Apparent Metabolizable Energy Content Research Articles

Investigations into the chemical composition and nutritional value of different batches of rapeseed meals for turkey poults

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to investigate the chemical composition and feeding value of rapeseed meal (RSM) batches produced at the same plant when fed to turkey poults. In total, seven RSM samples were obtained from a single manufacturer within a period of 90 days. Although the manufacturer followed the same procedures during oil extraction and RSM production, different batches of rapeseed were used. A balancer feed (BF) was formulated to contain 11.85 MJ/kg ME and 265 g/kg crude protein. Seven nutritionally complete test mash diets were prepared by mixing 200 g/kg of each RSM batch sample with 800 g/kg of the BF, totalling 8 diets. Diets were fed to female B.U.T. Premium turkeys from 12 to 21 d of age. Each diet was fed to six raised floor pens, housing two birds, following randomisation. During the experiment, a nitrogen corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) assay was performed using a total collection technique. The AMEn in RSM samples was calculated based on the differences between the AMEn values of basal and test diets. Associations were examined between AMEn and the chemical composition of the RSM samples. The overall determined AMEn value of the RSM ranged from 5.50 MJ/kg DM to 8.53 MJ/kg DM, giving an average AMEn of 7.29 MJ/kg DM. There was no difference (p > 0.05) in AMEn content between batches. There was a negative correlation (r = – 0.864; p < 0.05) between AMEn values and the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content of the RSM samples. The results suggest that the NDF could be a good predictor of the AMEn of industry produced RSM. It may be inferred that processing rather than cultivar could be the main factor determining the feeding value of RSM for turkeys.

Dietary α-galactosidase and xylanase to improve the nutritional value of corn-soybean-rapeseed meal diets in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT Two experiments were performed to assess the effects of an enzyme preparation (containing α-galactosidase and xylanase) on chicken performance, carcass traits, footpad dermatitis score, and nutrient digestibility. During first experiment, chickens were fed four diets: (1) control diet (PC): corn and soybean-rapeseed meal; (2) PC supplemented with 350 ppm of the enzyme; (3) Negative control (NC): PC with a 4% reduction of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and crude protein content; (4) NC supplemented with 500 ppm of the enzyme. In the second experiment, chickens were fed PC or PC + enzyme 350 ppm and a digestibility balance was performed. The enzyme supplementation at 350 and 500 ppm significantly improved the overall feed conversion ratio in PC and NC diet, respectively (P < 0.01). Regarding footpad dermatitis score, animals fed NC + enzyme 500 ppm tended to present a lower value than animals fed NC (P < 0.1). Concerning the digestibility balance, PC + enzyme 350 ppm diet presented a higher feed AME and AMEn value than PC diet (P < 0.05). The enzyme also improved the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of proline (P < 0.05) and tended to increase AID of cysteine (P < 0.1). In conclusion, the enzyme preparation improves birds feed efficiency by increasing energy utilization.

Integrating dietary supplementation with poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seed meal: effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and faecal microbiota in broilers

Abstract. The study investigated the effects of supplementing broiler diets with poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seed meal (PSM) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, faecal microbiota, and blood profiles. A total of 250 unsexed 1 d old broilers were allocated to five distinct treatment groups. PSM was incorporated into the diets at varying levels: 0 % (PSM0), 5 % (PSM5), 10 % (PSM10), 15 % (PSM15), and 20 % (PSM20). The findings indicated that growth performance, including weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR), was significantly improved (P&lt;0.05) in the PSM20 group compared to the control. However, carcass weight experienced a notable decrease (P&lt;0.05) in the PSM20 group. Regarding nutrient digestibility, PSM supplementation led to reduced crude protein digestibility. Nevertheless, apparent metabolizable energy and ash content were significantly enhanced (P&lt;0.05) in the PSM15 and PSM20 groups. Notably, faecal microbiota also experienced substantial improvement (P&lt;0.05) in the PSM20 group. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that incorporating poppy seed meal at a rate of 20 % in broiler diets enhances growth performance, improves nutrient digestibility, and positively influences faecal microbiota composition.

