INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS VERSUS EXCRETE POOLIN G IN DETERMINATION OF CRUDEENERGY IN METABOLIZABLE ENERGY BIOASSAYS

The values of apparent and true metabolizable energy (AME and TME) of twenty feeds were determined using the traditional method of collectin g total excreta and the forced feeding method, respectively. The crude energy of excreta was determined in individual samples and later in a pool of the replications of the same treatment. The AME and TME value s of feeds determined by individual analysis of excreta for crude ener gy did not differ (P > .05) from the values obtained with the pooled r eplications sample. The average difference between both values were of 2.04 and 2.67% for AME and TME, respectively.