The l-Arginine Requirement of the Laying Pullet

Abstract

SEVERAL investigators have studied the requirement of the chick for the essential amino acid, arginine, but the values reported as a percent of the diet vary greatly. However, there is good agreement among workers that the requirement closely approximates 6 percent of the dietary protein when the protein level ranges from 20 to 36 percent. A quantitative requirement of the laying pullet for arginine has not been established. Miller (1954) attempted to estimate the arginine requirement of the laying hen using a diet containing blood meal as the protein. This basal diet, calculated to contain 0.7 percent l-arginine, supported adequate egg production. Body weight of the hens, egg weight and the growth rate of chicks to 4 weeks of age were not affected by increasing the level of arginine in this diet. Miller concluded that the l-arginine requirement of the laying hen was not more than 0.7 percent of the …