Relationship between monensin and sulphur amino acid requirements in broiler chickens

1. Diets containing 80, 100, 125, 150, 175 or 200 mg monensin/kg were fed to broiler chickens from 0 to 28 d in cages that prevented access to excreta. 2. Growth was depressed with 125 mg monensin or more/kg and food intake tended to decrease. Feathering was adversely affected with 175 mg or more/kg. 3. In a similar experiment, diets containing 8.8, 9.1, 9.4, 9.7 and 10.1 g total sulphur amino acids (SAA)/kg were supplemented with 125 or 80 mg monensin/kg and compared with a diet containing 8.8 g SAA and 33 mg robenidie/kg. 4. With 125 mg monensin/kg, body-weight gain was significantly less than that of birds receiving robenidine if dietary SAA content was 9.4 g or less/kg. With 9.7 g SAA or more/kg, gain in birds receiving monensin was similar to that of birds receiving robenidine. 5. Monensin at 125 mg/kg therefore appears to increase SAA requirement.