Evaluation of Apparent Metabolizable Energy and Apparent Ileal Amino Acid Digestibility of Spirulina (<i>Arthrospira platensis</i>) in Broiler Chickens and Laying Hens
Taylor K. O’Lear Reid,
Katherine E. Gardner,
Kayla L. Paglia,
Alexandra C. M. Ulans,
Ruth E. Spierling,
Mark S. Edwards,
Tryg J. Lundquist,
Zach D. McFarlane,
Siroj Pokharel,
Darin C. Bennett
Affiliations
Taylor K. O’Lear Reid
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Katherine E. Gardner
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Kayla L. Paglia
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Alexandra C. M. Ulans
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Ruth E. Spierling
MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA 93406, USA
Mark S. Edwards
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Tryg J. Lundquist
MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA 93406, USA
Zach D. McFarlane
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Siroj Pokharel
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Darin C. Bennett
Animal Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
Our study objective was to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent ileal amino acid digestibility (AIAAD) of spirulina fed to broiler chickens and laying hens using the difference method. In both experiments, birds were either fed corn-soybean meal basal diets, containing no spirulina and formulated to provide the nutrient requirements of either broilers or layers, or fed test diets consisting of 25% spirulina and 75% of the appropriate basal diet. Titanium dioxide was added to all diets as an indigestible marker. The diets were fed to 10 replicate cages/treatment of broilers and 15 replicate cages/treatment of laying hens. The AME of spirulina for broilers was significantly lower (p p > 0.05), except for valine, alanine, and glycine, which were all significantly higher in laying hens (p < 0.05). Overall, the AIAAD for nonessential amino acids averaged 81.1%, with no significant difference between essential and nonessential amino acids. Differences in spirulina nutrient content cited in the literature support further research to determine the optimal inclusion of this alternative ingredient in broiler and layer diets.
