ABSTRACT
The rate and extent of protein digestion are relevant to broiler performance and health, but information is lacking on the rate of digestion and the characteristics of the undigested fraction for common protein feed ingredients. Therefore, this study evaluated the digestion kinetics and the distal ileum (DI) digesta protein characteristics of protein meals fed to broiler chickens. Using a completely randomized design, 360 male broilers at 14 D of age were assigned to 60 battery cages and fed semi-purified diets composed of wheat starch (N-free) or wheat starch with either corn distillers dried grains with solubles (CDDGS), corn gluten meal, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, fish meal (FM), porcine meal (PCM), canola meal, blood meal (BM), or feather meal. At day 21, the protein digestion kinetics and total and soluble protein of the DI content were determined. Differences were considered significant when P ≤ 0.05. Protein source affected the extent of amino acid (AA) and CP digestibility at the DI. The results demonstrated differences in digesta mean retention time (MRT) and the rate of digestion of AA and CP among protein sources. FM had the shortest MRT of 46 min, whereas CDDGS had the longest at 142 min. Both FM and PCM had the highest digestion rates for most of the AA evaluated among the protein sources, whereas CDDGS had the lowest. In turn, the total and soluble CP in the distal ileal contents ranged from 54 to 1466 mg and 6 to 347 mg, respectively. In conclusion, dietary protein source influences the amount and solubility of the undigested protein in the DI and the digestion kinetics of AA and CP along the small intestine of broilers. These parameters may contribute to the effects of protein source on muscle deposition and could influence the impact protein sources may have on gut health through protein fermentation.