Interpretive Summary: Concentrations of digestible and metabolizable energy are greater in pistachio blanks than in wheat middlings, but some amino acids in pistachio blanks have reduced digestibility compared with soybean meal when fed to growing pigs
By: Yeonwoo Kim, Su A Lee, Hans H Stein
Two experiments were conducted to determine the digestibility of energy and amino acids (AA) in pistachio blanks and wheat middling fed to growing pigs. In Experiment 1, the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) were determined and results indicated that pistachio blanks had greater apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter and gross energy, as well as greater DE and ME compared with wheat middlings. In Experiment 2, the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA was determined and results demonstrated that the SID of several indispensable AA (Ile, Leu, Phe, Val) in pistachio blanks was not different from that in soybean meal, although SID of Arg, His, Lys, and Met was lower than in soybean meal. Overall, results indicate that pistachio blanks may be used as an alternative energy source in diets for growing pigs.
Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.
