Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids
Umami taste compounds are perceived in broilers through taste buds that detect peptides and amino acids, which can positively or negatively affect their feeding behavior. In this study, we evaluated the intake behavior for four essential amino acids (Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, and Tryptophan) in...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Jaime Figueroa Paloma Cordero Sofía Herrera-Alcaíno Sergio A. Guzmán-Pino |
| author_facet | Jaime Figueroa Paloma Cordero Sofía Herrera-Alcaíno Sergio A. Guzmán-Pino |
| author_sort | Jaime Figueroa |
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| description | Umami taste compounds are perceived in broilers through taste buds that detect peptides and amino acids, which can positively or negatively affect their feeding behavior. In this study, we evaluated the intake behavior for four essential amino acids (Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, and Tryptophan) in chickens. Sixty-four one-day-old male birds (Ross 308) were used. For 16 days during the early stage of the birds, two-choice preference tests were performed, in which 16 combinations composed of four amino acids in four concentrations (0.1 to 1.5%) diluted in water were evaluated, which were supplied in contrast to the delivery of water (a neutral compound) to a pair of birds in a pen for 4 h of administration after a prior 1 h fast. Amino acid solutions such as Threonine and Tryptophan tended to show less preference at the highest exposed concentrations (1.5%) concerning drinking water, which was confirmed in the case of Threonine when performing a sensory-motivated intake analysis (SMI). The opposite occurred with Lysine (1.5%), which numerically showed a higher preference ratified by SMI and acceptability analysis concerning water and other concentrations of the same amino acid, respectively. When palatability was measured with pecking cluster size, no significant differences across amino acid concentrations were observed, which is probably attributed to short recording periods and differences in solution intake behavior between chickens and previous experimental models such as rats. The results reinforce the notion that it is necessary to standardize feeding behavior tests in birds according to their feeding patterns and nutritional needs. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-387bb2f790d8438cbf8b001bebd3cfee2025-08-20T02:23:08ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-05-011511157410.3390/ani15111574Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino AcidsJaime Figueroa0Paloma Cordero1Sofía Herrera-Alcaíno2Sergio A. Guzmán-Pino3Instituto de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales—ICA3, Universidad de O’Higgins, San Fernando 3070000, ChilePrograma de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, ChilePrograma de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, ChileDepartamento de Fomento de la Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, ChileUmami taste compounds are perceived in broilers through taste buds that detect peptides and amino acids, which can positively or negatively affect their feeding behavior. In this study, we evaluated the intake behavior for four essential amino acids (Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, and Tryptophan) in chickens. Sixty-four one-day-old male birds (Ross 308) were used. For 16 days during the early stage of the birds, two-choice preference tests were performed, in which 16 combinations composed of four amino acids in four concentrations (0.1 to 1.5%) diluted in water were evaluated, which were supplied in contrast to the delivery of water (a neutral compound) to a pair of birds in a pen for 4 h of administration after a prior 1 h fast. Amino acid solutions such as Threonine and Tryptophan tended to show less preference at the highest exposed concentrations (1.5%) concerning drinking water, which was confirmed in the case of Threonine when performing a sensory-motivated intake analysis (SMI). The opposite occurred with Lysine (1.5%), which numerically showed a higher preference ratified by SMI and acceptability analysis concerning water and other concentrations of the same amino acid, respectively. When palatability was measured with pecking cluster size, no significant differences across amino acid concentrations were observed, which is probably attributed to short recording periods and differences in solution intake behavior between chickens and previous experimental models such as rats. The results reinforce the notion that it is necessary to standardize feeding behavior tests in birds according to their feeding patterns and nutritional needs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1574acceptabilitybroiler chickenessential amino acidpeak cluster sizepreference testsensory-motivated intake |
| spellingShingle | Jaime Figueroa Paloma Cordero Sofía Herrera-Alcaíno Sergio A. Guzmán-Pino Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids Animals acceptability broiler chicken essential amino acid peak cluster size preference test sensory-motivated intake |
| title | Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids |
| title_full | Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids |
| title_fullStr | Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids |
| title_full_unstemmed | Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids |
| title_short | Taste Preferences in Broilers: Behavioral Evaluation for Varying Concentrations of Four Essential Amino Acids |
| title_sort | taste preferences in broilers behavioral evaluation for varying concentrations of four essential amino acids |
| topic | acceptability broiler chicken essential amino acid peak cluster size preference test sensory-motivated intake |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1574 |
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