Influence of tannic acid and polyethylene glycol on the excretion and digestibility of amino acids in gelatin-fed broilers

1. A precision feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of tannic acid (TA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the excretion of amino acids, and the apparent and true digestibility of gelatin protein in broilers. 2. In a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial design, ninety-six 7-week-old broiler cockerels in 8 replicates of 12 treatments, were fed on warm solution of gelatin alone (0, 6 or 12 g/50 ml/bird, Treatments 1-3), or gelatin with TA solution (4.5 g TA/10 ml/bird, Treatments 4-6) and PEG solution (2 g/10 ml/bird, Treatments 7-12). Total excreta were collected for 48 h and the amino acid contents of gelatin and excreta were determined. 3. In the absence of TA, the digestibility of gelatin was almost complete. TA increased the excretion of amino acids from gelatin-fed birds to varying extents. Although the digestibility of all indispensable and dispensable amino acids was adversely affected by the presence of TA, increasing the amount of gelatin from 6 to 12 g improved the apparent and true digestibility of amino acids. PEG reduced the excretion of amino acids and improved the digestibility of amino acids in gelatin in TA-dosed birds. However, the effect was greater when the lesser amount of gelatin was fed. 4. In conclusion, PEG seemed to play an important role in reducing the effect of dietary tannins in the gastrointestinal tract of birds fed on diets high in tannins and improved protein digestibility and utilisation, particularly when the diet was low or marginal in protein.