1. Thomas, O.P., A.I. Zuckerman, M. Farran, and C.B. Tamplin, 1986. Updated amino acid requirements of broilers. Proceedings of the Maryland Nutr. Conf., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD. pp. 79–85.
2. Nutrient requirements of domestic animals. 1. Nutrient requirements of poultry;National Research Council,1984
3. Metabolizable energy values assigned to ingredients were as follows: 3300, 2424, 2645, and 8330 ME kcal/kg for corn, soybean meal, fish meal analogue, and blended fat, respectively.
4. Each pen was equipped with two hanging tube-type feeders and an automatic waterer. Supplemental chick waterers and feeder flats were provided in each pen during the first week of each trial. Incandescent lights were used to provide the birds with 24 hours of light per day. Temperature was controlled by automatic sidewall curtains, thermostatically controlled gas brooders, and ventilation fans. Broilers had free access to feed and water at all times. Chicks were brooded starting at 90°F with a weekly reduction of 5°F until reaching a minimum of 70°F.
5. Birds chosen for processing weighed within one half standard deviation of the treatment mean and had no visual signs of abnormalities. Feed, but not water, was removed for 8 hours before the birds were placed in coops for transport 2 miles to the processing laboratory. All birds were processed within 1 hour after arriving at the processing laboratory. Feed removal and processing times were staggered to maintain approximately equal time intervals among replicates for feed removal, cooping and processing. Birds were stunned, killed with an electric knife, allowed to bleed for 120 seconds, scalded in a dunking scalder at 132°F for 2 minutes, and picked in a rotary drum picker. Broilers were manually eviscerated, and the abdominal fat pad removed. The abdominal fat pad is defined as that fat surrounding the gizzard extending within the ischium and surrounding the bursa of Fabricius, cloaca, and adjacent abdominal muscles. The dressed carcass and the abdominal fat pad were weighed prior to chilling. Dressing percentage was calculated as prechill carcass weight (including abdominal fat but not neck or giblets) divided by live weight. Abdominal fat pad weights were determined, and their percentage of prechill carcass weight was calculated.