Abstract
A study of concurrent bioassay for protein quality and energy level in protein sources was rnade by determining urinary nitrogenous compounds in excreta. The carry over effect of previous feeding was eliminated by 48 h of feeding the experimental diets prior to the determination of for protein digestibility and utilizability, and energy digestibility and metabolizability at 24 h interval during 3 days. Then, protein qualities and energy levels for soybean meal, rapeseed meal and fish meal were calculated by a substitution method. Apparent protein utilization (NB/NI) was affected by the increased fecal nitrogen excretion in soybean meal and by the increased urinary nitrogen excretion in rapeseed meal and fish meal. The apparent metabolizability of energy (ME/GE) was affected by the fecal energy excretion in soybean meal and rapeseed meal and by urinary energy excretion in fishmeal. The results indicated that the concurrent bioassay of protein quality and energy levels in ingredients appears to be applicable to chickens of other age, sex, breeds and environmental conditions.