J. agric. Sci., Camb.

(1975), 84, 19-27 19

Printed in Great Britain

Energy values in pig nutrition

II. The prediction of energy values from dietary chemical analysis
BY D. J. MORGAN,* D. J. A. COLE AND D. LEWIS
University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leics.

LE12 5RD

(Received 25 February 1974)

SUMMARY
Eighteen individual feedstuffs and 19 mixed diets were used in a study attempted to
relate determined energy values to various chemically determined measures. For cereals
the level of fibre could be used to predict digestible and metabolizable energy (DE and
ME). In the case of DE the relationships with crude fibre and modified acid detergent
fibre (MADF) based on 14 feeds were:
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4179-86 MADF (%): r = -0-96; P < 0-01,
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4228-140 X crude fibre (%): r = -0-97; P < 0-01.
For all feeds the following equations gave the best prediction of energy values from
dietary analysis (on the basis of correlation coefficients and residual standard
deviations):
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 109-9 x crude protein (%) +149-3 x acid ether extract (%)
+ 90-1 x nitrogen-free extract (%)-5030:JB = 0-95; P < 0.01.
ME (kcal/kg D.M.) = 99-5 x crude protein (%) +144-7 x acid ether extract (%)
+ 87-8 x nitrogen-free extract (%)-4795: R = 0-94; P < 0-01.
Digestible nutrients were closely related to DE and ME, e.g.
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 52-9 x digestible crude protein (%) +108-3 x digestible ether
extract (%) + 39-4 x digestible crude fibre (%) + 39-9 x digestible nitrogen-free
extract (%) +183-7: R - 0-99; P < 0-01.

INTRODUCTION
The laborious nature of balance trials makes the
direct estimation of nutritive values of feedstuffs a
difficult routine procedure. This is especially true
in the case of larger animals such as pigs. For this
reason attempts have been made to devise rapid
yet accurate indirect methods of estimating energy
values.
In poultry nutrition predictions of the meta-
bolizable-energy (ME) values of feedstuffs have
been made from proximate composition and the
digestibility coefficients of individual nutrients
(Fraps, Carlyle & Fudge, 1940), or directly from the
contents of protein, fat and carbohydrate (starch
* Present address: Chemistry Dept., University
College, Dublin, Faculty of Agriculture, Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
a n d su
S a r s ) (Carpenter & Clegg, 1956; Sibbald et al.
1963; Bolton, 1967). In the case of pigs, apart from
a scheme by Schneider et al. (1951) to predict total
digestible nutrients (TDN) from the proximate
composition of feeds, attempts to predict feed-
energy values have relied on crude fibre (Lucas,
1949) and modified acid detergent fibre (Drennan
& Maguire, 1970) as the only chemical measures,
A study has therefore been made relating deter-
mined energy values of single feeds and whole diets
to a number of chemical measures,
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Preliminary studies were based on the individual
ingredients and basal diets described by Morgan,
Cole & Lewis (1975). Proximate compositions and
energy values of these feeds are given in Tables 2,
2-2
20 D. J. MORGAN, D. J. A. COLE AND D. LEWIS

Table 1. Chemical analyses of single ingredients and basal diets: acid ether extract (AEJE), modified acid
detergentfibre(MADF) and measures of carbohydrate (% dry-matter basis)
Carbohydrate measure
Clegg (1956) Modified NFE*

Feedstuff AEE MADF Starch Sugars (1960) NFE(a) NFE(b)

