Amino acid digestibility and energy concentrations in cashew nuts and copra meal fed to pigs

The objective was to determine standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) and digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in cashew nuts and copra meal fed to pigs. In experiment 1, twelve barrows with an initial body weight (BW) of 23.9 kg (standard deviation = 3.8) were fitted with a T-cannula at the distal ileum to determine SID of AA in cashew nuts, copra meal, and soybean meal (SBM). A triplicated 4 × 2 incomplete Latin square design was used. Experimental diets were formulated to contain each test ingredient as a sole source of AA, and a nitrogen-free diet was also prepared to measure basal endogenous losses of crude protein (CP) and AA. In experiment 2, six barrows with an initial BW of 12.7 kg (standard deviation = 1.3) were individually housed in metabolism cages to determine the DE and ME in cashew nuts and copra meal. A replicated 3 × 4 incomplete Latin square design was employed. A basal diet contained corn and SBM as the sole sources of energy. Two additional diets were formulated by replacing the energy sources in the basal diet with cashew nuts or copra meal at 300 g/kg. In experiment 1, the SID of CP and indispensable AA in cashew nuts was greater (P < 0.05) than in copra meal. The SID of CP and indispensable AA in cashew nuts and SBM did not differ. In experiment 2, the DE and ME in cashew nuts were greater (P < 0.05) than in copra meal. Copra meal had less amino acid digestibility and energy concentrations compared with cashew nuts and soybean meal. The digestibility of amino acids in cashew nuts did not differ from soybean meal.