Effects of supplemental L-methionine on growth performance and redox status of turkey poults compared with the use of DL-methionine1

This study was conducted to test the effects of dietary supplementation of feed grade L-Met on growth performance and redox status of turkey poults compared with the use of conventional DL-Met. Three hundred and eighty five newly hatched turkey poults were weighed and allotted to 5 treatments in a completely randomized design and the birds were fed dietary treatments for 28 d, including a basal diet (BD), the BD + 0.17 or 0.33% DL-Met or L-Met (representing 60, 75, and 90% of the requirement by National Research Council (NRC) for S containing AA, respectively). Increasing Met supplementation from 0 to 0.33% increased (P < 0.05) weight gain (690 to 746 g) and feed intake (1,123 to 1,248 g) of turkey poults. Supplementing L-Met tended (P = 0.053) to reduce feed to gain ratio (1.70 to 1.63) compared with DL-Met. The relative bioavailability of L-Met to DL-Met was 160% based on a multilinear regression analysis of weight gain. Supplementing Met regardless of its sources decreased (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde (3.29 to 2.47 nmol/mg protein) in duodenal mucosa compared with birds in the BD. Supplementing L-Met tended (P = 0.094) to decrease malondialdehyde (1.27 to 1.16 nmol/mg protein) and increase glutathione (3.21 to 3.45 nmol/mg protein) in the liver compared with DL-Met. Total antioxidant capacity, protein carbonyl, and morphology of duodenum and jejunum were not affected by Met sources. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.33% Met to a diet with S containing AA meeting 60% of the NRC requirement enhanced weight gain, feed intake, and redox status by reducing oxidative stress in the gut and liver of turkey poults during the first 28 d of age. Use of L-Met tended to enhance feed efficiency and was more effective in reducing oxidative stress and increasing glutathione in the liver compared with the use of DL-Met. The use of L-Met as a source of Met replacing DL-Met seems to be beneficial to turkey poults during the first 28 d of age.