Influence of caecectomy and source of dietary fibre or starch on excretion of endogenous amino acids by laying hens.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of caecectomy and source of dietary fibre and starch on excretion of amino acids by laying hens. In Expt 1, caecectomized hens excreted significantly higher levels of several amino acids than intact hens during a 24 h fasting period. These differences were greatest for threonine, proline and leucine. In Expt 2, caecectomized and intact hens were given either a nitrogen-free diet containing 500 g cellulose/kg or one containing 400 g uncooked potato starch/kg and 100 g citrus pectin/kg. The potato starch-pectin (PSP) diet increased excretion of most amino acids by both caecectomized and intact hens compared with the cellulose diet, with this response being larger for intact hens. When compared across diets, caecectomized hens excreted more threonine and serine than intact hens. Excreta voided by hens given PSP contained higher levels of alanine and valine and lower levels of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and methionine than excreta from the cellulose diet. When compared across diets, excreta from caecectomized hens contained more threonine, serine and isoleucine and less aspartic acid and alanine than excreta from intact hens. Multiple regression analyses of excreta amino acid profiles on profiles of endogenous and microbial protein suggested that the intestinal microflora had greater influence on amino acids excreted by caecectomized hens than on those excreted by intact hens.