The response of growing broiler chickens to dietary contents of protein, energy And Added Fat

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Abstract
The results of 47 experiments with broilers over the period 1974 to 1983 were selected for regression analysis. Included were those dealing with the relationship of growth and food utilisation to content of dietary protein (DP), metabolisable energy (DME) and added fat (DAF) in conventional feedingstuffs. Significant correlations were found between DP and DME (0.50; P less than 0.01), DP and DAF (0.61; P less than 0.01), and DME and DAF (0.65; P less than 0.01) contents. Using multiple regression models, growth and food utilisation efficiency (FUE) were found to be dependent on the linear and quadratic effects of DME (r2 values = 0.67 and 0.64 respectively). Growth and FUE were also dependent on the linear and quadratic effects of DP (r2 values = 0.70 and 0.49 respectively). By including the effects of DME, DP and DAF in the gain and FUE models it was shown that growth and FUE were dependent on DME, DP and DAF (r2 values = 0.76 and 0.79 respectively). It was concluded that hypotheses concerning the broiler's response to DME and DAF were both correct but incomplete. DME, DP and DAF contents must all be known to predict accurately growth and FUE.