Endogenous flows of nitrogen and amino acids at the terminal ileum of broilers (6 weeks old), layers (70 weeks old) and adult roosters (70 weeks old) were determined using the peptide alimentation method. The ileal endogenous output of nitrogen and total amino acids in broilers, layers and roosters, expressed as mg/kg dry matter intake, were similar (P>0.05). Endogenous flows were similar (P>0.05) for nine of the 17 amino acids analysed, but the flows of serine, glutamic acid, proline, alanine, isoleucine, tyrosine, arginine and methionine differed (P<0.05) among the classes of chickens. The amino acid profile of endogenous protein, expressed as g/100 g crude protein, did not differ (P>0.05) between the three classes of chickens, except for serine, glutamic acid, proline and isoleucine. The concentrations of proline were higher (P<0.05) in broilers, compared with the other two groups. The concentrations of glutamic acid in layers were lower (P<0.05) than the other two groups. The concentrations of serine and isoleucine were higher (P<0.05) in roosters than the other two groups. In all three groups, the most abundant amino acid in the ileal endogenous protein was glutamic acid, followed by aspartic acid, proline, serine, glycine and threonine. The present study provides estimates for endogenous amino acid flow at the terminal ileum in broilers, layers and adult roosters under normal physiological conditions.