Wheat 2-2 3-4 74-2 30 78-4 79-3 80-8
Middlings 3-7 9-9 30-6 6-5 46-2 64-2 66-9
Wheat bran 3-3 16-9 22-3 51 39-8 59-3 642
Oats 3-4 130 46-8 21 60-3 69-5 72-0
Milo 2-2 4-3 690 1-5 871 78-9 81-3
Barley (Canadian) 1-6 5-8 61-7 30 65-1 76-5 78-3
Barley (English) 1-8 6-1 63-6 2-7 69-3 78-5 800
Maize 4-9 2-5 75-5 2-7 751 80-3 81-1
Flaked maize (Expt 6) 3-4 3-3 75-0 21 78-3 82-9 84-3
Flaked maize (Expt 11) 2-2 3-2 70-4 2-7 931 82-7 84-1
Grassmeal 30 33-3 6-4 15-6 39-3 35-3 493
Hean meal 2-2 121 34-6 4-7 54-8 52-6 57-7
Soya meal 1-6 8-4 00 120 27-8 300 33-6
Groundnut 70 121 00 7-7 26-9 19-9 25-4
White fish meal 7-2 00 00 00 0-0 2-2 2-2
Herring meal 8-4 00 00 00 0-0 00 00
Meat and bone meal 4-7 00 00 00 00 6-8 6-8
Dried skimmed milk 3-8 00 00 35-3 55-6 52-4 52-4
BP protein (Lavera) 2-5 0-4 00 0-4 0-0 — —
BP protein (Grangemouth) 80 01 00 0-3 00 — —
RHM protein 111 13-6 4-7 4-8 17-2 — —
Basal diet A 3-2 4-7 49-2 5-6 66-6 57-9 59-8
Basal diet B 2-4 4-2 48-8 4-6 65-8 63-2 64-7
Basal diet C 1-5 5-7 61-9 2-9 711 76-3 78'1
* NFE(a): calculated using acid ether extract and acid detergent fibre. NFE(b): calculated using acid ether
extract and crude fibre.

6 and 7 of that paper, while additional analytical
data are presented in Table 1 of this one. In addi-
tion, digestible energy (DE) and classical ME
values (i.e. unconnected for nitrogen retention)
were available for 16 complete diets ranging in
crude protein content from 16-5 to 25-7% of dry
matter and in DE value from 3630 to 4255 kcal/kg
dry matter (Tables 2, 3). The data for these addi-
tional diets were used to extend the relationships
that appeared most useful.
Chemical analysis. A number of analytical
methods was used to determine the four basic
chemical components of the feeds and diets used:
protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate. Crude protein
was determined by the Kjeldahl method (AOAC,
1965) while fat was determined by ether extraction
(AOAC, 1965) or acid ether extraction (Devendra,
1969). Two measures of fibre were made: crude
fibre according to the method of the AOAC (1965)
and modified acid detergent fibre (MADF) accord-
ing to the method of Clancy & Wilson (1966).
Two direct methods and one indirect method
were used for determining the carbohydrate
fraction. The method of Clegg (1956) as modified by
Sibbald et al. (1963) was used for determining
starch and sugars. The method of Bolton (1960) for
determining available carbohydrate was modified
by using the Nelson Somogui procedure for deter-
mining the amount of reducing sugar present
(Somogui, 1945). Nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was
taken as an indirect measure of the carbohydrate
fraction. As NFE is found by difference, its value
will be decided by the choice of method used to
determine the other fractions of the diet. Hence for
each feed in addition to the conventional form of
NFE: (100-crude protein-ether extract-crude
fibre-ash) (Table 2, Morgan et al. 1975; Table 3,
this paper) two forms of NFE were obtained. These
are defined in Table 1, footnote.
Regression analysis. The energy yield of a feed
available after digestion is derived mainly from the
proteins, fat and carbohydrate fractions; it is de-
creased with increasing fibre content (Lucas, 1949).
Initial studies were therefore made regressing
 Energy values in pig nutrition, II 21
energy value (y) on a single independent variable When regressing energy values against functions
(x), the x variable being either a measure of fibre of analytical measures all individual ingredients
or a simple mathematical function combining and basal diets were included, excepting the micro-
measures of protein, fat and carbohydrate. As fibre bial protein feeds which were eliminated from all
is a characteristic of vegetable material, only feeds studies, since for these feeds ether extraction did
of vegetable origin were used in the regression in- not give satisfactory results and only one estimate
volving fibre alone. of fat (acid ether extract) was obtainable. Various

Table 2. Composition of additional diets

Ingredient (%) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Barley 75-5 70-5 650 590 460 410 35-5 300
Maize 100 80 60 50 370 350 330 310
White fish meal 2-2 3-6 51 6-5 2-4 3-8 5-3 6-8
Soya meal 4-4 7-2 10-2 130 4-8 7-6 10-6 13-6
Groundnut 4-4 7-2 10-2 130 4-8 7-6 10-6 13-6
Fat 00 00 00 00 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5
Minerals/Vitamins 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5
Plus (as % of diet)
L-Lysine 016 011 005 00 016 012 007 00
DL-Methionine 004 009 013 019 004 009 013 017

