Protein Depletion and Amino Acid Requirement in the Growing Chicken

Abstract

The methionine and lysine requirement of normal and protein-depleted chicks was determined on diets containing 20% of protein. For both amino acids a higher absolute requirement could be demonstrated for the depleted birds. Data are presented which explain these findings on the basis of a greater protein requirement for the depleted chicks. Thus, for lysine, the requirement for depleted and non-depleted chicks remained essentially constant when expressed on the basis of the dietary protein level required for maximum growth.