• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2002

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of supplemental feather digests on the growth of broiler chicks and taurine content in the broiler meat. In experiment 1, a total of 40 broiler chickens(Ros $s_{R}$) were assigned to four dietary treatments: control(T1), regular feather meal(FM) diet(R-FM,T2), NaOH treated FM diet(NaOH-FM,T3), HNO) treated FM diet($HNO_{3}$ -FM, T4). In experiment 2, a total of 70 broiler chickens were assigned to seven dietary treatments: T1 to t4(same as those of Exp. 1), modified $HNO_{3}$ treated FM diet(M- $HNO_{3}$-FM, T5), hair meal diet(HM, T6) and 0.22% cystine supplemented diet(CYS, T7). Feather meals and hair meal were supplemented at the level of 5% in the diet. In experiment 1 and 2, weight gain of chicks frd with R-FM or NaOH-FM tended to be higher than control or $HNO_{3}$ -FM. In experiment 2, weight gain of chicks frd with CYS was the highest followed by R-FM, M-HN $O_3$-FM, NaOH-FM, control, HM and $HNO_{3}$ -FM. In experiment 1, taurine content in breast muscle of chicks fed NaOH-FM was sogmofocamtly higher(P<0.05) than control. In experiment 2, taurine content in breast muscle of chicks fed NaOH-FM and CYS tended to be higher than other groups. Taurine content in leg muscle was significantly different among treatments as NaOH-FM and R-FM being highest followed by M- $HNO_{3}$-FM, CYS, control, $HNO_{3}$ -FM and HM. Taurine content in the liver(Exp. 1 and 2) and heart(Exp. 2) were not significantly affected by the supplemental feather digests. These results indicated that 5% NaOH-FM in the diet was effective in increasing taurine content in breast and leg muscle of broiler chicks.s.