Prediction of net energy of feeds for broiler chickens

Net energy (NE) enables the prediction of more accurate feed energy values by taking into account the heat increment which is approximately 25% of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) in poultry. Nevertheless, application of NE in poultry industry has not been practiced widely. To predict the NE values of broiler diets, 23 diets were prepared by using 13 major ingredients (wheat, corn, paddy rice, broken rice, cassava pellets, full-fat soybean, soybean meal, canola meal, animal protein, rice bran, wheat bran, palm kernel meal and palm kernel oil). The diets were formulated in order to meet the birds' requirements and get a wide range of chemical compositions (on DM basis; 33.6% to 55.3% for starch; 20.8% to 28.4% for CP, 2.7% to 10.6% for ether extract [EE] and 7.0% to 17.2% for NDF), with low correlations between these nutrients and low correlations between the inclusion levels of ingredients allowing for the calculation of robust prediction equations of energy values of diets or ingredients. These diets were fed to Ross 308 broilers raised in 12 open-circuit respiratory chambers from 18 to 23 d of age (4 birds per cage) and growth performance, diet AME content and heat production were measured, and dietary NE values were calculated. The trial was conducted on a weekly basis with 12 diets measured each week (1 per chamber), 1 of the 23 diets (reference diet) being measured each week. Each diet was tested at least 8 times. In total, 235 energy balance data values were available for the final calculations. Growth performance, AME (15.3 MJ/kg DM on average) and AME/GE (79.4% on average) values were as expected. The NE/AME value averaged 76.6% and was negatively influenced by CP and NDF and positively by EE in connection with efficiencies of AME provided by CP, EE and starch for NE of 73%, 87% and 81%, respectively. The best prediction equation was: NE = (0.815 × AME) – (0.026 × CP) + (0.020 × EE) – (0.024 × NDF) with NE and AME as MJ/kg DM, and CP, EE and NDF as % of DM. The NE prediction equations from this study agree with other recently reported equations in poultry and are suitable for both ingredients and complete feeds.

The effect of enzymatically-modified canola meal on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and gut health and function of broiler chickens

Enzymatically-modified canola meal (ECM) is a product obtained from the incubation of canola meal (CM) with a blend of specific carbohydrase enzymes. Incubation of CM with multi-carbohydrase enzymes resulted in a significant decrease in non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) content, production of potentially bioactive NSP hydrolysis products, and the spontaneous lactic acid bacteria fermentation. The latter resulted in the production of lactic acid, phytate hydrolysis, and the reduction in the product pH from 5.9 to 4.0. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ECM on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and gut health and function of broiler chickens. Four-day-old as hatched Ross 308 broilers were assigned to 5 dietary treatments, each consisting of 8 cages of 8 birds. Birds were fed the starter (4–14d of age, 100 g/kg CM) and grower (14–21d of age, 200 g/kg of CM) Control diet, and Control diets supplemented with ECM (Low and High) or enzymes (E1 and E2). In the ECM-containing diets, ECM replaced either 50 g/kg (Low ECM diet) or entire CM (High ECM diet) of the Control diets. In the E1 and E2 diets, the enzyme blend was supplemented at 1.25 g/kg and 12.5 g/kg of the starter Control diet and 2.5 g/kg and 25 g/kg of the grower Control diet, respectively. Replacing CM with ECM did not affect growth performance, but significantly increased the apparent total tract NSP digestibility and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy content. The ECM-containing diets decreased sialic acids secretion on day 21 and increased the abundance of Lactobacillus (P < 0.01) in ileum and ceca compared to Control, E1, and E2 during the whole trail. The abundance of Escherichia coli was significantly lower in ceca of birds fed the High ECM grower diets compared to the Control. Total short chain fatty acids in cecal digesta of birds fed High ECM starter diet significantly increased compared with the Control. Replacing CM with ECM improved nutrient digestibility and increased the presence of probiotic organisms which was not observed in the enzyme supplemented diets. Therefore, ECM can improve gut health and could be used as a valuable feed ingredient or additive.

