Apparent ileal dry matter and crude protein digestibility of rations fed to pigs and determined with the use of chromic oxide (Cr2O3) and acid-insoluble ash as digestive markers.

Two experiments were conducted to determine apparent ileal DM and crude-protein (CP) digestibilities in rations fed to pigs. An evaluation was made of Cr2O3 and HCl-insoluble ash as digestive markers. In addition, the effects of body weight (BW) on apparent ileal DM and CP (N x 6.25) digestibilities were studied. In Expt 1, thirteen barrows averaging 35 kg BW were fitted with post-valve T-caecum (PVTC) cannulas to determine the apparent ileal DM and CP digestibilities of a wheat gluten-bran ration (B2) and a soyabean-meal ration (E1). Immediately after morning feeding ileal digesta samples were collected on an hourly basis for a total of 12 h. Subsequently. N and marker contents were determined in the samples. The postprandial patterns of N and Cr passage were more similar than those of N and HCl-insoluble ash. Therefore Cr2O3 is more suitable as a marker than HCl-insoluble ash. The apparent ileal CP digestibility coefficient of ration B2 derived using Cr2O3 as a marker was significantly (P < 0.05) higher by 0.018 compared with the value obtained using HCl-insoluble ash. The corresponding values for ration E2 obtained using Cr2O3 and HCl-insoluble ash were both 0.825. In Expt 2, apparent ileal DM and CP digestibilities were determined in eighteen rations using twelve barrows also fitted with PVTC cannulas (BW from 40 to 100 kg). The protein sources for these rations were from different groups of feedstuffs. In four and three of the rations apparent ileal DM and CP digestibilities respectively were significantly different (P < 0.05) when assessed using the two markers. The digestibility coefficients were not systematically higher or lower for either marker. Absolute differences were < 0.049 on average. Significant effects of live weight on apparent ileal CP digestibilities were found.