The digestibility of the carbohydrate complex by birds of different ages

Abstract

1. The digestibility of the carbohydrates in compounded poultry diets has been estimated, using both conventional and individual methods for certain components.2. In the conventional analysis, crude fibre was apparently digested to the extent of 5%; this has been shown to be due to the comparison of different complexes in the food and the droppings.3. Sugar and starch were digested by birds of all ages, and cellulose and lignin were indigestible. The digestibility of pentosan increased with increased age of the bird.4. By deleting crude fibre and adopting available carbohydrate for the partition of the carbohydrate complex in foods, the nutritive ratio of a compound diet can be estimated from analytical data, and the amount of extra protein necessary when a diet is supplemented by fat can be calculated.