Abstract THE incorporation of synthetic nutrients in poultry rations has been limited to amino acids, vitamins and other ingredients not normally classified as energy sources. Within the last few years a new area of study has developed concerning the use of man made compounds as energy contributors in poultry diets. One compound which has been investigated as an energy source is the polyhydroxy alcohol, 1, 3 butanediol (1, 3 BD). Early investigations of 1, 3 BD by Stoewsand et al. (1965) and Mehlman et al. (1966) suggested 1, 3 BD was directly involved in lipid metabolism. Miller et al. (1965) reported the effects of administering labeled butanediol-1-C14 and proposed that 1, 3 BD was metabolized through carbohydrate pathways. Miller and Dymsa (1967) presented data which indicated 1, 3 BD can supply 6.5 cal./g. metabolizable energy to rat diets. It was the purpose of this investigation to establish the metabolizable energy value…