Comparative bioefficacy of lysine from L-lysine hydrochloride or L-lysine sulfate in basal diets containing graded levels of canola meal for female broiler chickens.

A broiler growth assay was conducted to compare the efficacy of l-lysine HCl and l-lysine sulfate at a graded addition of canola meal (CM). A total of 1,440 1-d-old female Hubbard broiler chicks were allotted randomly to 6 dietary treatments each in 4 replicates of 60 birds per pen. The 2 lysine sources (l-lysine HCl and l-lysine sulfate) and the 3 CM levels (10, 15, and 20%) were used in 2 x 3 factorial arrangement in isonitrogenous (19% CP) and equicaloric (2,700 kcal of ME/kg) diets containing 0.96% digestible lysine. The experiment lasted for 42 d, and a single mash diet was used throughout the experiment. The feed intake during the starter phase (1 to 28 d) decreased linearly as the dietary CM level increased with diets containing l-lysine HCl, whereas feed intake increased linearly with increasing dietary CM level with that of lysine sulfate. Gizzard weight as percentage of carcass weight increased linearly (P < or = 0.016) as dietary CM level increased. No significant effect of lysine sources or CM was observed on body weight gain, feed:gain, mortality, carcass weight, breast and thigh yield, and abdominal fat. In conclusion, l-lysine HCl can be replaced with l-lysine sulfate for broiler diets, and CM can be used as up to 20% of the starter (1 to 28 d) and finisher (29 to 42 d) diets without having any adverse effects of broiler performance.