Age dependent energy and digestible amino acids of common Australian feedstuffs

Phase feeding is a chicken feeding system in which energy content of the diet is increased and dietary amino acids (AA) levels are reduced steadily over time in an attempt to reduce costs associated with excess dietary protein. A lack of information on nitrogen corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) and digestible AA content of different feed ingredients for broilers of different age groups restricts the uptake of phase feeding. This investment will determine age dependent AMEn and standardised ileal digestible (SID) AA values for common raw materials used in the Australian meat chicken industry and will provide clear guidelines to nutritionists to use in formulating appropriate phase feeding diets.