Table 1.
Ingredient composition and nutrient contents of experimental diets.
| Variables1 | Starter period (1–21 D) |
Grower period (22–42 D) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CON | TAU1 | TAU2 | TAU3 | CON | TAU1 | TAU2 | TAU3 | |
| Ingredient (%) | ||||||||
| Corn | 56.58 | 56.58 | 56.58 | 56.58 | 60.55 | 60.55 | 60.55 | 60.55 |
| Soybean meal (44%, CP) | 29.76 | 29.76 | 29.76 | 29.76 | 27.78 | 27.78 | 27.78 | 27.78 |
| Corn gluten meal | 4.96 | 4.96 | 4.96 | 4.96 | 3.47 | 3.47 | 3.47 | 3.47 |
| Soybean oil | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 |
| Limestone | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.19 |
| Dicalcium phosphate | 1.49 | 1.49 | 1.49 | 1.49 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Alanine2 | 0.54 | 0.36 | 0.18 | 0 | 0.54 | 0.36 | 0.18 | 0 |
| Microcrystalline cellulose3 | 0.21 | 0.14 | 0.07 | 0 | 0.21 | 0.14 | 0.07 | 0 |
| The approximate content of taurine | <0.01 | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.75 | <0.01 | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.75 |
| Salt | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.30 |
| Premix4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Calculated nutrient and energy level | ||||||||
| Apparent ME (MJ/kg) | 12.52 | 12.52 | 12.52 | 12.52 | 12.92 | 12.92 | 12.92 | 12.92 |
| CP (%) | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 20.01 | 20.01 | 20.01 | 20.01 |
| Lysine (%) | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 1.06 |
| Methionine (%) | 0.52 | 0.52 | 0.52 | 0.52 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 |
| Calcium (%) | 1.08 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.96 |
| Total phosphorus (%) | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.68 |
| Available phosphorus (%) | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0.39 |
| Analyzed composition | ||||||||
| CP (%) | 21.33 | 21.32 | 21.47 | 21.54 | 19.90 | 19.91 | 19.88 | 19.91 |
| Crude fat (%) | 4.81 | 4.82 | 4.78 | 4.84 | 6.52 | 6.57 | 6.58 | 6.54 |
| Calcium (%) | 1.00 | 1.04 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.93 | 0.94 | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Total phosphorus (%) | 0.66 | 0.64 | 0.63 | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.68 | 0.63 | 0.67 |
CON, basal diet; TAU1, TAU2 and TAU3 group, basal diet adding 2.50, 5.00, and 7.50 g/kg TAU, respectively.
Alanine, the purity was 99%, was used to balance the nitrogen in all diets.
Microcrystalline cellulose, the purity was 99%, was used to balance the different percentages of supplemental taurine.
The premix provided per kg of diet: retinyl acetate for vitamin A, 10,000 IU; cholecalciferol for vitamin D3, 3,000 IU; DL-α-tocopheryl acetate for vitamin E, 30 IU; menadione sodium bisulphate, 1.3 mg; thiamin, 2.2 mg; riboflavin, 8.0 mg; nicotinamide, 40 mg; choline chloride, 600 mg; calcium pantothenate, 10 mg; pyridoxine HCl, 4 mg; biotin, 0.04 mg; folic acid, 1 mg; vitamin B12 (cobalamin), 0.013 mg; Zn, 60 mg; Fe, 80 mg; Cu,8.0 mg; Mn, 110 mg; I, 1.1 mg; Se, 0.3 mg.