Low-phytate Soybeans for Ducks

Two experiments were conducted to determine the metabolizable energy and amino acid digestibility of high-oil corn, low-phytate corn, and low-phytate soybean meal as compared to normal corn and soybean meal using male White Pekin ducks. Results indicated that the true digestibility coefficients for all amino acids did not differ between the three corn sources. Whereas, the metabolizable energy for the low-phytate-soybean meal was approximately eight percent higher than that of normal soybean meal. The true digestibility of most amino acids were higher for the low-phytate soybean compared to normal soybean, with the exceptions of histidine, cysteine and tyrosine, which were not different. The average true digestibility coefficient for all amino acids in the low-phytate soybean meal was 94.5 percent compared to 92.4 percent for the normal soybean meal. These results indicate that low-phytate soybean meal has a higher energy value and digestible essential amino acid levels than regular soybean meal for ducks.

Adeola, O. 2005. Metabolizable energy and amino acid digestibility of high-oil maize low-phytate-maize and low-phytate soybean meal for White Pekin ducks. Br. Poultry Sci. 46(5): 607-614.