Metabolizable energy and standardized ileal digestible amino acid contents of a high-protein sunflower meal fed to broiler chicks

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestible amino acid (AA) and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) contents of a high-protein sunflower meal (HiSFM) fed to broiler chicks. A total of 144 broiler chicks were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments with eight replicate cages of six birds. Birds were fed the experimental diets from day 14 to day 21 of age. The results showed that gross energy, crude protein, nonphytate phosphorus, lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), threonine (Thr), and total nonstarch polysaccharide contents of HiSFM were 4178 kcal kg−1, 48.7%, 0.86%, 1.59%, 0.75%, 1.45%, and 14.6%, as-fed basis, respectively. The standardized ileal digestible Lys, Met, and Thr of HiSFM were 12.6, 6.8, and 11.6 g kg−1(dry matter basis), respectively. In addition, the AMEncontent of HiSFM fed to broiler chicks was 1785 kcal kg−1. In conclusion, compared with literature values for sunflower meal, HiSFM had lower standardized ileal digestibility of indispensable AA and higher AMEncontent. The standardized ileal digestible AA and AMEnvalues of HiSFM obtained from the current study could be used when formulating poultry diets and to obtain predictable bird performance.