Variability of pea protein and amino acid digestibility in growing pig

Protein and amino acid ileal digestibility was measured in 31 smooth and ta nnin free pea (Pisum sativum) batches of different varieties grown in diffe rent places and. Each batch of peas was tested on four castrated male pigs, between 30 to 90 kg live weight, fitted with an end to end ileorectal anas tomosis. Most of spring pea varieties, with low trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), ha d high standardized ileal protein and amino acids digestibility: > 78 % for protein, > 82 % for lysine, > 77 % for threonine, > 80 % for methionine, > 72 % for cystine and > 73 % for tryptophan. Three batches with low TIA and low fibre content had slightly lower protein and amino acids digestibility which was in related to particular growing conditions. Winter varieties wi th medium or high TIA activity had lower protein and amino acid standardize d ileal digestibilities. Overall, digestibility decreases with increased TI A.