Research Note: Pellet Binder and Steam Pelleting as Nitrogen-Corrected True Metabolizable Energy Contributors: An Example of the Statistics Used to Evaluate a Component of a Mixture

Abstract

A calcium lignosulfonate pellet binder included in diets at the 0 and 50% levels was assayed for TMEn using adult Single Comb White Leghorn cockerels. The effect of low level inclusion (.04 kg/kg diet) in a chick-grower diet, before and after steam pelleting, was also examined. The formulae for calculating the mean and standard error of the TMEn estimate of a component of a mixture are presented. The TMEn of the binder was 4.90 ± .52 MJ (1 MJ = .239 Mcal)/kg of dry matter compared with 14.34 ± .16 MJ/kg for the chick diet. Although diets containing practical levels of the binder (.04 kg/kg) had slightly reduced TMEn values, the differences were not significant (P>.05) because of the low inclusion level and the limited number of birds used. Steam pelleting had no effect on energy bioavailability.