Lysine requirement of broiler chicks as affected by protein source and method of statistical evaluation

1. An experiment was designed to test if the lysine requirement, expressed as g lysine/kg CP, was the same for several protein sources. 2. Groundnut meal, groundnut meal adjusted with indispensable amino acids or sesame meal supplied the dietary CP at 180 g/kg diet. Increments of lysine (1.5 g/kg diet) were added to each of these diets. 3. The gain, food intake and food efficiency responses of broiler chicks were analysed using a quadratic equation and a two-slope method. An estimate of lysine requirements was also obtained from a survey of college students. 4. The different methods produced widely different estimates of lysine requirement. 5. The average lysine requirement was estimated at 50.1 g lysine/kg CP for groundnut meal, 61.7 for adjusted groundnut meal and 54.9 for sesame meal. 6. Reasons for the effect of statistical analysis and protein source on lysine requirement are discussed.