Evaluation of low-ash poultry meal as a protein source in canine foods

Eight mature female dogs (18.0 +/- 0.2 kg) were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to determine the feeding value of low-ash poultry meal (PM) in a complete food fed to dogs. All foods contained graded concentrations of PM (10.4 to 32.5% DM), resulting in foods that were 10, 15, 20, and 25% CP. Daily DMI averaged 284 +/- 14 g/d. An increase in PM resulted in an increase in fecal moisture from 44.7 to 55.1% (linear; P < 0.01), and fecal DM output increased from 24.8 to 31.6 g/d (linear; P < 0.05). Ileal DM flow increased from 27.1 to 40.7 g/d (linear; P < 0.01). Small intestinal DM digestibility decreased from 90.4 to 86.1% (linear; P < 0.01) and total-tract DM digestibility decreased from 91.2 to 89.4% (linear; P < 0.01) as PM increased. Large intestinal DM digestibility increased from 8.4 to 21.1% with increasing PM (linear; P < 0.05). Fecal excretion of CP increased from 5.6 to 10.0 g/d (linear; P < 0.01) and ileal flow of CP increased from 6.9 to 15.6 g/d (linear; P < 0.01) as PM increased. Small intestinal CP digestibility was unaffected with treatment (P > 0.05). Large intestinal CP digestibility increased from 21.6 to 37.1% (linear; P < 0.05) with increasing PM. Total-tract CP digestibility increased from 81.0 to 86.6% (linear; P < 0.01) as PM increased. Arginine had the highest overall digestibility ranging from 88.5 to 91.3%, whereas cysteine had the lowest digestibility, ranging from 67.1 to 71.4%. These data indicate that PM is a highly digestible protein source for canine foods with inclusions of 10.4 to 32.5% of DM.