This study was performed to evaluate the effects of reduction of dietary crude protein level with supplementation of industrial amino acids on the performance and carcass yield of broilers between 22 to 42 days of age, under heat stress. It was used 280 Cobb broilers with initial weight of 856 ± 7.41 g, distributed in a complete randomized experimental design, with five crude protein levels (21.6; 20.6; 19.6; 18.6 and 17.6%), eight repetitions and seven broilers per experimental unit. The temperature inside the rooms was kept at 32.2 ± 0.6ºC, the relative humidity at 66 ± 3.2% and black globe temperature at 33.0 ± 0.7°C. The black globe-humidity index calculated for the period was 83 ± 0.9. There was no effect of crude protein levels on weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion of the birds. The reduction of dietary crude protein levels influenced the absolute weight of carcass and breast, and the level of 19.6% proportioned higher carcass and breast weights of the broilers compared to the level of 21.6% of crude protein. However, there was no effect of the reduction of levels of crude protein on absolute values of thigh and drumstick and also on breast, thigh and drumstick yields. The dietary crude protein level, formulated by using the ideal protein concept, can be reduced from 21.6 to 17.6% not negatively affecting the performance, absolute weight and noble cut yield of broilers under heat stress.
cuts; ideal protein; performance; thermal environment
