A Re-Evaluation of the Protein and Lysine Requirement for Broiler Breeder Hens

An experiment was conducted with 32-wk-old Arbor Acres broiler breeder hens to determine their requirement for Lys and protein. Diets were fed with Lys levels ranging from .545 to .380% and with protein levels ranging from 11.46 to 8.90%, respectively. A daily intake of 845 mg of Lys per hen per d was required for maximum egg production, egg mass, and egg content. A daily intake of 18.07 g protein was required with a corn-soybean meal diet containing no supplemental amino acids. However, when Met and Lys were added to the diet, daily protein intakes of 15.53 and 16.37 g supported performance that was not significantly different from performance of hens receiving higher levels of protein.