3rd International Poultry Meat Congress

trial was to evaluate the interaction between Val and Leu in low protein grower phase broiler
diets on performance and jejunum histomorphology,
Materials and Methods
Birds, Hausing, Treatments, Feeds and Analysis
Two different Leu levels (SID Leu 1.07, 1.50%) and three levels of Val (SID Val 0.64, 0.74,
0.84%) in a 2×3 factorial arrangement were examined (table 1). All AAs used in the current
experiment were provided from Evonik Industries, Istanbul-Turkey. Amino acids profile of each
experimental diets were determined (Llames and Fontaine, 1994; Commission Directive, 1998).
Starter (day 0-10) and grower (day 11-24) diets were based on corn, wheat and soybean meal.
The study was carried out in Poultry House of Animal Science Department, Ankara University.
Each treatment had 12 replicates with 10 chicks (totally 720 day-old male Ross 308 chicks) per
45×43 cm battery cages for 24 days. All treatments were given the basal starter diets (table 2)
through 0-10 days. Treatment diets were introduced during grower period 11-24 days of age
(table 2). Each cage was equipped with two inside nipple drinker and an outside galvanized feed
trough. Birds had ad libitum access to water and mash feed throuhout the experiment.
Birds were weighed at the beginning of the experiment, at day 10 and 24 per each replicate.
Feed consumption was also measured with the same periods. Feed conversion was calculated for
11-24 days using FI and WG for each replication. At day 24, 3 chickens per pen nearest to the
average pen weight were selected for processing. A five centimetre long segment of each jejunum
was dissected at midpoint toward to proximal duodenum, flushed with room temperature saline
solution. Samples were cut into sections using a microtome at a thickness of 5μm and then
placed on a glass slide. Slices were then stained for variables measuring such as: villus height
and width(Sakamoto et al., 2000; Solis de los Santos et al., 2005; Geier et al., 2011).
Statistical Analysis
The data for all response variables was analyzed as a completely randomized block design with
6 dietary treatments and 12 replicate blocks by using General ANOVA/MANOVA procedure of
the SAS (2002), by analysis of variance or covariance. Main effects and interactions between
the main affects were calculated in a 2×3 factirial design including 2 levels of Leu and 3 levels
of Val. Cage was the experimental unit for all analyses. When significant differences (P