Partial dehulling of barley effect the concentrations of both gross and ileal digestible amino acids in pigs

Abstract

Abstract Five barrows (58 kg initial BW, 80 kg final BW) fitted with an ileo-rectal anastomosis were used to determine the effect of partial dehulling of two- and six-row barley varieties on the concentrations of ileal digestible amino acids (AA). The following diets were provided according to a standardized diet formulation and tested in five consecutive periods (repeated group-period design): two-row barley (TRB) + casein (C), dehulled TRB (TRB-H) + C, six-row barley (SRB) + C, dehulled SRB (SRB-H) + C, and wheat starch + C. Daily rates of approximately 80 g DM × kg BW − 0.75 in barley diets and 49 g DM × kg BW − 0.75 in the casein diet were supplied. The digestibility of AA in barley was determined by the difference method (casein as basal diet) using quantitative ileal effluent collection. In TRB and SRB the ID of CP and AA did not differ. As demonstrated on selected key AA there were increases of both concentrations of gross AA and of ileal AA digestibility duo to dehulling. Consequently, the contents of ileal digestible AA were raised by up to 39% for lysine and 38% for methionine in TRB-H and SRB-H, respectively.