Nutritional Value of Feathers Treated by Two Methods of Hydrolysis for Feeding Pigs

Abstract

A total of 18 pigs of average weight 45 kg, were used in two experiments to evaluate two products of hydrolysis of feathers: feathers treated with NaOH (QH), and treated with vapour pressure (PH). In E1, treatments were: RR₁ : reference ration; RQH: replacement of 18% of dry matter (DM) of RR₁ by QH; RPH: replacement of 18% of DM of RR₁ by PH. In E2, treatments were: RR₂ : ration reference; DQH: replacement of 1/3 of crude protein (DCP) by CP of QH; DLQH: DQH diet supplemented with 0.25% lysine. The variables evaluated in E1 were apparent digestibility (Dap) of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and energy (E), and E2 were Dap of DM, CP, apparent biological value (VBap) and net protein value (NPV) of diets containing QH. The PH had smaller values for all variables studied (P <0.05). The Dap of OM and CP for RQH were lower (P <0.05) respect to RR1 . The BVap of diet protein was: 71.5, 44.3, 51.1 for RR₂ , DQH, DLQH respectively. It is concluded that treatment with pressure and temperature did not provide an acceptable product. Feathers treated with NaOH obtained adequate values of digestibility. The inclusion of QH in diets for pigs reduced the BVof the CP and the contribution of lysine was not enough (P> 0.05) to improve this indicator.