Non-Starch Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes Increase the Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Wheat of Low Apparent Metabolizable Energy

The effect of a commercial glycanase product (Avizyme TX) on the performance of 4-wk-old broiler chickens fed wheats with low and normal apparent metabolizable energy values was studied. Controls were fed a corn-based diet. Supplementation with the enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the apparent metabolizable energy of the low metabolizable energy wheat from 12.02 to 14.94 MJ/kg dry matter. The apparent metabolizable energy value of the normal wheat was increased from 14.52 to 14.83 MJ/kg dry matter; this was, however, not significant. Birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet had significantly (P < 0.01) higher digesta viscosity and lower small intestinal starch and protein digestibilities than birds fed the normal wheat diet. Chickens fed the low metabolizable energy wheat tended to grow less than those fed the normal wheat diet. When the low metabolizable energy wheat + enzyme diet was fed, digesta viscosity was significantly (P < 0.01) lower (20.28 vs. 10.36 mPa·s), and small intestinal digestibility coefficient of starch was significantly (P < 0.01) greater (0.584 vs. 0.861) relative to values in birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet alone. Although the protein digestibility coefficient also increased from 0.689 to 0.745, the difference was not significant. Weight gain and feed efficiency of birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat + enzyme equaled those of controls. The enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the solubilization of non-starch polysaccharides within the gastrointestinal tract of birds fed both types of wheat diets. This experiment demonstrated that non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes markedly increase the nutritive value of low metabolizable energy wheat broiler chicken diets, suggesting that increased level of viscous non-starch polysaccharides may cause the low apparent metabolizable energy contents of some wheats.

The Energy Value for Broiler Chickens of Heat-Treated and Untreated Amaranth Grain, with and without Enzyme Addition

Amaranth is a pseudocereal which can thrive in conditions of drought and limited inputs. Samples of amaranth grain were subjected to proximate analysis with standard laboratory methods. We conducted two experiments to determine apparent (corrected to zero nitrogen balance) metabolisable energy (AMEn) content of untreated (UAG) and heat-treated (HTAG) amaranth grain for Ross-308 male broiler chicks (35–42 d and BW 2141 ± 10.41 g). In each experiment, 10 assay diets (ADs) were fed to 400 birds in individual metabolism cages in a 2 × 5 factorial design. ADs were obtained by substituting amaranth for the main ingredients in the reference diet (RD). Two levels of enzyme addition (0 and 0.55 g/kg) and five amaranth replacement rates (0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 g/kg) were used, and metabolism trials were conducted using the total excreta collection method. Two regression equations were estimated for UAG, with and without enzyme addition, that determined the AMEn content of UAG as 3264 and 3255 kcal/kg, respectively. For HTAG, the AMEn contents with and without enzyme addition were 3973 and 3828 kcal/kg, respectively. Thus, enzyme addition improved the energy value of UAG and HTAG by 0.28 and 3.8%, respectively. The AMEn value of HTAG was 708 and 573 kcal/kg higher than UAG in diets with and without enzyme addition, respectively. Thus, we conclude that there was more benefit from heat treatment than enzyme addition, but there was a synergistic effect of heat treatment and enzyme inclusion on the metabolisable energy concentration of amaranth in the diets of broilers.

Apparent metabolizable energy, growth performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail fed select modern grain sorghum varieties.

This study was performed to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) content of tannin-free red/bronze, white/tan and U.S. No. 2 varieties of grain sorghum for feeding Japanese quail and validate their nutrient profile by evaluating effects on performance and carcass traits with full-substitution of corn. Experiment 1 determined the AMEn content of red/bronze, white/tan, and U.S. No. 2 grain sorghum varieties fed to mixed-sex Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) (n = 314) at 3 and 6-weeks of age. Analyses were based on a 2×4 factorial treatment design with age and grain types defining the treatments, and a randomized complete block experiment design with cage and trials defining the block. AMEn values were validated by evaluating the performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail (n = 644) from 1 to 40 days of age in Experiment 2 with birds were fed 1 of 4 complete diets. Statistical analyses were conducted on performance data and select individual carcass trait measurements. Determined AMEn values at 3-weeks of age were 3,524±122.03 (red/bronze), 3,252±122.03 (white/tan), and 3,039±123.44 (U.S. No. 2) kcal/kg. At 6-weeks of age, determined AMEn were 3,373±297.35 (red/bronze), 3,279±297.35 (white/tan), and 2,966±298.64 (U.S. No. 2) kcal/kg. Carcass traits showed live body weight (p = 0.0409) and hot carcass weight (p = 0.0234) were greatest in U.S. No. 2; however, carcass yield (p<0.0001) was lowest. No significant differences were observed among treatments for feed intake, feed conversion ratio, breast weight and breast yield (p>0.05). These studies demonstrated that tannin-free grain sorghum varieties may be a potential alternative to corn in quail diets while maintaining growth performance and carcass parameters.

