Digestive and metabolic utilization of feed energy in swine: application to energy evaluation systems

摘要

Feeds can be attributed different energy values according to, first, the step considered in energy utilization (DE : digestible energy, ME : metabolisable energy and NE : wet energy) and, second, the method used for estimation at each step. This paper reviews some of the most important dietary (chemical composition) and animal (body weight) factors which affect digestive and metabolic utilization of energy by pigs.