The apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids in common vetch (Vicia sativa cv. Morava)

A total in of 12 entire male pigs were selected at about 32 kg liveweight and randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments containing 0 and 400 g/kg vetch (Vicia sativa cv. Morava), respectively. Pigs were offered 1.3 kg of their respective diets for 15 days. The diets also contained 0.2 g/kg n-hextriacontane as an indigestible marker to allow the determination of amino acid digestibility at the terminal ileum. On day 15, pigs were anaesthetised, a ventral abdominal midline incision made and samples of faecal and ileal digesta collected. Samples were used to measure the apparent ileal digestibility of the amino acids in the diets and the amino acid digestibility in vetch was calculated by difference. The apparent ileal digestibilities of lysine, threonine, methionine and arginine were 71.4, 53.5, 52.1 and 78.4%, respectively. The apparent ileal digestibility of the amino acids in vetch were relatively high and suggest common vetch (Vicia sativa cv. Morava) has the potential to be a viable alternative protein source for use in pig diets.