Feeding guanidinoacetic acid to broiler chickens can compensate for low dietary metabolisable energy formulation

ABSTRACT 1. This study compared the responses of broilers to diets supplemented with the same level of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) but formulated to have different N-corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) contents. The study involved 1280, one-day-old Ross 308 broilers, in 64 pens comprising 32 pens of males and 32 pens females, (20 birds in each) aged from 0 to 42 d. 2. Commercial AME levels of 12.55 MJ/kg, 12.97 MJ/kg and 13.18 MJ/kg in the starter, grower and finisher diets, respectively, were set for the positive control (PC) feed. Four dietary treatments were prepared: PC (as above); negative control 1 (NC; PC – 0.21 MJ ME /kg); NC1 + 0.06% GAA; NC2 (PC – 0.42 MJ ME/kg + 0.06% GAA). Each diet was provided in 16 pens (eight male and eight female), following randomisation. 3. Overall, birds fed NC1 had lower feed intakes (FI) compared to birds fed the PC and NC2+ GAA, lower weight gain (WG) compared to all the other diets and lower final body weight than birds fed the GAA diets (P < 0.05). There was a diet x sex interaction (P = 0.039), whereby feeding NC+GAA to female birds improved feed efficiency compared to being fed NC2 and NC1+ GAA, but not in males. Birds fed diets with GAA had a higher poultry efficiency factor (P < 0.001) than those fed NC1. 4. There were no effects of treatment or sex on litter moisture, footpad score, white striping, wooden breast, AMEn, dry matter and fat retention (P > 0.05). However, the diet NC1+ GAA had 11.2% higher nitrogen retention coefficient compared to the NC1 diet (P = 0.038). 5. Overall, the results implied that lower performance induced by a reduction of dietary AMEn in the range of 0.21 to 0.42 MJ/kg was more than compensated by supplementing 600 g/t GAA to the feed.

Colombian vs. American corn: Quality, chemical composition, mycotoxin content and metabolizable energy

Background: Corn is, quantitatively, one of the most important world crops (ranking second only after wheat) and a key ingredient in animal feeds. Objective: to assess and compare corn quality, mycotoxin content, chemical composition and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of domestic and imported corn. Methods: Grain quality (USDA grading system) was determined in 30 samples of domestic and 21 samples of imported corn. From each origin, 15 samples were subjected to proximal analysis and 10 were used to determine fatty acid composition. Mycotoxin analysis was conducted on 30 samples of domestic and 23 of imported corn. Results: six of the 30 domestic samples corresponded to US1 grade (highest quality) vs. none of the imported. In the “sample grade” category (lowest quality), 10 and 6 samples corresponded to imported and domestic corn, respectively. Soybeans were found as contaminant in 15 of the 21 imported corn samples. Aspergillus spp. mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A were not detected, and aflatoxins were found in only a few samples at very low levels. Fusariotoxins such as deoxynivalenol and zearalenone were found in 61 and 43% of imported samples, respectively, but in none of the domestic samples. Domestic corn had lower carbohydrate content compared with imported corn (85.4 vs. 86.7%), but higher crude fat (3.8 vs. 3.1%). The AME values for domestic and imported corn were 3,697 and 3,378 kcal/kg, respectively. The fatty acid profiles from both corn types were similar. Conclusion: This study found significant differences between locally-grown and imported corn, particularly in terms of crude fat, AME content, fusariotoxins, and contaminant seeds (soybeans). These findings suggest that locally-grown corn might have nutritional and toxicological advantages over corn imported from the United States.

