AMINO ACID COMPOSITION AND PROTEIN QUALITY OF COMMON SRI LANKAN FEEDSTUFFS FOR GROWING PIGS

Abstract

A series of balanced trials, each involving eight growing pigs (average body, weight, 32 + 4 kg), were conducted to determine the apparent protein digestibility and net protein utilization values of twelve local feedstuffs. The protein quality indices were high for soybean meal and fish meal, as indicated by high values of protein digestibility and net protein utilization. The net protein utilization value of gingelly poonac was low, probably due to its low content of lysine. The protein quality indices of cassava leaf meal and poultry litter were similar to that of coconut poonac; The digestibility and utilization, of protein in ipil-ipil leaf meal were extremely low, which may be related to its mimosine and tannin contents.The amino acid composition of the feedstuffs is also reported.