The effects of dietary cellulose and sand on the combined metabolic plus endogenous energy and amino acid outputs of adult cockerels.

Two experiments were made with adult, Leghorn cockerels to measure the effects of inert materials on metabolic plus endogenous (M+E) excretions. In the first experiment birds starved for 24 hr were force-fed 25 g of either a laying hen diet (OHR) or corn supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 g of cellulose. Excreta voided were collected quantitatively during the two 24 hr periods postfeeding. A group of 4 birds was maintained unfed. Diets and excreta were assayed for amino acids (AA) and gross energy (GE). Supplemental cellulose had no effects on AA excretion nor on the availabilities of the AA within the OHR and corn. All AA, in the form of feed residues, were excreted within 24 hr of feeding. During the period 24 to 48 hr postfeeding the OHR fed birds excreted more AA than did the corn fed birds, probably because they were less depleted in protein. The AA excretions of the unfed birds decreased with the duration of starvation. The true available AA values for the diets were calculated using a series of three corrections for M+E AA outputs. The true metabolizable energy (TME) values of the OHR and corn were unchanged by the cellulose which indicates that the cellulose contained no available energy and had no effect on the availability of the energy within the OHR and corn. It also demonstrated that the cellulose did not change the M+E energy excretion. The second experiment was a 4 X 4 factorial with four diets: nil, corn, wheat, oats (25 g/bird), and four levels of sand: 0, 1, 2, 3 g/bird. The birds were starved for 24 hr prior to feeding and excreta were collected quantitatively during the two 24 hr periods postfeeding. Feeding sand to the birds had no effect on their GE outputs but it was noted that little sand was voided within 48 hr postfeeding. The TME values were determined for the grains. A number of significant differences were observed but there was no evidence that the sand altered the TME values. It was therefore concluded that the sand had no effect on the M+E energy excretion of the assay birds. It is concluded that supplemental cellulose had no effect on the AA excretion of adult Leghorn cockerels. Neither cellulose nor sand, in the levels fed, altered M+E energy excretion. Neither diluent appeared to alter the utilization of the materials with which they were fed.