Ingredient (%) 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Barley 220 170 11-5 60 230 180 12-5 7-5
Maize 680 560 540 520 520 500 480 460
White fish meal 2-6 40 5-5 7-0 2-8 4-2 5-7 7-1
Soya meal 5-2 80 110 140 5-6 8-4 11-4 14-2
Groundnut 5-2 80 110 140 5-6 8-4 11-4 14-2
Fat 3-5 3-5 35 3-5 7-5 7-5 7-5 7-5
Minerals/Vitamins 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5
Plus (as % of diet)
L-Lysine 016 012 008 00 013 011 004 00
DL-Methionine 004 010 013 0-17 004 010 013 019

Table 3. Chemical analysis of additional diets (% dry-matter basis)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Dry matter 86-3 86-6 86-9 87-0 87-1 87-3 87-5 87-6
Crude protein 16-8 19-4 22-2 24-4 16-6 191 20-9 25-7
Ash 5-8 6-3 6-4 7-8 5-6 6-3 7-2 7-4
Ether extract 10 1-7 1-6 1-9 31 30 3-5 41
Acid ether extract 1-7 1-9 2-3 20 3-4 41 4-3 4-8
Crude fibre 3-8 3-8 3-8 40 3-3 3-5 3-7 3-4
MADF 5-2 5-4 5-8 5-9 4-9 51 5-4 5-3
NTE* 72-7 68-9 65-9 61-9 71-4 68-1 64-6 59-3
NFE(b)** 720 68-6 65-3 61-8 710 671 63-8 58-7

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Dry matter 87-5 87-7 88-0 880 88-2 88-4 88-4 88-9
Crude protein 16-6 16-8 21-6 24-4 17-3 18-8 21-5 25-4
Ash 6-6 6-3 7-5 7-1 5-9 6-8 6-3 7-3
Ether extract 4-8 5-1 4-6 5-7 8-6 9-4 100 10-9
Acid ether extract 5-2 5-5 5-2 6-2 9-2 9-9 10-2 10-7
Crude fibre 3-2 31 3-2 3-5 2-6 2-8 2-9 3-2
MADF 4-9 4-5 4-6 4-4 4-4 4-6 4-8 5-3
NFE* 68-8 68-7 631 59-2 656 62-2 59-4 53'1
NFE(b)** 68-4 68-2 62-5 58-8 651 61-8 59-2 53-3
• Calculated using ether extract and crude fibre.
** Calculated using acid ether extract and crude fibre.
22 D. J. MORGAN, D. J. A. COLE AND D. LEWIS
forms of functions were used (Table 4); the func- to the final energy value (y). Regression equations
tions A and B corresponded to those of Carpenter were produced for the individual feeds and basal
& Clegg (1956). diets with DE or ME taken as the y variable, and
Fat, protein and carbohydrate were also studied crude protein as the xlt fat as the x2, carbohydrate
as independent variables using multiple regression as the x3 and fibre as the xt variable. Table 5 indi-
analysis. The use of multiple regression techniques cates the combinations of x variables that were
allowed an assessment to be made of the individual used, also the choice of analytical method for each
contributions each analytical component (a;) made x variable.

Table 4. Begression of DE and ME (kcaljkg dry matter) on functions* of chemical measures

Eesidual
Dependent Independent Regression standard
variable variable coefficient Intercept deviation r Equation
DE Function A 73 -3110 496 0-79** 7
DE Function B 35 721 537 0-75** 8
DE Function C 48 -626 419 0-86** 9
DE Function E 74 -3964 327 0-92** 10
DE Function F 70 -3625 347 0-90** 11
ME Function A 76 -3606 364 0-88»* 12
ME Function B 35 525 463 0-80** 13
ME Function C 48 -763 338 0-90** 14
ME Function D 80 -4046 319 0-91** 15
* Where
Function A = (% CP + 2-25 x % EE + % NFE)
Function B = (% CP + 2-25 x % EE + 1-1 x % starch+% sugars)
Function C= (% CP + 2-25 x % EE + % CHO(B))
Function D = (% CP + 2-25 x % AEE + % NFEb)
Function E = (1-36 x % CP + 2-25 x % AEE + % NFE)
Function F = (1-36 x % CP + 2-25 x % AEE + % NFEb).
*• P < 001.
Abbreviations as in Table 1.

