Chemical composition, metabolizable energy and energy prediction equations of wheat grain and wheat by-products for broiler chicks

The apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AME(n)) values were determined and energy prediction equations obtained using the chemical composition of 11 feedstuffs. The feedstuffs; evaluated were: brown flour meal, wheat flour, wheat grain, wheat grain residue. wheat germ, cookies residue, macaroni residue and, four wheat brans. Total excreta collection method was used, with 480 broiler chicks, 16 to 24 days old. A randomized complete design was utilized, with 11 feedstuffs and a basal reference diet, using four replications and ten birds per experimental unit (five males and five females). Each feedstuff replaced the reference diet at the amount of 40%. The feedstuffs AME and AME(n) values expressed in kcal/kg of dry matter (DM), varied from 1807 to 1758 for wheat bran 3 and from 4480 to 4339 for cookies residue, respectively. The prediction equations that best estimated (R-2 = 98%.) AME and AME(n) values were those in which crude protein (CP) and/or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents, were used AME (kcal/ka DM) = 4910,03 - 47,82*CP - 47,77*NDF; and AME(n) (kcal/kg DM)= 4754.02 - 48.38*CP - 45.32*NDF.