Nutrient Metabolisability of Treated False Yam (Icacina Oliviformis) Seed meal for Broiler Chickens

A study was conducted to evaluate apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nutrient metabolisability (NM) of maize-based diets containing treated false yam seed meal (TFYSM) using a 5x6 factorial [5 treatment samples (Un_T, Urea_T, NaCl_T, NaOH_T and KOH_T) at 6 levels (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50) each] design for 15 days. Matured false yam (Icacina oliviformis) fruits were harvested and seeds extracted. Five different FYSM samples were prepared. One untreated sample (Un_T) was prepared by crushing fresh false yam seed and sun-drying to 12% moisture. Four treated samples (T) were crushed and each soaked in water (1:2; w/v) for 12 days with water replaced every 3 days. Afterwards, each sample was re-soaked in 1 M concentration of urea (Urea_T), sodium chloride (NaCl_T), sodium hydroxide (NaOH_T) or potassium hydroxide (KOH_T), for 24 h, washed, blanched and sun-dried to a moisture content of 12%. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of the experimental diets indicated an increasing trend of AME values as the level of FYSM samples were increased in the diets. Generally, all the treatment diets showed a higher AME content. However, among the treatment diets, urea, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide-treated FYSM-based diets out-performed their sodium chloride treated counterpart (P&lt;0.001) in their AME values. The nutrient metabolisability coefficients of varying inclusion levels of each treated FYSM sample did not influence (P&gt;0.05) the coefficients of metabolisability of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). However, in terms of methods of processing, DM metabolisability was significantly higher (P&lt;0.001) in the FYSM samples that were sequentially treated with water-based and chemical treatment methods than in the untreated sample. Among the sequentially treated FYSM samples, sodium hydroxide-treated samples had the highest (P&lt;0.001) gross energy metabolisability, while the untreated sample recorded the lowest (P&lt;0.001) gross energy metabolisability. The interaction between level of inclusion and treatment methods in this study showed that treatment methods had different effects on crude protein metabolisability (P &lt; 0.011) and gross energy metabolisability (P &lt; 0.017) values of FYSM samples depending on the level of inclusion.

Apparent metabolisable energy content of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed and Galactomannan depleted fenugreek residue in roosters

A study was carried out to estimate the apparent metabolisable energy contents of fenugreek seed and galactomannan depleted fenugreek residue (GDFR) using roosters. The apparent metabolisable energy content in the fenugreek seed and galactomannan depleted fenugreek residue was 3125 and 3315 kcal/kg. Based on the present results, it is concluded that fenugreek seed and GDFR is a potential energy supplement for poultry.

Using soybean acid oil or its calcium salt as the energy source for broiler chickens: Effects on growth performance, carcass traits, intestinal morphology, nutrient digestibility, and immune responses

This study consisted of three experiments performed on Ross 308 broilers. The first experiment (Exp. 1) was a bioassay in which the nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) of soybean acid oil (SAO) and its calcium salt (CSSAO) was measured to be 37.30 and 30.36 MJ/kg, respectively. The latter two experiments evaluated SAO and CSSAO as the energy source for growing chickens. The treatments for Exp. 2 were a control diet with no added fat and six diets that were included with either SAO (1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 % [SAO1, SAO2, and SAO3, respectively]) or CSSAO (1.2, 2.4, or 3.6 % [CSSAO1, CSSAO2, and CSSAO3, respectively]) to provide similar AMEn. The AMEn contents were 11.90, 12.20, and 12.50 MJ/kg of diet in the starter (8–14 d of age), grower (15–28 d of age), and finisher (29–42 d of age) periods, respectively. The treatments for Exp. 3 were a control (as in Exp. 2) and 4 diets that were enriched with SAO (2.0 or 4.0 % [HSAO1 and HSAO2, respectively]) or CSSAO (2.4 or 4.8 % [HCSSAO1 and HCSSAO2, respectively]) and formulated to be higher in AMEn than the control. The AMEn contents of the HSAO1 and HCSSAO1 diets were 12.25, 12.55, and 12.85 MJ/kg, while the HSAO2 and HCSSAO2 provided 12.60, 12.90, and 13.20 MJ/kg AMEn in the starter, grower, and finisher periods, respectively. In Exp. 2, a tendency to improve of overall body weight gain was recorded with the increase of SAO and CSSAO concentrations in the diet (P = 0.076). In Exp. 3, however, a rise of dietary AMEn with either fat source increased body weight gain and feed efficiency than the control during the entire period (P < 0.05). Diet inclusion with SAO or CSSAO increased the villus height and villus/crypt ratio across the small intestine and decreased the ileal crypt depth, while improved dry matter and crude protein digestibility (P < 0.05), with these differences were more marked in Exp. 3. Conversely, the ether extract digestibility tended to decrease with HSAO2 and HCSSAO2 diets (P = 0.104). Dietary treatments did not affect antibody titers against Newcastle and avian influenza diseases (Exp. 2 and Exp. 3). To conclude, both SAO and CSSAO could be added as energy source to the diet while having beneficial effects on the performance and health of broiler chickens.

