks have been examined. Compared with methionine‐supplemented diets the methionine‐deficient diet caused increased food intake, less efficient food conversion, decreased nitrogen retention and increased uric acid excretion; measurement of plasma uric acid concentration and liver xanthine dehydrogenase activity also indicated a more active state of uric acid synthesis in methionine‐deficient chicks. The increased food intake in response to a moderate deficiency of methionine is commented upon and the implications of the increased synthesis of uric acid in relation to the fate of the increased energy ingested is discussed.