HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dale, N. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dale, N.

True Metabolizable Energy of Feather Meal

Department of Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; Phone: (706) 542-9149; FAX: (706) 542-8383

Correspondence: Nick Dale

Feather meal has a higher energy content than indicated by U. S. tables of nutrient composition. Fifteen samples of hydrolyzed poultry feathers obtained from commercial channels were evaluated for proximate composition and true metabolizable energy (TMEN) content. The TMEN of feather meal samples ranged from 3092 to 3996 kcal/kg (1406 to 1816kcal/lb). These values were found to closely reflect the fat content of the individual samples, which ranged from 1.8% to 12%. The TMEN of feather meal from turkeys was similar to that of chickens with comparable fat levels.

Metabolizable energy can be estimated from the fat content of well processed feather meals by the following equations (R² = . 81):

TME_N (Kcal/Lb) = 1301 + 35(%Fat)

TME_N(Kcal/Kg) = 2862 + 77(% Fat)

Key Words: Feather meal • proximate composition • gross energy • true metabolizable energy • fat content