Table 5. Chemical measures used in multiple regression equations

Independent variables
Dependent
variable (y) xx x* z3 xt Equation
DE CP EE CF — 16
DE CP EE MADF — 17
DE CP EE NFE — 18
DE CP AEE NFE(b) — 19
DE CP EE CHO(C) — 20
DE CP AEE CHO(C) — 21
DE CP AEE CHO(C) — 21
DE CP EE CHO(B) — 22
DE CP AEE CHO(B) — 23
DE CP AEE NFE(b) CF 24
DE CP AEE NFE (a) MADF 25
ME CP EE NFE — 26
ME CP AEE NFE(b) — 27
ME CP EE CHO(C) — 28
ME CP AEE CHO(C) — 29
ME CP EE CHO(B) — 30'
ME CP AEE CHO(B) — 31
ME CP AEE NFE(b) CF 32
ME CP AEE NFE (a) MADF 33
Abbreviations as in Table 1.
CHO(B): Carbohydrate (Bolton, 1960). CHO(C): Carbohydrate (Clegg, 1956).
 Energy values in pig nutrition, II 23

Table 6. Multiple regression of DE and ME (hcaljkg dry matter) on chemical measures

RegressionA coefficients Residual
standard Equation
xt Intercept deviation r no.
01 26-5 -113-3 4026 624 0-48 16
2-2 14-6 -66-3 — 3962 642 0-44 17
114-5 112-7 89-7 — -5068 233 0-96** 18
1121 126-5 89-5 — -5058 227 0-97** 19
54-0 32-7 37-8 — 231 466 0-84** 20
54-6 12-0 37-6 — 282 468 0-84** 21
58-9 98-4 490 — -938 362 0-91** 22
60-7 102-5 49-2 — -968 358 0-91** 23
117-4 129-9 93-4 101 -5485 231 0-97** 24
120-3 122-3 94-2 46-4 -5623 268 0-95** 25

104-5 97-8 87-3 -4813 232 0-96** 26

102-4 109-6 87-0 — -4792 228 0-96** 27
45-5 19-7 36-6 — 360 461 0-82** 28
46-4 -1-8 36-5 — 408 462 0-82** 29
50-8 82-6 47-8 — -801 352 0-90** 30
52-3 88-0 480 — -833 348 0-90** 31
1081 113-2 91-2 10-8 -5248 232 0-96** 32
1110 105-8 920 46-2 -5392 270 0-95** 33

