The results of measurings of the total metabolism from experiments with 6 male broilers (origin: Tetra B) each, which mainly served the ascertainment of energy maintenance requirement (cf. 2) in the growth range between 100 and 2,000 g with alternating experiment phases on the maintenance and growth level, have also undergone interpretation for the further characterisation of the energy requirement for protein retention. Caused by the sequence of periods chosen, there were compensatory growth effects. Energy retention in % of gross energy varied between the experiments in the limits of 24 and 39%, and concerning energy retention per animal and day there were differences up to 100% between the experiments. The share of protein energy retention in energy retention on average amounted to 38% after a medium-high protein supply and 54% after a high protein supply. The utilisation of metabolisable energy for energy retention was significantly lower from rations of a high protein level (40% crude protein) than from those of a medium-high protein level (20% crude protein). Assuming an energy requirement for fat retention of 1.2 J metabolisable energy per J retention, a requirement of metabolisable energy for 1 J protein retention of 1.68; 1.66 and 1.86 was ascertained in the 3 experiments by means of regression analysis. An energy requirement for maintenance of 423 (30 degrees C), 511 (25 degrees C) and 432 kJ metabolisable energy/kg live weight 0 75 X d (30 degrees C) correlated with these requirement values. Energy requirement for protein retention increased significantly with N-intake and decreased significantly with the daily protein retention rate. There was no dependence on the live weight of the broilers.