Additivity of true metabolizable energy values as measured with roosters, broiler chicks and poults.

ABSTRACT

True metabolizable energy (TME) values were determined for five feed ingredients (yellow corn, dehulled soybean meal, corn gluten meal, menhaden fish meal, and poultry byproduct meal), and three combinations of these ingredients, using Single Comb White Leghorn roosters, 6-week-old broiler males (Cobb), and 6-week-old male turkey poults (Large White). There was generally good agreement in th TME values between roosters, broilers, and poults although the values for broilers tended to be slightly lower than for roosters or poults. Values for the ingredient combinations as assayed with the three classes of birds showed differences of 3% or less between "predicted" and "determined" in seven of nine comparisons, indicating a satisfactory degree of additivity of TME values for these ingredients.