**P < 001.

Table 7. Digestible nutrients in single imjredients and basal <iiets (dry-matter ibasis)
% digestible % digestible % digestible % digestible
Feedstuff crude protein ether extract crude fibre NFE
Wheat 11-6 0-4 0-3 76-1
Middlings 13-9 2-5 1-3 501
Wheat bran 5-7 1-3 0-3 34-5
Oats 8-5 2-2 0-7 55-9
Milo 9-3 0-7 1-5 77-9
Barley (Canadian) 110 -01 0-4 70-8
Barley (English) 90 0-2 0-4 72-6
Maize 9-3 3-8 0-4 75-1
Flaked maize (Expt 5) 7-7 1-5 0-8 79-3
Flaked maize (Expt 11) 9-0 0-5 10 80-5
Grassmeal -1-7 00 7-0 30-1
Bean meal 231 0-8 1-3 51-4
Soya meal 48-2 0-3 3-3 32-4
Groundnut 491 5-8 31 21-7
White fish meal 64-2 4-3 -0-8 -4-4
Herring meal 72-8 5-8 -0-1 -2-1
Meat and bone meal 40-7 -0-4 -2-3 -0-2
Dried skimmed milk 35-3 2-5 0-1 52-1
Basal diet A 25-0 1-2 1-8 55-9
Basal diet B 21-2 0-8 I1 59-5
Basal diet C 10-5 -01 06 70-8
24 D. J. MORGAN, D. J. A. COLE AND D. LEWIS
The relative value of digestible nutrient data in negative when functions involving NFE were used,
predicting energy values was also examined. Dur- but much smaller when the direct measures of
ing the determination of TDN of the individual carbohydrate were used in the functions.
feedstuffs (Morgan et al. 1975, Table 6) individual
values were obtained for percentage digestible Multiple regression (dietary data)
crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and NFE The use of multiple linear regression with
(Table 7). Multiple regressions were derived relating chemical measures as the independent variables
DE or ME to these variables. resulted in lower residual standard deviations than
linear regression of energy values on simple
functions of the same chemical values (Tables 4, 6).
RESULTS When measures of protein, fat and fibre were
Linear regression (one independent variable). Re- used in the regressions (equations 16, 17) only the
gression of DE on crude fibre and MADF gave the fibre measures had significant partial regression
following relationships for 14 vegetable feeds and coefficients (P < 0-01); multiple correlation co-
the three basal diets. efficients were, however, not significant.
All equations including measures of fat, protein
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4269-81 MADF (%); and carbohydrate gave significant multiple corre-
RSD = 385; r = - 0 8 5 ; P < 0.01 lation coefficients (P < 0-05). Of these equations,
(1) those that included NFE as the measure of carbo-
hydrate gave the highest correlation coefficients
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4323-137 x crude fibre (%); (0-95 —0-96) while those that took starch and
RSD = 330; r = -0-90; P < 0-01. (2) sugars (Clegg, 1956) as the carbohydrate measure
gave the lowest coefficients (0-82-0-84). The use of
Compared with determined values (Table 6, Mor- acid ether extract rather than ether extract gave
gan et al. 1975) the predicted values for soya-bean slightly higher correlation coefficients and lower
meal, groundnut and, to a lesser extent, bean meal residual standard deviations. There was con-
were underestimated while bran was overestimated. siderable variation in partial regression coefficient
Elimination of the protein-rich feeds gave the fol- values, particularly those for fat. Regression co-
lowing predictions of DE and ME (regression based efficients for protein and carbohydrate were highly
on 14 values). significant (P < 0-001), those for fat were only
significant (P < 0-05) when NFE was the measure
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4179-86 MADF (%); of carbohydrate. Most of the feeds studied were of
RSD = 211; r = -0-96; P < 0.01. (3) low fat content so the fat component would be
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4228-140 x crude fibre (%); associated with only a small part of the final DE
or ME value; this would explain why the partial
RSD = 181; r = -0-97; P < 0-01. (4) coefficients for the fat measures were not always
ME (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4049-83 MADF (%); significant.
RSD = 222; r = -0-96; P < 0-01. (5) Including crude fibre as an additional variable
did not affect either the residual standard deviation
ME (kcal/kg D.M.) = 4096-135 x crude fibre (%); or correlation coefficient (cf. equations 19 and 24)
RSD = 190; r - -0-97; P < 0-01. but inclusion of MADF caused a slight increase in
residual standard deviation and a decrease in the
Both estimates of fibre thus gave a good prediction correlation coefficient (equation 25). However, the
of energy value when limited in application to inclusion of fibre as a fourth independent variable
cereals. Crude fibre appeared to be a marginally meant that the sum of the x variables was ap-
better predictor than MADF. proaching 100 (since ash, the major remaining
Regression of energy values on functions com- constituent, was present in small amounts in most
bining measures of protein, fat and carbohydrate of the feedstuffs under study). This was especially
gave significant correlations in all cases (Table 4), true in cases involving the use of NFE which is
but in no case did the resultant equation appear calculated by difference.
accurate enough for prediction purposes. The use In this situation, the x variables could not be
of the estimate of Bolton (1960) for carbohydrate considered as acting independently of each other,
gave a lower residual standard deviation (RSD) since the value of a particular variable would be
than did the use of NFE; both gave lower RSD governed by the values of the other x variables.
values than did the use of the estimate of Clegg The use of only three x variables is a more satis-
(1956) in the function. DE was best estimated by factory procedure as this effect is reduced.
taking a function in which protein percentage was Intercept values varied considerably according
multiplied by 1-36. Intercept values were large and to which measure of carbohydrate was used in the
 Energy values in pig nutrition, II
multiple regressions; the same pattern being ob-
served as for the intercept values of equations
taking simple functions of chemical measures
(Table 4). The high, negative intercept values ob-
served in equations taking NFE as the measure of
carbohydrate are a result of the interdependence
of the x variables that was mentioned above.
The most accurate predictions of DE and ME
were given by equations that took crude protein,
acid ether extract and NFE(b) as the independent
variables (equations 19 and 27). However, these
equations do not give fat due weight commensurate
with its high calorific value. This is probably a
reflexion of the limited number of feed samples on
which the equations were based and the low fat
contents of these feeds. When these regressions
were extended to cover both individual feeds and
whole diets (37 values) improved relationships
were found:
DE(kcal/kg D.M.) = 109-9 x crude protein (%)
