DIGESTIBILITY OF DRIED AND TOASTED PEAS IN PIGS .2. ILEAL AND TOTAL TRACT DIGESTIBILITIES OF AMINO-ACIDS, PROTEIN AND OTHER NUTRIENTS

Two experiments in which pigs were fed dried or toasted peas (Pisum sa tivum var. Solara) from 2 years of harvest were performed. Diets with peas as the sole source of nitrogen were formulated to contain approxi mate to 170 g kg(-1) crude protein (CP). Toasting applied in the prese nt conditions (moisture content approximate to 150 g kg(-1), 130 degre es C, 3-4 min) did not damage the lysine of the peas. The animals were fitted with a T-shaped cannula at the end of the ileum, and two balan ces with ileal and faecal collections were carried out. When peas from one of the harvests (Experiment 1) were fed, the ileal digestibility of most amino acids was increased by toasting; the digestibility of dr y matter (DM) increased from 69.4 to 76.1%, the digestibility of energ y from 71.2 to 77.2%, and the same tendency (P = 0.16) was observed fo r protein digestibility. When peas from the other harvest (Experiment 2) were fed, no effect of toasting was observed on the ileal digestibi lities of nutrients. DM (P = 0.16) and energy (P = 0.12) digestibiliti es showed tendencies for lower values after toasting. At total tract l evel, digestibilities were higher than at ileal level, and no effect o f heat treatment on the digestibilities of nutrients was observed in e ither of the two experiments. It was concluded that toasting applied u nder specified conditions (moisture content = 150 g kg(-1), 130 degree s C, 3-4 min) can improve the ileal digestibility of peas. However, ha rvests of different years can show different digestibilities and heat treatment can affect them unequally. Therefore, conclusions should be drawn with caution.