True metabolisable energy, heat increment and net energy values of two high fibre foodstuffs in cockerels

Abstract

1. The yields of true metabolisable energy (TME) and net energy (NE) from chaya leaf meal and wheatfeed were measured in tube-fed cockerels. 2. TME, 5.76 MJ/kg, from chaya leaf meal was lower than from wheatfeed, 8.39 MJ/kg. The total heat increment attributable to the feeding of chaya leaf meal was 1.7 times greater than that of wheatfeed. 3. The net efficiency of utilisation of ME (k) from chaya leaf meal was 0.64, while that from wheatfeed was 0.86. The role of different chemical composition, especially the high fibre content of the materials, is discussed. 4. The metabolisable energy and net energy values derived from chaya leaf meal represented 0.34 and 0.23 respectively of its gross energy content. The combination of lower TME and lower net efficiency of utilisation led to chaya having a NE value, 3.86 MJ/kg, which was only 0.53 that of wheatfeed.