+ 149-3 x acid ether extract(%)
+ 90-lNFE(b) (%)-5030; RSD = 207;
R = 0-95; P < 0-01. (34)
ME(kcal/kg D.M.) - 99-5 x crude protein (%)
+ 144-7 x acid ether extract(%)
+ 87-8NFE(b) (%)-4795; RSD = 212;
R = 0-94; P < 0.01. (35)
The residual standard deviations of these equations
show a slight decrease compared with the earlier
equations and the partial regression coefficients
give more weight to the contribution of the fat
component.
Multiple regression (digestible nutrient data)
Regression of DE and ME against digestible
nutrients for 21 feeds and the three basal diets gave
the following relationships.
DE (kcal/kg D.M.) = 52-9 x digestible crude
protein (%)+108-3 x digestible ether extract (%)
+ 39-4 x digestible crude fibre (%) +39-9 x
digestible NFE(%) + 184; RSD = 89; R =0-99;
P < 001. (36)
ME (kcal/kg D.M.) = 46-2 x digestible crude
protein (%) +100-7 x digestible ether extract (%)
+ 44-2 x digestible crude fibre (%) + 40- 7 x
digestible NFE(%) +106; RSD = 90;
R = 0-99; P < 0-01. (37)
Compared with multiple regression equations
based on chemical analysis, very high correlations
and low residual standard deviations were ob-
tained. The ratios of the partial regression co-
efficients are similar to the ratios of the calorific
values of the nutrients. -
25
DISCUSSION
The chemical composition of a feedstuff is the
major determinant of its energy value to an
animal for anabolic and catabolic functions. In
pig diets an increase in fat content will increase
DE and ME values due to the high calorific value
of fat, while increasing the fibre content will de-
crease DE and ME due to a reduction in digesti-
bility (ARC, 1967). An increase in protein content
will cause a decrease in the ME/DE ratio due to
increased urinary energy loss (Morgan et al. 1975).
A number of factors other than the composition of
a feedstuff will also affect its energy value. Briefly,
these include dietary factors such as the nature of
the remaining fraction of the diet, dietary prepara-
tion and the level of feeding (Braude, 1967), and
animal factors such as age (Nordfeldt, 1954) and
possibly breed (Bowland, 1962).
Any system for the prediction of energy values
from chemical analysis alone will not take these
latter factors into consideration and so must be of
limited accuracy. In the present study the use of
digestible nutrient data, which took into account
determined digestibility coefficients as well as
proximate composition, gave a better prediction
of energy values than did the use of chemical data
alone. Nehring (1969) and Thorbek (1969) proposed
similar equations based on digested nutrients,
those of the former being:
DE (kcal/kg) = 53-9a;1 + 89-la;2 + 41-5a;3 + 41-9a;4;
RSD = 43, (38)
ME (kcal/kg) = 45-0
RSD = 58, (39)
where xx = % digested crude protein,
x2 = % digested fat,
x3 = % digested crude fibre,
xt = % digested NFE.
For DE, Thorbek (1969) gave the following
equation:
DE (kcal/kg) = 54a;1 + 80a;2 + 44a;3 + 42-5a;4;
RSD = 0-7%. (40)
The forms of these equations and those of the
present work (equations 36 and 37) agree well, ex-
cepting that the present coefficients for digestible
crude fat are somewhat higher than the coefficients
of the other workers.
In applying equations such as the above it would
be necessary to use tabulated values for digesti-
bility coefficients of the nutrients as direct de-
terminations would be impractical for routine
purposes. Tabulated values are available for digesti-
bility coefficients (Schneider, 1947) and correction
factors have also been proposed for correcting such
26 D. J. MORGAN, D. J. A. COLE AND D. LEWIS
coefficients according to the particular composition
of a feedstuff (Schneider et al. 1951). However, the
error involved in using such corrected values would
be greater than if determined coefficients were used.
The prediction of energy value from chemical
analysis alone would have greater versatility than
the above approach, providing it had sufficient
accuracy. The use of fibre as the sole measure to
predict energy value is limited to cereal feeds or
diets composed mainly of cereals. DE and ME
were found to have a closer relationship to crude
fibre than MADF (equations 3, 4, 5 and 6) which
contrasts with the work of Drennan & Maguire
(1970) who found that MADF gave better esti-
mates for mixed diets:
DE (kcal/kg) = 4102-9-84-99 MADF (%);
RSD = 140-4; r - -0-92, (41)
DE (kcal/kg) = 4068-7-103-37 x crude fibre (%);
RSD = 156-8; r = -0-89. (42)
For each set of equations the difference in residual
standard deviation between the two fibre measures
was small, and since both sets were based on a
limited number of observations it cannot be argued
conclusively that either fibre measure is the better
predictor of energy. The relative ease of deter-
mination of MADF would argue in favour of its
use, however.
For MADF, equation (3) gives higher DE values
than does that of Drennan & Maguire (1970)
(equation 41); for crude fibre, equation (4) gives
the higher of the two estimates at low fibre levels
but the converse is true at higher fibre levels. A
comparison of the two crude fibre equations
(equations 4 and 42) made by checking against
published data for DE values and crude fibre levels
of cereals indicated that both equations merely
gave a rough guide to energy value.
When considering a wider range of feedstuffs
with greater variation in fat and protein levels more
complex prediction equations are necessary. The
results of multiple regression analysis suggested
that an equation including factors for crude pro-
tein, acid ether extract and nitrogen-free extract
would give the best prediction of DE and ME in
such cases. The use of nitrogen-free extract in this
application is not very satisfactory as it is an ex-
tremely arbitrary measurement and subject to
considerable error due to its method of calculation.
It does not represent a particular nutrient but is
considered to include starch, soluble sugars and
parts of the hemicellulose fraction of plant cells,
such as the pentosans (Bolton, 1954).
For chicken, both Carpenter & Clegg (1956) and
Bolton (1967) suggested that an equation in-
volving a direct measure of the carbohydrate com-
ponent of a feed (i.e. a measure of starch and
sugars) would give a better estimate of ME value
than if NFE were used. The difference between
these and the present findings may be due to a
species difference in ability to digest hemicellulose.
It is known that in chicken, digestibility of
pentosans is in the order of 10% (Bolton, 1954)
whereas pigs can digest up to 50 % of the hemi-
cellulose fraction in certain forages (Keys, Van
Soest & Young, 1969).
A check was made of the effectiveness of the
present regression equations in predicting DE and
ME. The determined energy values of the 16 whole
diets were compared with predicted values
(equations 34 and 35) and values computed by

