Table 4.

Performance of broilers 144 h post-inoculation with Eimeria spp.

		FI, kgc		BWG, kgd		FCRe
		Mean	SE	Mean	SE	Mean	SE
UCf	NSh	0.470	0.011	0.295	0.009	1.593	0.016
	dl-Meti	0.498	0.009	0.333	0.006	1.515	0.042
	dl-MMetj	0.493	0.015	0.315	0.015	1.568	0.115
ECg	NS	0.428	0.006	0.183	0.009	2.378	0.108
	dl-Met	0.420	0.009	0.213	0.003	1.987	0.047
	dl-MMet	0.415	0.006	0.198	0.005	2.101	0.069
Main effects
Challenge	UC	0.487a	0.007	0.314a	0.007	1.558b	0.038
	EC	0.421b	0.004	0.198b	0.005	2.155a	0.064
Diet	NS	0.449	0.010	0.239b	0.022	1.985a	0.157
	dl-Met	0.459	0.016	0.273a	0.023	1.751b	0.094
	dl-MMet	0.454	0.016	0.256ab	0.023	1.834ab	0.118
P-value
Challenge		< 0.0001		< 0.0001		< 0.0001
Diet		0.6033		0.0038		0.0190
Challenge × Diet		0.1487		0.9062		0.1155

^a,bMeans in the same column followed by different letters differ significantly by the Tukey test, P < 0.05. Results are presented as mean ± standard error, SE. Each cage was considered an experimental unit, n = 8. No mortality was observed during the experimental period

^cFI Feed intake. Performance data were calculated taking into consideration a period of 6 days, that is, the period of 144 h post-inoculation, PI with Eimeria spp.

^dBWG Body weight gain. Performance data were calculated taking into consideration a period of 6 days, that is, the period of 144 h post-inoculation, PI with Eimeria spp.

^eFCR Feed conversion ratio. Performance data were calculated taking into consideration a period of 6 days, that is, the period of 144 h post-inoculation, PI with Eimeria spp.

^fUC Unchallenged broilers

^gEC Eimeria-challenged broilers

^hNS non-supplemented diet

ⁱdl-Met diet supplemented with free methionine, dl-methionine 99%

^jdl-MMet diet supplemented with methionine dipeptide, dl-methionyl-dl-methionine 95%