Metabolizable and net energy evaluation of corn, soybean meal, and wheat bran in growing male pheasants

The apparent metabolizable energy(AME), AME corrected to zero-nitrogen retention(AMEn) and net energy (NE) values of corn, soybean meal and wheat bran were determined in growing male pheasants with reference diet substitution method. Reference diet was formulated according to standard Pheasants requirement, and test diets contained 40 % of corn, 20 % of soybean meal and 30 % of the wheat bran samples of thereference diet. Ninety male pheasants at the age of 12 wk with similar body weights were randomly divided into four groups. The heat production and energy metabolism of birds were measured in open-circuit respiratory chambers with 6 replicates (4 birds per replicate) per diet in a randomized design. Birds were fed experimental diets for 6 D in the chamber as adaptation. During the following 3 D, feed intake, metabolizable energy value, nitrogen balance, energy balance, O₂ consumption, CO₂ production, and energy efficiency were determined. Pheasants were allowed free access to feed under controlled environmental conditions. Feces were collected using respiratory calorimetry. The AME values of corn, soybean meal and wheat bran were 14.62 MJ/kg, 10.62 MJ/kg and 7.57 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The corresponding AMEn values were 14.71 MJ/kg, 10.64 MJ/kg and 7.25 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The NE values were 11.20 MJ/kg, 7.02 MJ/kg, and 6.19 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The NE:AME ratios of corn, soybean meal and wheat bran were 77.61 %, 65.68 % and 85.17 %, respectively. The NE:AMEn ratios of corn, soybean meal and wheat bran were77.22 % and 66.89 % and 84.76 %, respectively. The AME, AMEn and NE values of corn were higher than the other two samples.