Table 4.
Estimated requirements for standardized ileal digestible (SID) amino acids for laying hens to reach maximum production results (egg production and feed conversion). Requirements are based on a laying hen with an egg production rate of 95% producing an egg with a weight of 60 g.
| SID Amino Acid 1 | mg SID-AA per g Egg Mass | Dietary Content (g/kg) 2 | Ratio to Lysine (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lysine | 13.9 | 6.9–6.2 | 100 |
| Methionine | 7.6 | 3.8–3.4 | 55 |
| Methionine + cysteine | 12.3 | 6.1–5.5 | 88 |
| Threonine | 9.7 | 4.8–4.3 | 70 |
| Tryptophan | 3.0 | 1.5–1.3 | 22 |
| Valine | 10.8 | 5.4–4.8 | 78 |
| Isoleucine 3 | 11.1 | 5.5–4.9 | 80 |
1 Only the requirements for the first limiting amino acid requirements are presented; 2 based on a daily feed intake of, respectively, 115 and 128 g per laying hen and corresponding with body weights of 1.5 and 2.0 kg; 3 the isoleucine requirement also depends on the dietary leucine content. A minimum SID-isoleucine:SID-leucine ratio of 45% is required for optimal performance.