Assessment of Extruded Grain Amaranth as a Feed Ingredient for Broilers.

Two trials were conducted to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of extruded grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus). Procedures for these determinations were the total collection method (TCM) and the use of acid-insoluble ash (AIA) as a marker. The AME and AMEn values for the grain were determined both by regression analysis and by calculations based on differences from the basal diet. Based on standard errors of the predicted values and coefficients of determination of the regression equations, TCM produced more accurate results than did AIA. Using regression analysis, the predicted values from the TCM were 3,382 kcal/kg of AME and 3,267 kcal/kg of AMEn on an as-fed basis. When expressed on a dry-matter basis, these values were 3,646 and 3,522 kcal/kg for AME and AMEn, respectively. When the difference method was used to calculate the ME of the extruded grain on an as-fed basis, the values of 3,295 kcal/kg of AME and 3,164 kcal/kg of AMEn were obtained. When the results were expressed on a dry-matter basis, 3,556 kcal/kg of AME and 3,415 kcal/kg of AMEn were determined.