Influence of spleen meal and hydrolyzed yeast on growth performance, blood cells, antibody titres and IL-2 gene expression in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to evaluate spleen meal (SPM) nutritional value and compare its effects and hydrolyzed yeast (HY) in broiler chickens. In experiment 1, nutrient composition and metabolizable energy content of SPM were determined using male broilers. In experiment 2, 600 broiler chicks were assigned to 5 groups. Dietary treatments were control group, HY1: hydrolyzed yeast (1 g/kg), HY2: hydrolyzed yeast (2 g/kg), SPM1: (30 g/kg diet) and SPM2: (60 g/kg diet). Interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene expression and antibody titre against Newcastle and infectious bursal diseases were evaluated on day 21. apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and AMEn content of SPM were 3496 and 3296 kcal/kg, respectively. Supplementation with SPM improved (P < 0.001) body weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to control and HY1 groups. Antibody titre against IBV was improved in SPM1, SPM2 and HY2 groups compared to HY1 and control groups. WBC was increased and heterophile was reduced in groups fed with SPM compared to control and HY groups. The highest gene expression for IL-2 was observed in broilers which received SPM1 and SPM2 compared to control and HY groups. It was concluded that dietary supplementation of HY and SPM has potential to improve broiler performance and immune response.

Influence of feed form on the apparent metabolisable energy of feed ingredients for broiler chickens

The influence of feed form (FF) on the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) of seven feed ingredients for broiler chickens was examined in two experiments. The first experiment was conducted to investigate the interaction between four cereal grains (maize, sorghum, wheat and barley) and two FF (mash vs. pellet) on the nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) contents using the direct method. The test diets contained 962 g/kg of each grain. Each diet was randomly allocated to six replicate cages (six birds per cage) and fed for 7 d from 21 to 28 d post-hatch. The feed intake and total excreta output for each replicate cage were measured over the last 4 d of the assay. No interaction (P>0.05) between grain type and FF was found for the AMEn. Maize and sorghum showed the highest AMEn, barley the lowest and wheat being intermediate. Regardless of the grain type, pelleting increased (P < 0.05) the AMEn of the grains by 0.22 MJ/kg, compared with mash diets. The second experiment was conducted to examine the effect of FF on the AMEn of three protein sources (meat and bone meal [MBM], soybean meal [SBM], and canola meal [CM]) using the difference method. A maize-soybean meal basal diet was formulated, and the test diets were developed by replacing (w/w) 30 % of the basal diet with MBM, SBM or CM. Each diet was randomly allocated to six replicate cages (six birds per cage) and fed for 7 d (d 21–28) and, feed intake and total excreta output were measured over the last 4 d. There was a significant (P < 0.05) interaction between the protein source and FF. Pelleting reduced the AMEn of MBM, had no effect on that of SBM, but increased the AMEn of CM. Overall, pelleting process increased the AMEn of all cereal grains and influenced those of protein sources with the effect varied depending on the ingredient. The current findings suggest that the application of AMEn values determined based on assays using mash diets might result in over- or under-estimation of available energy content of ingredients in commercial pelleted broiler diets and highlights the need for the use of pelleted diets in energy evaluation assays.

Nutrient Content of Different Wheat and Maize Varieties and Their Impact on Metabolizable Energy Content and Nitrogen Utilization by Broilers.

