ARS | Publication request: Metabolizable Energy of Feed-Grade and Pet Food-Grade Poultry by-Product Meals

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: September 15, 2004
Publication Date: June 15, 2005
Citation: Dozier III, W.A., Dale, N.M. 2005. Metabolizable energy of feed-grade and pet food-grade poultry by-product meals. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 14:349-351.

Interpretive Summary: Poultry by-product meal (PBM) is a primary protein source for poultry. It is also relatively high in fat content (14%), thus having approximately 2,950 kg of metabolizable energy per kg. However, variability of metabolizable energy of PBM results in feed containing sub-optimum energy content leading to poor growth rate and altered well-being. In recent years, the pet food industry, which is willing to pay a premium for PBM of a defined composition, has placed increased demand for higher quality PBM. Evaluating metabolizable energy of feed-grade and pet-food grade PBM would be useful to the poultry industry. Metabolizable energy was more variable (10 fold) of feed-grade than pet food-grade PBM. Thus, quality control programs need to determine the source of PBM to avoid formulating feeds that are deficient in energy content so that the well being of the bird is not compromised.

Technical Abstract: Wide variations in amino acid composition and proximate components between pet feed-grade and feed-grade poultry by-product meals (PBM) have been reported from this laboratory. Four samples of pet food-grade and feed-grade PBM were evaluated for TMEn and proximate composition. The TMEn values for feed-grade PBM ranged from 2,775 to 3,555 kcal/kg, whereas pet food-grade PBM varied from 3,316 to 3,401 kcal/kg.