Abstract :
1.Two experiments were carried out to examine the possibility of replacing a part of the methionine content with choline in a layers diet. 2. In the first a low methionine diet with 2-6 g methionine/kg was supplemted with 0.3,0.6,0.9 and 1.2 g DL-methionine/kg.Choline at 1.12 g/kg was added to the diets,which contained 5.4,6.0 and 6.6 g TSAA. 3. In the second diets with 3.02,3.80,4.53,5.30,6.04 and 6.51 g TSAA/kg were used and 0.94 g choline/kg was added to these diets. 4. Supplemental methionine increased egg production but not egg weight in the first experiment. When the low TSAA diet was supplemnted with choline, egg output increased slightly but not significantly. 5.When supplemental methionine was added to low protein and TSAA diets in experiment 2 it increased egg production and egg weight. Added choline did not increase egg production or egg weight, even with the diet very low in protein and TSAA. Body weight gain, food intake and feed conversion efficiency of food utilisation were improved by supplemental methionine but not choline.
