NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF 3 AMARANTH GRAINS FED EITHER PROCESSED OR RAW TO GROWING RATS

Amaranth is being used increasingly as a feed ingredient for both huma ns and domestic animals yet little effort has been expended examining the specific effects of processing amaranth on nutritive quality. Amar anth seeds are high in protein and fat compared to other grains and ma y be an important feed source if the utilization of different amaranth cultivars is better understood Six diets, containing 96% amaranth fro m three amaranths that were either raw or boiled, were fed to growing rats. The three amaranths [Amaranthus cruentus L. (R158), A. hypochond riacus L. (K343), A. cruentus L. (477913)] were grown at Clay Center, NE. A corn (negative control) and a corn-soy (positive control) diet w ere the two controls. Thirty-two weanling male rats were randomly assi gned to the eight diets for 14d at Clay Center, NE. Initial weights, f inal weights, feed intakes, and final organ weights were measured. The experiment was repeated at Davis, CA. Boiled amaranth diets had 68% l ess trypsin inhibitor activity as compared to unboiled amaranth diets. Rats fed boiled amaranth diets gained more weight with improved effic iency as compared to rats fed raw amaranth diets. Rats fed raw A. hypo chondriacus L. (K343) had higher gain to feed ratios (P < 0.05) compar ed to rats fed other raw amaranths or the corn diet. Growth of rats fe d the boiled amaranths A. cruentus L. (R158) or A. hypochondriacus L. (K343) was similar to that of rats fed the corn-soy diet. Heat treatme nt lowered trypsin inhibitor activity and improved the nutritive value of all amaranths examined in this experiment.