EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE FOODS TO CORN AND SOYBEAN MEAL FOR BROILER CHICKENS
metabolizable energy, digestive transit time, vegetable sources
The aim of the study was to determine the chemical composition, metabolizability coefficients of nutrients and energy, and values of apparent metabolizable energy (AME), corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn), and digestive transit time of plant-based foods in three metabolism experiments using the total excreta collection method in male Ross broiler chickens at 14 days of age. The chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design, with 5 birds per cage. In each metabolism trial, a reference diet (RR) was used, and the ingredients to be evaluated replaced RR by 20%. In Metabolism 1, 50 animals were used to evaluate mango residue meal (MRM). In Metabolism 2, 75 animals were used to evaluate mesquite leaf meal (MLM) and sugarcane bagasse meal (SBM) with a particle size of 2 cm. In Metabolism 3 (100 animals), jackfruit seed meal (JSM), black mimosa leaf meal (BMLM), and SBM with a particle size of 0.5 cm were evaluated. The results obtained between birds consuming SBM with particle sizes of 2 cm and 0.5 cm were statistically compared. The respective metabolizability coefficients for protein, gross energy, and AME and AMEn were found for MRM (76.82%, 34.80%, 1587 kcal/kg, and 1406 kcal/kg), CLM (42.78%, 54.88%, 2842 kcal/kg, and 2595 kcal/kg), JSM (68.90%, 91.76%, 3612 kcal/kg, and 3018 kcal/kg), BMLM (72.01%, 64.95%, 3951 kcal/kg, and 3791 kcal/kg), SBM 2 cm (24.32%, 42.15%, 1756 kcal/kg, and 1531 kcal/kg), and SBM 0.5 cm (49.15%, 47.23%, 2037 kcal/kg, and 1716 kcal/kg). Among the particle sizes of SBM, the 0.5 cm particle size was significantly better utilized. Diets with CLM (207.6 ± 10.11 minutes), MRM (185.8 ± 1.30 minutes), and BMLM (184.4 ± 10.57 minutes) resulted in longer digestive transit times in the birds' digestive tracts.