Effects of Dietary Taurine Supplementation on Growth Performance, Serum Constituents and Antibody Production of Broilers

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of taurine (Tau) supplements on broiler growth performance, serum constituents and antibody production. In Exp. 1, 3 day old chicks received a basal diet supplemented with Tau at 0, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30 or 0.40% for 6 weeks. Although dietary Tau supplementing at 0.30 or 0.40% enhanced feed conversion and reduced feed consumption during 0 to 3 weeks (p<0.05), neither serum total cholesterol or anti-Newcastle disease virus (NDV) titer were affected. In Exp. 2, dietary Tau supplement at 0.25-0.75% enhanced feed conversion of broilers during 0 to 3 weeks, but daily gain and feed consumption were not affected. The 0.75% Tau supplement group displayed lower serum total cholesterol at 6 weeks (p<0.05) comparing with the control group but no difference in anti-NDV titers. In Exp. 3, broilers were treated with dietary Tau of 0 or 0.50% combined with low (0/0%), medium (0.18/0.08%), or high (0.36/0.16%) methionine (Met) levels for 6 weeks (0 to 3/3 to 6 weeks). The addition of Met significantly improved daily gain and feed conversion of broilers during 0 to 3 weeks (p<0.01). Dietary Tau interacted significantly with Met on daily gain and feed consumption. Broiler serum amino acids revealed that Met supplements only increased serum Met level, but only serum Tau level was enhanced as given dietary Tau supplementation. The broilers receiving Tau normalized serum triglycerides level by feeding with the low Met diet and tended to display higher anti-NDV titers (p<0.10). The experimental results suggest that the growth response obtained by Tau supplements results partly from interactions with sulfur amino acids. However, the modulation of the broiler lipid metabolism may be responsible for dietary Tau.