Table 1.
Ingredients percentages and calculated composition analysis of the experimental starter diets (as fed basis).
| Ingredients | Basal diet | DPS2 | DPS4 | DPS6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn | 55 | 53.09 | 51.17 | 49.27 |
| SBM (CP 44%) | 32.04 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Corn gluten (CP 62%) | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.66 | 5.7 |
| Corn oil | 3.5 | 3.39 | 3.27 | 3.17 |
| Limestone | 1.35 | 1.33 | 1.31 | 1.28 |
| Dicalcium phosphate | 1.74 | 1.74 | 1.74 | 1.74 |
| L-lysine∗ | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.27 |
| Dl-methionine∗∗ | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| P. dactylifera seeds | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Vitamin and mineral premix∗∗∗ | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| NaCl | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Estimated and analyzed composition | ||||
| ME | 3069.59 | 3070.39 | 3069.38 | 3070.05 |
| CP % | 22.6 | 22.6 | 22.59 | 22.58 |
| Lysine % | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.34 |
| Methionine % | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Calcium % | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Av. (P) % | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 |
SBM: soybean meal. ME: metabolizable energy (Kcal/kg diet). CP: crude protein. Av. (P): available phosphorous. ∗L-lysine, 99% feed grade. ∗∗Dl-methionine, 99% feed grade, China. ∗∗∗Vitamin and mineral premix (Hero mix) produced by Hero pharm Co., Egypt.