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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2016, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (8): 107-117.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2015491

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Nutrient content and digestibility of Fagopyrum dibotrys at various growth stages

HAN Yong1, 2, **, DEN Rong2, **, DIAO Qi-Yu1, *   

  1. 1.Feed Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100190, China;
    2.Guizhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Guiyang 550005, China
  • Received:2015-10-26 Revised:2016-01-04 Online:2016-08-20 Published:2016-08-20

Abstract:

This study investigated the nutritive value, when fed to pigs, of Fagopyrum dibotrys at various growth stages. Crude protein (CP), amino acid (AA), trace element levels, among other parameters, and their digestibility characteristics within the terminal ileum were studied. Three growing Ba×Wild×Gao pigs, and having had an ileo-rectal anastomosis operation with a T fistula installed, underwent a 3×3 Latin square trial. The levels of organic matter (OM), CP, ether extract (EE), Ca, P, and crude fiber (CF) in F. dibotrys were 88.59%, 22.72%, 2.34%, 1.05%, 0.39%, and 13.51%, respectively, in the branching stage; were 89.10%, 20.57%, 1.69%, 1.25%, 0.42%, and 15.50%, respectively, in the bud stage, and were 89.63%, 17.54%, 1.37%, 1.29%, 0.46%, and 19.75%, respectively, in the early flowering stage. Essential amino acid (EAA), non-essential amino acid (NEAA), and total amino acid (TAA) contents in F. dibotrys were 9285, 7982, and 6244 mg/100 g, respectively, in the branching stage, were 14334, 10810, 9320 mg/100 g, respectively, in the bud stage, and were 23619, 18792, 15564 mg/100 g, respectively, in the initial bloom stage. Generally, nutritive value and digestibility characteristics of F. dibotrys decreased with increasing maturity (P<0.05), except for CF which increased. Specifically, the nutrient content and digestibility characteristics were significantly lower at the bud stage than at the branching stage (P<0.05), while the decline by early flowering was extremely significant (P<0.01). A gradual decline with increasing crop maturity was observed for CP, EE, EAA, TAA content and digestibility characteristics between the branching and the bud stages, again associated with an increase in CF; a comparatively faster rate of decrease was observed for nutrient content and digestibility characteristics between the bud and early flowering crop maturity stages. Three regression equations were developed to describe the relationship between in vitro digestibility values and the corresponding in vivo digestibility values for the three tested maturity states of F. dibotrys. In summary, F. dibotrys has high feeding value in terms of nutrient content, digestibility characteristics, and AA composition. Harvesting is recommended during the bud stage for F. dibotrys for maximum yield of total digestible nutrients. Regression equations developed in the present study can predict in vivo digestibility characteristics of F. dibotrys from in vitro data.