The Requirement for Inorganic Sulfate in the Diet of Chicks for Optimum Growth and Feed Efficiency

Abstract

The effect of feeding various levels of sodium sulfate and methionine on weight gain and feed efficiency of chicks was studied. In two experiments broiler chicks showed consistent increases in weight gain when the methionine deficient diet, low in inorganic sulfur, was supplemented with 0.08 to 0.32 percent Na2 SO4, although no response to added sulfate was elicited when the basal diet contained no supplemental methionine. The methionine requirement for maximum weight gain was found to be independent of sulfate level. Sulfate was also responsible for small but consistent improvement in feed efficiency. Similar results with higher methionine and sulfate levels were obtained in three experiments with White Leghorn chicks. Consistent but statistically insignificant body weight gains and improved feed efficiency were observed even at the optimal methionine level. The inorganic sulfate content of soybean protein was found to influence the response of chicks to added sulfate.