Lira et al., 2011. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 40 (5): 1019-1024

The chemical composition and energy value of guava and tomato wastes for broilers at different ages were determined in this research. The metabolism assays were carried out by using the methodology of total excreta collection to calculate the chemical composition of wastes collected in different months. A total of 270 COBB broiler chicks was used: 150 in the period from 1 to 8 days of age (phase 1) and 120 chicks were used in the period from 10 to 17 days of age (phase 2). The trials were analyzed as completely randomized design with three treatments with five replications of 10 and 8 birds at the respective ages. The treatments consisted of different diets: one reference diet, one with 30% tomato meal and another with 20% guava meal, both partially replacing the reference diet. The values of the chemical composition of guava and tomato wastes varied according to the collection season. The chemical composition indicated that the wastes can be used in poultry feed, but with high crude fiber contents. The values of apparent metabolizable energy and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy and of gross energy metabolizability coefficient of guava waste was not affected by the birds age, different from the result observed for tomato waste, whose digestibility coefficients and apparent metabolizable energy values varied among growing phases. The apparent metabolizable energy values (AME) for broilers form 1 to 8 and from 10 to 17 days of age were 1,331 and 1,358 kcal/kg for guava waste and from 2,351 to 2,465 kcal/kg for tomato waste.