ASSESSING THE TRUE METABOLIZABLE ENERGY VALUE AND DIGESTIBILITY OF MOLASSES IN BROILER DIETS

Abstract

Ten make broiler chickens paired on equal weight basis: were starved f6r 24 hrs to avoid completely previous feed residues. Five af the birds were force-fed 30g dry matter (DM) of molasses as slurry and was also sampled for proximate analysis. The other fjve birds
(control) were starved for the estimation of the metabolic faecal and endogenous urinary losses. Excreta were quantitatively collected at 24,48 and 60 hr post-prandium and part of each sample was taken for proximate analysis for calculation of their percent digestibility
of nupients while the other part was bornbed along with the molasses for gross energy determination. Results showed that 48 hr represented the period when faecal residues were totally voided since there was no difference between 48 and 60 hr coPlection periods. The hue tnetabolisable energy (TME) values were greater (P < 0.51) than the apparent metabolisable energy ( M E ) values at each collection period. The apparent dry matter digestibility (ADMD) of molasses ranged from 58.53 to 76.99% The hue dry matter digestibility (TDMD) ranged from 80.65 to 86.39O/o. The TDMD was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than ADMD at the collection periods.