Table 2 Productive performance of broiler chickens fed a commercial basal diet (CON, n = 9; digestible Arg:Lys = 1.05, 1.05, 1.06 and 1.07) or the same basal diet supplemented with L-arginine (ARG, n = 9; digestible Arg:Lys = 1.15, 1.15, 1.16 and 1.17)

 Chick body weight, g/bird

37.1

36.9

0.09

0.27

 Body weight, g/bird

288.5

293.0

2.47

0.38

 Daily weight gain, g/(bird·d)^a

21.0

21.3

0.20

0.39

 Daily feed intake, g/(bird·d)^a

29.3

28.8

0.19

0.21

 Feed conversion rate (0–12 d)^a

1.401

1.352

0.01

0.02

 Mortality, %

0.00

0.17

0.01

0.33

 Body weight, g/bird

846.7

856.1

6.08

0.46

 Daily weight gain, g/(bird·d)^a

55.8

56.3

0.43

0.56

 Daily feed intake, g/(bird·d)^a

79.7

79.8

0.60

0.92

 Feed conversion rate (13–22 d)^a

1.429

1.419

0.01

0.37

 Cumulative feed conversion rate (0–22 d)^a

1.420

1.398

0.01

< 0.01

 Mortality, %

0.34

0.52

0.02

0.69

 Body weight, g/bird

1829

1884

12.8

0.03

 Daily weight gain, g/(bird·d)^a

89.3

93.1

1.11

0.08

 Daily feed intake, g/(bird·d)^a

143.6

145.5

1.02

0.39

 Feed conversion rate (23–33 d)^a

1.610

1.571

0.01

0.09

 Cumulative feed conversion rate (0–33 d)^a

1.524

1.494

0.01

0.02

 Mortality, %

0.17

0.35

0.01

0.55

 Body weight, g/bird

2864

2920

26.0

0.30

 Daily weight gain, g/(bird·d)^a

101.6

102.3

1.62

0.83

 Daily feed intake, g/(bird·d)^a

197.1

196.9

1.41

0.94

 Feed conversion rate (34–43 d)^a

1.949

1.926

0.02

0.62

 Mortality, %

1.37

1.71

0.02

0.62

 Body weight, g/bird

2864

2920

26.0

0.30

 Daily weight gain, g/(bird·d)^a

65.7

67.0

0.60

0.30

 Daily feed intake, g/(bird·d)^a

109.1

109.2

0.54

0.94

 Feed conversion rate (0–43 d)^a

1.675

1.646

0.01

0.09

 Mortality, %

1.88

2.74

0.02

0.21