Using direct method to estimate calcium digestibility of barley and soybean meal in quail chicks

The availability of calcium (Ca) in poultry diets is influenced by various factors, such as the feed ingredients used. This study assessed the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of Ca in barley and soybean meal (SBM) in young quail chicks using a direct method. Three diets were formulated, including a Ca-free basal diet to evaluate ileal endogenous calcium losses (IECaL), and two diets with barley or SBM as the sole Ca sources. Titanium dioxide was used as an indigestible marker for IECaL measurement. On day 30, 300 male quail chicks were distributed into the three dietary treatments, and ileal digesta samples were collected for Ca content analysis on day 34. Endogenous ileal Ca loss was determined to be 336 ± 52.7 mg/kg of dry matter intake (DMI), providing a reference for calculating SID values. The AID and SID of Ca in barley were found to be 27.9 % and 39.9 %, respectively, and for SBM, these values were 33.1 % and 42.9 %, respectively. These findings offer valuable insights into how to optimize poultry diets to ensure they receive adequate calcium, which is crucial for their overall health and productivity.