Abstract

In the present study, two experiment were conducted to evaluate three poultry by-product meal (PBM; A, B and C), that is produced in commercial rendering plants. In first experiment, true amino acids (AA) digestibility and TMEn of the PBM were determined using the precision-fed cecectomized rooster. In second experiment, 1 week old male chicks were fed from 8 to 21 days of age with a corn-SBM diet or diets containing 5 or 10% PBM C formulated to be equal in total or digestible AA to the corn-SBM diet. TMEn and true amino acid digestibility varied among PBM (P < 0.05). Mean true digestibility coefficients (percentages) for AA in PBM A, B, and C were 81.75, 67.80 and 66.31, respectively. Feed efficiency of chick fed diet containing 5 or 10% PBM C on a digestible AA basis or 5% PBM C on a total AA basis was not significantly different (P > 0.05) than that of the chicks fed the corn-SBM diet. The results of this study indicated that PBM has substantial nutritional value for poultry and diets containing 10% PBM in chick diets had no detrimental effects on performance if the diets were formulated to contain adequate levels of digestible AA.

Key words: Energy, protein quality, poultry by-product meal.