DIGESTION OF NUTRIENTS IN THE SMALL INTESTINE OF PIGS FED DIETS CONTAINING RAW AND AUTOCLAVED FABA BEANS

Abstract

Four castrated pigs, each fitted with a re-entrant cannula in the terminal ileum, were used to study digestion in the small intestine. A nitrogen-free diet was used for the estimation of metabolic nitrogen and amino acids. Faba beans, as the sole source of dietary protein, were used raw or after autoclaving for 30 or 60 min. The four diets were fed to the pigs in a 4 × 4 latin square experiment. The pigs were fed each diet for 6 days prior to a 24-hr collection of total ileal contents. Autoclaving of faba beans had no significant effect on digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, nitrogen and individual amino acids except arginine, which was significantly increased. The intestinal uptake of arginine was the highest and of cystine the lowest in all faba bean diets. It was concluded that autoclaving faba beans had no beneficial effect on the digestion of nutrients in the small intestine of the pig.