Utilization of Biuret as a Source of Nonspecific Nitrogen in a Crystalline Amino Acid Chick Diet

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Abstract
Three experiments were conducted to study the effect of adding biuret to crystalline amino acid diets as a source of nonspecific nitrogen. Growth and feed consumption were measured for chicks for the experimental period, 8 to 14 days of age. The addition of 2.33% biuret to a basal diet deficient in nonspecific nitrogen depressed growth, whereas addition of isonitrogenous amounts of urea or glutamic acid resulted in increased growth. Proportionate decreases in growth and feed consumption resulted from increased levels of biuret in a diet containing adequate amino acid nitrogen. Addition of 1.165 and 2.33% biuret to a diet containing 70% of the required amount of amino acid nitrogen resulted in increased feed consumption; however, successive decreases in growth and feed intake were observed with increases of biuret from 1.165 to 4.66% in the diet containing 100% of the required amount of amino acid nitrogen. When feed intake was equalized, 4.66% biuret had no effect on growth. These studies demonstrated that biuret did not serve as a source of nonspecific nitrogen and that the effect of biuret on growth was due to its effect on feed consumption.
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