Metabolizable energy values and amino acid availability of vetch (Vicia sativa) and ervil (Vicia ervilia) seeds soaked in water and acetic acid

In two experiments we evaluated the effect of water and acetic acid soaking on ME, apparent amino acid (AA) availability, and true AA availability of vetch (V) and ervil (E) seeds. In Experiment 1, the feedstuffs were untreat ed (U)V or coarsely ground V soaked in water (1:10, wt/vol) at 40 C for 72 h with a water change every 12 h (40WV), vetch soaked in 1% acetic acid for 24 h at 40 C (40AAV) or at room temperature (RTAAV), or dehulled soybean m eal (SBM). In Experiment 2, E seeds were subjected to the same soaking meth ods, and the ingredients were UE, 40WE, 40AAE, RTAAE, and SBM. Each feedstu ff was precision-fed to five individually caged mature ISA Brown roosters. A group of five roosters was used to correct for metabolic and endogenous e nergy and amino acid losses. The AME, AME(n), TME, and TMEn of UV and U.E ( in parentheses) were 2,558 (2,663), 2,840 (3,098), 3,026 (3,154):and 2,934 (3,176) kcal/ kg DM, respectively, and were, in general, higher than those of SBM. The TME, of V increased as a result of soaking in water or acetic a cid, whereas that of E decreased in 40WE and RTAAE by 492 and 920 kcal/kg D M, respectively (P < 0.05). The apparent availability of most essential ami no acids in UV and UE was lower (P < 0.05) than that of SBM. Acetic acid so aking of V, irrespective of temperature, and E at 40 C resulted in apparent AA availability similar to that of SBM except for Met. The true AA availab ility of V treated or not, and that of E soaked at 40 C, were similar to th at of SBM. Results indicated that UV and UE are energy rich ingredients but detrimental to amino acid availability. Soaking the seeds in acetic acid a t room temperature and at 40 C improved the nutritional value of V and E, r espectively.