A Method for Estimating the Mineral Availability in Feedstuffs

Abstract

Chicks were utilized in a study to estimate mineral (Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu) availability of palm kernel meal, soybean meal, cottonseed meal and rapeseed meal. The method used was previously utilized for amino acid availability studies and was modified for the purpose of evaluating the utilization of minerals from feedstuffs. This procedure is rapid, less expensive than other biological procedures and has the potential of being utilized simultaneously for determining available amino acids and minerals. Results of this study indicate that calcium is well utilized from PKM (68.8%), SBM (85.6%), CSM (64.6%) and RSM (71.1%). The average availability of phosphorus (78%) was high for the feedstuffs tested. Magnesium was well utilized in four ingredients with an average of 67.5%. Manganese, zinc, and copper showed greater variation among feedstuffs tested. The range in availability was 45.7% to 76.3% for manganese, 13.9% to 66.5% for zinc and 42.2% to 62.2% for copper.