Effect of Dietary Lysine and Energy Levels on Apparent Nutrient, Nitrogen, and Amino Acids Digestibility of Local Muscovy Ducks

Abstract

A 3x2 factorial arrangement was used in the study to evaluate the apparent nutrient and amino acid digestibility of local Muscovy ducks in two periods. Two factors of the trial were dietary lysine levels (0.8%, 1.0% and 1.2%) and metabolizable energy (ME) levels (12.55MJ/kg DM and 12.97MJ/kg DM) for 8-week-old period; and dietary lysine levels (0.7%; 0.9%; 1.1%), and ME levels (13.39MJ/kg DM; 13.81 MJ/kg DM) for 10-week-old period. There were three replications and four ducks per experimental unit. The findings indicated that the apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, and EE were significantly higher for the Lys 1.2 and Lys 1.1 treatments in both periods (P<0.05). At 8-week-old period, the digestibility results of lysine, and valine in the Lys 1.2 treatment; and of isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine in the ME 12.97 treatment were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of the other treatments. At 10-week-old period, the Lys 1.1 and ME 13.81 treatments had some better essential amino acid digestibility values, particularly, arginine, isoleucine, lysine; and methionine isoleucine, lysine, methionine, and threonine (P<0.05). Additionally, nitrogen retention in the Lys 1.2 and Lys 1.1 treatments (for 8 and 10-week-old periods) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the other treatments. It could be concluded that Local Muscovy ducks at 8 weeks and 10 weeks of age, the appropriate diets contained 1.2% lysine and 12.97 MJ ME/kg DM, and 1.1% lysine and 13.81 MJ ME/kg DM, respectively.