Simple SummaryThe current standard for the determination of the energy value of feed is to use regression equations; however, these equations are imprecise and may affect the correct estimation of energy for several reasons. First of all, these equations include the values of some raw components, such as crude protein, ether extracts, and N-free extracts, but not different forms of fiber, which in high concentration reduces the energy value of poultry feed. In addition, in the tables, there are average values for different feeds, which do not take into account differences between varieties of the same species, which, at least in case of grains may be much larger than differences between two different species. Another important aspect is that the concentration of various components, including antinutritional factors, affects their mutual use and thus the energy value of feed. This work was aimed at improving the precision of estimating the energy value of poultry feed by incorporating detergent and dietary fiber as well as additional nutrients such as starch and total sugars separately. In addition, the authors suggest considering the values characteristic of selected grain in the energy calculations rather than the mean values for the species, because it may improve the precision of the result.The study aimed to determine the effect of nutrients of wheat (nine cultivars) and maize (nine cultivars) grain on nitrogen balance and apparent metabolizable energy (AMEN) content for broiler chickens. In vivo digestibility and balance trials were carried out with 90 Ross 308 chickens (2 × 9 groups with 5 birds per group) aged from 42 to 49 days, separately for each cultivar. Considerable variation within each cereal species in fiber and non-fiber carbohydrate fractions and nutrient digestibility of grain were demonstrated. Additionally, regression equations were proposed which allow the estimation of AMEN content of wheat and maize grain varieties based on simple analytical procedures, including cell wall components, starch, and sugars. For practical purposes, these equations seem to be the best solution while reducing time, labor, and cost of analytical procedures.

Evaluation of energy and amino acids of brown rice and its effects on laying performance and egg quality of layers.

Two experiments were conducted to determine apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn), and ileal digestible amino acid (AA) content of brown rice (BR) and to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of BR on laying performance and egg quality of laying hens. In Exp. 1, 72 Hy-line Brown layers (49-week-old) were allocated to two treatments using a completely randomized block design, and each treatment included six cages per treatment and six hens per cage. A semi-purified diet was formulated to include BR as the sole source of AA and energy and an N-free diet was used to determine basal endogenous loss of AA. The hens were fed a commercial layer diet for adaptation to the experimental environment and diet for 7 days from d 0, and then fed experimental diets for 5 days from d 7. Excreta were collected from d 10 to 11 and ileal digesta were collected on d 12. On a dry matter (DM) basis, the AME and AMEn of BR was determined at 3,773 and 3,729 kcal/kg, respectively. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of BR ranged from 32.7% for Thr to 73.7% for Arg. The range of the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) value was between 79.4% for Met and 96.6% for Lys. In Exp. 2, 252 Hy-line Brown layers (44-week-old) were divided into four groups, comprising seven replicates of nine birds each and assigned to four experimental diets containing 0 (Control), 5%, 10%, or 15% BR for 5 weeks. The BR-containing diets were formulated to be equal in the content of AMEn and digestible AA to those of the diet without BR. No significant differences were observed in laying performances. Egg quality and blood profiles were not linearly or quadratically affected by dietary treatments. These results suggest that up to 15% BR can be included into layer feed without any adverse effects on laying performance and egg quality, if its energy and digestible AA values are well evaluated.

Potential of CIELAB colour scores to gauge the quality of sorghum as a feed grain for chicken-meat production

