M. Flis et al., Nutritional value of diets containing field bean (Vicia faba L.) seeds with high or low proantbocyanidin levels for pig, J ANIM FEED, 8(2), 1999, pp. 171-180
The nutritional value of pig diets containing about 30% field beans charact
erized by various levels of condensed tannins was studied. In a 54-day expe
riment on 24 Polish Large White x Duroc barrows (25-63 kg BW) four diets we
re fed: HT containing high-tannin field beans (cv. Nadwislanski), LT with l
ow-tannin field beans (cv. Caspar), DHT with hulled high-tannin field beans
, and DHTF with hulled high-tannin field beans and added white flowering pe
a hull fibre. The proanthocyanidin content of the HT, LT, DHT and DHTF diet
s was 591, 8, 70 and 70 mg/kg, respectively. Nutrient and energy digestibil
ity, nitrogen balance, daily weight gain, and feed utilization were determi
ned.
The digestibility of N-free extractives and energy was significantly higher
(P < 0.01), while that of crude protein was non significantly higher (P =
0.07) in the LT and DHT diets than in the HT diet. Daily nitrogen retention
and utilization did not differ significantly among groups. Daily body weig
ht gains (684-693 g) and feed conversion (3.02-3.07 kg/kg) also did not dif
fer significantly among groups. Despite a slightly lower nutritional value
as expressed by metabolizable energy and digestible protein, the HT diet th
at contained 0.1% phenols and 0.06% proanthocyanidins did not lower the gro
wth rate of 25-63 kg pigs ( which gained slightly under 700 g daily) in com
parison with animals fed the LT and DHT diets.