Influence of Dietary Protein Level on Serum Protein Components and Cholesterol in the Growing Chick

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Abstract
Male chicks were fed protein levels of 10, 15, 20 and 25% for a three-week period. The influence of these variations on growth, total serum protein components, serum cholesterol and on plasma volume was determined. The protein requirement for maximum growth was found to be between the two highest protein levels fed and was calculated as 20.5% of the diet. Total serum protein increased from 2.33 gm per 100 ml at the 10% dietary protein level to 3.06 gm per 100 ml at the 25% level. The changes in serum protein could be attributed to variations in the albumin level, the level of the globulins remaining constant at all protein levels fed. Serum cholesterol decreased from a level of 297 mg per 100 ml at the 10% protein level to 185 mg per 100 ml at the 25% level. Plasma volume remained constant as a percentage of body weight at the three highest protein levels fed. The importance of variations in plasma volume on the determination of plasma components is discussed.