Fa. Igbasan et W. Guenter, THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF PEAS FOR BROILER-CHICKENS -AN EVALUATION OF MICRONIZATION AND DEHULLING PROCESSES, Poultry science, 75(10), 1996, pp. 1243-1252
The effects of dehulling and micronization (infrared heating) on the n
utritive value of three cultivars (Impala, Radley, and Sirius) of peas
(Pisum sativum) varying in coat color for broiler chickens were studi
ed. Dehulling increased (P less than or equal to 0.05) protein and sta
rch contents and decreased (P less than or equal to 0.05) fiber conten
t of peas. Also, the concentrations of most amino acids slightly incre
ased (P greater than or equal to 0.05). Micronization slightly changed
(P greater than or equal to 0.05) the chemical composition of peas. M
oisture, protein, fiber and phosphorus contents marginally decreased.
The concentrations of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, isoleucine, lysine
, cystine, threonine, and tyrosine decreased (P less than or equal to
0.05), whereas that of methionine slightly increased (P greater than o
r equal to 0.05). Lysine concentration was decreased by 2.7%. The TME(
N) and average true AA availability values determined with adult cocke
rels were improved (P less than or equal to 0.05) by micronization, bu
t the availabilities of lysine were decreased by 11.3, 4.4, and 2.0% f
or Impala, Radley and Sirius, respectively. The decrease was significa
nt (P less than or equal to 0.05) for Impala and Radley but not signif
icant for Sirius peas. Application of micronization resulted in a sign
ificant (P less than or equal to 0.05) improvement in AME(n), apparent
protein digestibility (APD), and starch digestibility. The increments
ranged from 19.4 to 31.3, 8.5 to 33.6, and 12.2 to 22.3% for AME(n),
APD, and starch digestibility, respectively. In contrast, dehulling ha
d little or no effect on AME(n) (3.0 and 4.9%), APD (-1.8 and -4.2%) a
nd starch digestibility (2.0 and 1.3%) values of Impala (yellow-seeded
) and Radley (green-seeded) peas but significantly (P less than or equ
al to 0.05) improved the AME(n) (24.1%), APD (26.8%), and starch diges
tibility (12.1%) values of Sirius (brown-seeded) peas. Chick performan
ce was evaluated in a 2-wk trial. Birds fed micronized peas grew faste
r and had better feed conversion (P less than or equal to 0.05) than b
irds fed untreated peas and the wheat-soybean control diet. Addition o
f lysine to the diet containing micronized peas further improved (P gr
eater than or equal to 0.05) weight gains and feed conversion of broil
er chicks. Dehulling only improved (P less than or equal to 0.05) the
performance of birds fed Sirius peas.