Nutritional composition, nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy, and standardized amino acid digestibility of palm kernel meal from several countries

Extensive nutritional analyses were conducted for palm kernel meal (PKM) sourced from 5 countries. Two precision-fed rooster trials were conducted to evaluate the nitrogen-corrected true metabolizable energy (TMEn) and standardized amino acid (AA) digestibility of 10 PKM samples (PKM 1 to 10). The TMEn was determined using conventional Single Comb White Leghorn roosters, and standardized AA digestibility was determined using cecectomized roosters. Roosters were fasted for 26 h prior to crop intubation with 25 g of each PKM. Excreta were then collected for 48 h post-intubation and freeze dried for analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using a one-way ANOVA for a completely randomized design. The least significant difference test was conducted to determine if differences between or among individual treatments were significant at P < 0.05. The PKM samples were found to have an average (DM basis) of 14% CP, 7.5 % fat, and 64% neutral detergent fiber, 0.4% Ca, 0.7% P, and 1.3% phytic acid. Average TMEn for PKM samples was 2082 kcal/kg (DM basis)(range was 1,644 to 2,511). Average Lys, Met, Cys, and Thr digestibility values (%), with ranges in parentheses, for PKM samples were 47 (34 to 60), 73 (66 to 80), 47 (29 to 58), and 65 (54 to 77), respectively. The PKM samples contained highly variable levels of TMEn and digestible AA within and among countries. Nutrient composition also varied substantially among PKM samples.