Amino acid requirements of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi) and impala (Aepyceros melampus) estimated by the whole empty body essential amino acid profile

The essential amino acid (EAA) profile of the duodenal digesta and whole empty body of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi) and impala (Aepyceros melampus) were investigated. Significant differences were found between the whole empty body EAA composition of the three game species, whether protein quantity was taken into account (g AA/100 g crude protein (CP)) or not (expressed as % of lysine). The chemical scores indicated that the four most limiting amino acids (three for impala) in the duodenal digesta for whole empty body growth were: arginine, histidine, threonine, methionine for springbok; methionine, arginine, histidine, lysine for blesbok and methionine, histidine, arginine for impala. Excess levels of amino acids tends to be present in the duodenal digesta of blesbok (isoleucine) and impala (lysine, valine, leucine, threonine, isoleucine, phenylalanine). A similar trend was found in the EAA:Lysine ratios of the whole empty body for the three game species.