Effect of net energy formulation on broiler performance and carcass composition

Abstract

Energy has become the major cost of broiler production yet heat increment is not taken into account when formulating poultry feed. Heat increment can be measured by indirect calorimetry and is related to the relative composition of protein, fat and other constituents in the diet (Swick et al., 2013; Carre et al., 2014). This relationship can be used to predict the heat increment and net energy of individual ingredients and then can be used to formulate feed. The current experiment used 576 Ross 308 male broilers fed a common diet to 10 days.