Accuracy of Predicting Metabolizable Energy from in Vitro Digestible Energy Determined with a Computer-Controlled Simulated Digestion System in Feed Ingredients for Ducks

Two experiments were conducted to study the accuracy of predicting true metabolizable energy (TME) of ingredients for ducks from in vitro digestible energy (IVDE) determined with a computer-controlled simulated digestion system. Experiment 1 was to establish TME prediction models from the IVDE of 9 energy feed ingredients and 12 protein feed ingredients using regression analysis. Experiment 2 was to validate the accuracy of the predicted ME of 10 ingredients randomly selected from Exp. 1. Ten diets were formulated with 2 to 6 of 10 ingredients. Dietary in vivo TME values were compared with calculated values based on the TME predicted in Exp. 1. In Exp. 1, the correlation coefficients between TME and IVDE were 0.9339 (P < 0.05) in 9 energy feed ingredients and 0.8332 (P < 0.05) in 12 protein feed ingredients. No significant difference was observed on the slope and intercept of TME regression models between 9 energy feed ingredients and 12 protein feed ingredients. Therefore, the regression model of TME on IVDE for 21 feed ingredients was TME = 0.7169 × IVDE +1,224 (R2 = 0.7542, P < 0.01). Determined and predicted TME differed by less than 100 kcal/kg of DM in 11 ingredients, and the difference ranged from 100 to 200 kcal/kg of DM in 5 ingredients. However, the difference between determined and predicted TME varied from 410 to 625 kcal/kg of DM in rice bran, rapeseed meal, corn gluten meal, and citric acid meal. In Exp. 2, the determined and calculated TME were comparable (3,631 vs. 3,639 kcal/kg of DM) and highly correlated (r = 0.9014; P < 0.05) in 10 diets. Determined and calculated TME differed by less than 100 kcal/kg of DM in 7 diets and by 106 to 133 kcal/kg of DM in 3 diets. These results have demonstrated that TME can be accurately predicted from IVDE in most feed ingredients, but it is less accurate for rice bran, rapeseed meal, corn gluten and citric acid meal.