Propylene Glycol as an Energy Source for Poultry

Abstract

THE use of propylene glycol as a source of energy in animal feeds was reviewed by Bayley et al. (1967). These workers also reported data which indicated that up to eight percent of propylene glycol could replace an equivalent amount of corn starch, but at the 16 percent level the propylene glycol depressed the growth rate of the birds.Four experiments reported herein were conducted to study the use of propylene glycol as an energy source for chicks and laying hens.PROCEDUREChick experiments: The control diet was formulated to contain 23 percent protein with 2970 kilocalories of metabolizable energy per kilogram of diet (chick diet, Table 1). Builder's sand was used as a non-nutritive filler to allow for substitution of propylene glycol without changing the ratio of corn and soybean meal; thus, the protein and amino acid levels were equal in all diets.Two series of substitutions were compared. .