Relationship between dry matter digestion and metabolizable energy

The relationship between dry matter digestion (DMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) adjusted for nitrogen balance (n) and endogenous energy losses (e) was investigated in two experiments using immature broiler chicks (i). Ingredients tested were corn, wheat, oats, and soybean meal (SBM). A bioassay utilizing 21-day-old broiler chicks was carried out for determination of MEn,e,i. These values were compared with those obtained by multiplying gross energy of the feed by dry matter digestion adjusted for excreta losses from fasted birds (DMD) using regression analysis. There was a significant (P less than .0001) correlation (4 = .96) between estimated and determined MEn,e,i values for all grains and SBM. This was improved by removal of SBM from regression analysis with a decrease in the residual standard deviation from +/- .093 to +/- .036 kcal/g.