Assessment of apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and nitrogen in cottonseed and soyabean meals fed to pigs determined using ileal dissection under halothane anaesthesia or following carbon dioxide stunning

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids (AIDAA) and nitrogen (AIDN) in cottonseed meal (CSM) and soyabean meal (SBM) fed to growing pigs. In the first experiment, twenty-four male pigs (37.3 (SE 2.7) kg) were individually penned and randomized to either CSM or SBM diets. The diets contained 40% of the protein meal (either CSM or SBM) in a wheat starch-sucrose (1:1, w/w) base containing vitamins and minerals, and Cr2O3 as an indigestible marker. Pigs were acclimated to the experimental diets over a 3 d period and on day 4 through to day 14 were offered 1800 g/d of the diet. Diets were offered in three meals/d from day 4 to day 11 and in eight me..