Table 1. Composition of the experimental starter, grower, and finisher diets.
| Item | Starter | Grower | Finisher | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | CL | CB | CL | CB | CL | |
| Yellow corn | 528 | 537 | 582 | 593 | 638 | 650 |
| Soy bean 44% | 350 | 353 | 286 | 285 | 215 | 214 |
| Gluten 62% | 53 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 69 |
| Soy bean oil | 29 | 20 | 23 | 13 | 27 | 17 |
| Dicalcium phosphate | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| dl-Methionine* | 2 | 2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| l-Lysine** | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Threonine | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Lime stone | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| NaCl | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Premix*** | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Potassium carbonate | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Starch | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | ||
| Calculated composition, % | ||||||
| Crude protein | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21.1 | 19 | 19 |
| ME (kcal/kg) | 3001 | 2952 | 3051 | 3001 | 3151 | 3102 |
| Calcium | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Available phosphorus | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Lysine | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1 | 1 |
| Methionine | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Threonine | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
* 99% feed grade (Ningbo Haixin Co., Zhejiang, China).
** 99% feed grade
*** Hero mix® (Hero pharm, Cairo, Egypt). Composition (per 3 kg): vitamin A, 12,000,000 IU; vitamin D3, 2,500,000 IU; vitamin E, 10,000 mg; vitamin K3, 2000 mg; vitamin B1, 1000 mg; vitamin B2, 5000 mg; vitamin B6, 1500 mg; vitamin B12, 10 mg; niacin 30,000 mg; biotin, 50 mg; folic acid, 1000 mg; pantothenic acid, 10,000 mg; manganese, 60,000 mg; zinc, 50,000 mg; iron, 30,000 mg; copper, 4000 mg; iodine, 300 mg; selenium, 100 mg; and cobalt, 100 mg.
CB, control fed basal diet; CL, control fed low-energy diet.