The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of digestible lysine levels in diets with or without supplementation of industrial amino acids on performance, carcass characteristics and nitrogen excretion in broilers of 22 to 42 days of age. Birds were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with four digestible lysine levels (9.0, 10.0, 11.0 and 12.0 g/kg) and two methods to obtain the lysine levels (variation in the proportion of corn and soybean meal, without supplementation; or supplementation of industrial amino acids), eight replicates and 20 birds per replicate. There was an interaction effect on the performance characteristics and on the weights and yields of prime cuts. In both diets, feed conversion improved linearly as the lysine levels were increased. Feed intake; weight gain; carcass, thigh and drumstick weights; and boneless breast yield increased and abdominal fat reduced linearly as the lysine levels were increased in the unsupplemented diet. The lysine levels of the supplemented diets linearly reduced the yield of drumstick and quadratically reduced the yields of bone-in and boneless breast up to the estimated levels of 10.4 and 10.7 g/kg, respectively. Diets without supplementation increased the excretion and retention of nitrogen. The levels of 9.0 and 12.0 g/kg digestible lysine obtained with supplementation of industrial amino acids and without it, respectively, provide the best performance and yield of prime cuts in the birds. Diets in which the digestible lysine levels are obtained without supplementation provide better performance responses and carcass characteristics compared with supplemented diets.
crude protein; ideal protein; industrial amino acids; performance
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