Comparison of sample source (Excreta or ileal digesta) and age of broiler chick on measurement of apparent metabolisable energy of local feed ingredients

Abstract

The present study was designed to measure the metabolisable energy (ME) values of local feed ingredients, namely corn, rice tips, rice polish, soybean meal, canola meal and sunflower meal for commercial broilers at 18, 26 and 34 days of age using total fecal collection and external marker in ileal and fecal samples. For this purpose, 240 birds of same weight (at 11 days of age) were selected and randomly divided into 24 test groups having 10 chicks each. Six iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous rations namely corn-soybean meal (basal diet), basal diet - rice tips, basal diet - rice polish, basal diet - sunflower meal, basal diet - canola meal and corn - canola meal were prepared and each diet was fed to four test groups. The excreta were collected over a period of 48 hours on day 18, 26 and 34 days. On 34th day of age, two birds from each test group (eight birds per treatment) were randomly selected and slaughtered for collecting ileal digesta samples. Celite was used as external marker at the rate of 1% of the diet. Feed, fecal and ileal samples were analyzed for gross energy and nitrogen contents. Apparent metabolisable energy corrected to a state of nitrogen equilibrium (AMEn) of the feed was measured by difference of gross energy of feed and fecal or ileal samples. The results showed that AMEn values of corn, rice tips, rice polish, soybean meal, canola meal and sunflower meal were 3.27-3.31, 2.48-2.78, 2.62-3.0, 2.38-2.41, 1.79-1.97 and 2.18-2.44 kcal/g, respectively. The AMEn values of all ingredients did not increase with increase in age and showed no specific trend. The ME values determined using marker or total collection or ileal methods were not different. However, the ME values tended to be lower using marker than total collection method in most of the situations. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.