The Metabolisable Energy (ME) values found in experiments at the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Science in Yangzhou provides a foundation for preparation and adjustment of feed formulation for reasonable use of uncommon feedstuffs for geese. and fiber digestibility of uncommon feedstuffs for geese, according to S.J. Zhang and colleagues.

In a paper in Poultry Science, they explain that their experiment was conducted to study the digestibility of unusual feedstuffs for geese.

Thirty Taihu ganders were selected and divided into five groups (n=6), and one group was allocated as the control. Ganders in the four treated groups were force-fed with a weight of different uncommon feedstuffs after 24 hours of fasting, and the control group was kept in fasting with no force feeding. All excretion of each gander was collected on a plate for 24 hours after feeding. There was a 12-day recovery period between treatments.

In this study, they measured the ME and analysed neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and hemicellulose of brewers grains, distillers grains, empty-grain rice, ryegrass powder, rice husk, corn stalk, rice straw, wheat straw, wheat husk, mushroom bran and peanut vine.

The TME values were 9.29, 8.67, 8.97, 5.89, 3.85, 3.10, 3.32, 3.02, 5.29, 2.48, and 3.15MJ per kg, respectively.

NDF digestibility ranged from 6.14 to 45.0 per cent, ADF digestibility ranged from 4.52 to 32.6 per cent and the digestibility of hemicellulose ranged from 18.5 to 61.6 per cent.

The best TME quadratic prediction equation was TME = 12.2 – 0.232CF, where CF is crude fibre.

Zhang and colleagues concluded their results suggest that geese were able to use uncommon feedstuffs with high digestibility, and there was a significant negative correlation between energy digestibility and CF content.

Reference

^{Zhang S.J., C.H. Zhu, J. Guo, Q.P. Tang, H.F. Li and J.M. Zou. 2013. Metabolizable energy and fiber digestibility of uncommon feedstuffs for geese. Poult. Sci. 92(7):1812-1817. doi: 10.3382/ps.2012-02515}