Effect of feeding technique, ad libitum, dry or wet force feeding, on the metabolisable energy values of raw materials for poultry

Abstract

1. Metabolisable energy values (AME, AME _n , TME and TME _n ) of three raw materials (maize, sunflower meal and soyabean meal) were determined in adult cockerels using two classical feeding techniques (ad libitum and force‐feeding of dry food) and a new one in which birds were force‐fed wet diets.

2. In the wet force‐feeding assay nitrogen balances and food intakes were similar to those achieved with ad libitum feeding. The duration of the assay using wet force‐feeding was only 2 d as compared to the 3 or 7 d experimental periods for the dry or the ad libitum assays respectively.

3. TME _n values were not dependent on the feeding technique used; AME and AME _n data obtained in the ad libitum and wet force‐feeding assays were close to TME _n values. As expected, these values were underestimated in the dry force‐feeding assay.