Context Cereal grains used by the poultry industry in Australia vary widely in available energy and protein content, which is often reflected as variation in bird performance. Rapid or real-time techniques for measuring the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) content of cereal grains for birds include near infrared spectroscopy, rapid visco-analysis starch pasting profiles and colour analysis. Aims This study involved retrospective colour analysis of Australian sorghum samples reported in recent publications, and sorghum samples used in commercial production of chicken meat in Australia. The main objective was to develop regression models as tools to predict AME values for sorghum from colour analysis of the grain for timely assistance to nutritionists formulating commercial diets and purchasing sorghum grain. Methods Stepwise regression analysis was used to correlate AME values for 18 samples of red, yellow and white sorghum with their CIELAB colour variables L*, a* and b*, which indicate lightness (from black to white), green-red component and blue-yellow component, respectively. The model was then used to predict AME values for sorghum in previously reported studies. Key results The multivariate model AMEsorghum (MJ/kg DM) = 31.139 – 0.189 L* – 0.604 a* + 0.189 b* (P = 0.0021, R2 = 0.638) was shown to predict AME of red sorghum samples to within an average difference of 0.67 MJ/kg DM in one published study. The sorghum sample showing the largest difference contained kafirin 61.5 g/kg. Data from another published study indicated larger differences (0.93 MJ/kg DM) between predicted and measured values for sorghum. The largest difference of 1.41 MJ/kg DM was observed for a sample of white sorghum containing the lowest concentrations of kafirin (41.4 g/kg), phytate (4.93 g/kg) and total phenolics (3.00 mg GAE/g). Conclusions CIELAB colour analysis has potential as a rapid, inexpensive indicator of AME values for sorghum as a feed grain for chicken-meat production, but high concentrations of antinutritive components, such as kafirin, detract from this potential. Implications A rapid, inexpensive indicator of kafirin, such as near infrared, is required to complement CIELAB colour analysis.

Standardized ileal digestible amino acid and metabolizable energy content of wheat from different origins and the effect of exogenous xylanase on their determination in broilers

This study was conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestible amino acids (SID AA) and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) contents of 6 wheats from different origins in China and incidentally to investigate the effects of exogenous xylanase addition on SID AA and AMEn determination in broiler chicks. A total of 480 chicks were divided into 48 cages of 10 birds each balanced for body weight and fed 8 types of diets in a completely randomized design (6 replicated cages per diet) from 21 to 26 d of age. The individual wheat constituted the only source of crude protein in a semi-purified experimental diet. A nitrogen-free diet was designed to estimate basal endogenous AA loss and determine the SID AA. Titanium oxide (0.3%) was used as an indigestibility marker, and nutrient digestibility and retention were determined by the substitution method. From day 24 to 26, excreta samples were collected for AMEn determination. On day 26, the birds were euthanized, and ileum contents were obtained for AA digestibility determination. Wheat from Gansu had greater (P < 0.05) SID AA contents except Lys, Thr, Phe, and Cys, with a higher (P < 0.001) AMEn (11.83 MJ/kg) than the other wheats. The SID content of mean indispensable amino acids and dispensable amino acids were 87.35% and 88.17%, respectively, and the average AMEn value of 6 wheats was 11.14 MJ/kg. Compared with the diet without xylanase, the added xylanase resulted in higher (P < 0.05) SID contents of Met, Lys, Trp, Arg, Ile, Leu, Val, Gly, Asp, Glu, Pro, and Ala; the SID AA values were raised by 1.96% (mean of all AA); and the AMEn content was significantly increased (+0.87 MJ/kg) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, origins of wheats have significant effects on SID AA and AMEn values which were positively correlated with crude protein content of wheat; exogenous xylanase addition to a wheat-based poultry diet could significantly improve SID AA and AMEn contents for broilers.

Effect of Conditioning Temperature on Pellet Quality, Diet Digestibility, and Broiler Performance

SUMMARY Pelleting is the most common heat processing method used in the poultry feed industry and the quality of feed processing directly impacts the efficiency of the utilization of feedstuffs by broilers, and consequently, their performance. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of conditioning temperature on pellet physical quality, and on the apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of dry matter (CIADDM), crude protein (CIADCP) and starch (CIADstarch), coefficient of apparent metabolizability of dry matter (CAMDM), and the apparent metabolizable energy content (AME) of the diets. The live performance of broilers (feed intake, FI; weight gain, WG; and feed conversion ratio, FCR) was evaluated. Treatments consisted of a mash diet and pelleted/crumbled corn-soybean meal based diets submitted to different conditioning temperatures (no conditioning or conditioned at 60, 70, 80, and 90°C). Feed was steam-conditioned for 15 s at a 1.5 kgf/cm2 for all pelleted treatments. Pellet quality was determined as a function of Pellet Durability Index (PDI), percentage of fines, and pellet hardness. Conditioning temperature linearly increased (P