Effect of different methionine levels on growth performance, carcass parameters and intestinal histo-morphology of meat type ducks

A study was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of methionine supplementation on the growth performance, yield in carcass, and histo-morphology of ileum in meat type ducks. A total of 60 one-day-old meat-type ducklings (Vigova Super M) were randomly assigned into 4 groups (G1, G2, G3, G4) with three replicates in each group and five ducklings in each replicate. The corn-soybean based basal diet (R1) was prepared with BIS specified methionine levels of 0.5, 0.5, and 0.45 %for pre-starter, starter, and finisher respectively. Experimental diets R2 and R3 were prepared with 10 and 20 % more than basal diet (R1) methionine content and fed to groups G2 and G3 respectively. The diet R4 was prepared with 10 % less methionine level. Increased methionine supplementation level had increased feed intake, FCR and no significant results were obtained in body weight gain. Leg muscle yield increased (p < 0.05), and abdominal fat yield linearly (p<0.01) decreased, in proportion with methionine level. The ducks fed diet with 20 % more methionine fed group (group G3) gained higher villus height, width, crypt depth, and thickness of tunica mucosa compared to other treatment groups. It could be concluded that, extra supplementation of methionine showed improved feed gain, better carcass quality with less abdominal fat.