In the world of poultry nutrition, during the most recent meeting of the Poultry Science Association (PSA), a heated debate ensued about the concept of net energy (NE) and its relevance, or lack thereof, in the formulation of broiler feeds. As a nutritionist keen on exploring the latest developments in the field, I could not help but get myself involved.
First, let us set the stage and break down the concept of net energy. Net energy represents the energy that remains available to the animal for physiological processes after accounting for losses during digestion, absorption and metabolism. In simpler terms, it is the energy that the animal can effectively utilize for maintenance and growth. To understand the journey from gross energy to net energy, we must traverse through layers of energy utilization, each step stripping away inefficiencies.