Table 8. A comparison of determined, predicted and summated energy values of

complete diets
DE (kcal/kg dry matter) ME (kcal/kg dry matter)
Diet
no. Determined Summated Predicted Determined Summated Predicted
1 3720 3630 3550 3610 3510 3440
2 3780 3650 3570 3650 3510 3440
3 3850 3680 3640 3710 3510 3480
4 3630 3720 3520 3470 3520 3350
5 3910 3810 3710 3810 3690 3590
6 3770 3840 3720 3650 3690 3580
7 3900 3860 3670 3740 3700 3520
8 3890 3900 3800 3710 3710 3610
9 3870 4010 3730 3760 3890 3610
10 3870 4030 3790 3760 3890 3670
11 3980 4060 3750 3830 3900 3600
12 4000 4100 3880 3820 3900 3700
13 4150 4200 4100 4030 4090 3970
14 4050 4230 4080 3930 4090 3930
15 4250 4270 4190 4090 4100 4020
16 4040 4280 4170 3830 4090 3970
 Energy values in pig nutrition, II
summation of ingredient energy values (Tables 6
and 7, Morgan et al. 1975). For the added fat in
these diets an energy value of 8-5 kcal/g was used
in calculating both DE and ME. Values calculated
by summation tended to be higher than the deter-
mined values for the high energy diets (Table 8).
For the lower energy diets the converse was true.
Values obtained by prediction were too low in
nearly all cases. It is clear that values obtained by
summation are in closer agreement with determined
values than are the predicted values.
Often, when a rapid estimate is required of the
energy value of a diet, no real alternative exists to
the use of such prediction equations. In any
27
application, however, the limitations of the ap-
proach must be borne in mind. If sufficient data
were to accumulate on feedstuff energy values to-
gether with analytical data it might be worthwhile
formulating equations for the separate classes of
feeds as opposed to considering all classes together.
Our thanks are due to Mr B. Hardy for supplying
the data in Tables 2 and 3 and to Mr L. Back for
advice on the statistical treatment of the experi-
mental results. We wish to acknowledge the
financial support of the ARC and of the SRC who
provided a postgraduate scholarship for one of the
authors (D.J.M.).

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