Effect of Protein Levels on Nutritive Value of Soybean Meals Fed to Growing Chicks

Abstract

Male chickens were given from 1 week to 17 days of age diets based on glucose and maize starch and containing soya bean oilmeal heated to 121 deg for 15 or 20 min, in amounts providing 10, 13, 16, 18 or 20% protein. Birds gained significantly more weight when given the 3 highest amounts of the meal heated for 15 min, and the 2 highest amounts when the meal was heated for 20 min. True digestibility, carcass N and water/N ratio were not significantly affected. Carcass moisture was significantly higher with 20% protein from both meals. Net protein utilization and N retention were significantly higher with the 10 and 13% amounts for both meals.