The Influence of Diet Composition on the
Apparent Digestibility of Crude Protein and
Amino Acids at the Terminal Ileum and
Overall in Pigs
W. C. SAUER,’ A. JUST, H. H. JPIRGENSEN, hlAKONNEN FEKADUZand B. 0. EGGUhl
National Institute of Animal Science, Copenhagen, Denmark
Introduction
The validity of the faecal analysis method for
determination of the apparent digestibility of
the amino acids (Kuiken & Lyman, 1948) is
often questioned partly because of endogenous
protein secretions into the digestive tract and
partly because of the effect of microorganisms
in the hind gut (caecum & colon). The micro-
organisms may influence protein metabolism and
thereby confound the determination of crude
protein and amino acid digestibilities. Bacterial
enzymes in the large intestine could bring about
hydrolysis of undigested protein through peptides
of decreasing length to free amino acids. These
free amino acids may either be absorbed as such
or broken down further to yield ammonia and
carbon skeletons. The latter compounds, in turn,
may be absorbed by the animal or be used for de
novo bacterial protein synthesis (Just & Mason,
1974; Mason, Just & Bech Andersen, 1976).
The apparent faecal digestibilities of amino
acids in cereal based diets and in semi purified
diets are generally higher than the corresponding
ileal digestibilities (Zebrowska, 19730, 6; Bura-
czewska, Buraczewski, Horszczaruk, Jones &
Zebrowska, 1975; Buraczewska, Buraczewski &
Zebrowska, 1975; CuperloviC, HristiC & Ze-
browska, 1975; Braude, Fulford & Low, 1976;
Zebrowska, Simon, Munchmeyer & Bergner,
1976; Rerat, Vaissade, Vaugelade, Robin, Robin
& Jung, 1977; Sauer, Stothers & Phillips, 1977;
Present address: Department of Animal Science, Uni-
versity of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
* Present address: Faculty of Veterinary hledicine, Insti-
tute of Bacteriology and Epizootology Biomedicurn,
Uppsala, Sweden.
Sauer, Stothers & Parker, 1977; Low, 19790, 6;
Just, 1980). However, studies in which protein or
amino acids were infused into the hind gut of
pigs have shown that most of the amino acids are
degraded to ammonia or amines and absorbed
in the hind gut as the nitrogen is almost fully
excreted in the urine (Zebrowska, 1975; Sauer,
1976; Hodgon, 1977; Just, Jargensen & F e r n h -
dez,’ 1 9 7 9 ~ ) .
The objective of the present investigation was
to study the influence of the chemical composi-
tion of diets on the ileal and faecal digestibilities
of crude protein and amino acids and the amounts
of these nutrients disappearing in the hind gut.
Material and Methods
Nine male castrate Danish Landrace pigs fitted
with ileo-caecal re-entrant cannulae were used for
the digestibility experiments during the growth
period from approximately 50 to 70 kg. Surgery
was performed on the barrows at approximately
45 kg live weight, according to the technique
described by Easter & Tanksley (1973). The
re-entrant cannulae were made from polyvinyl-
chloride plastisol, as described by Sauer (1976)
and had an internal diameter of 12 mm.
The composition of the diets is given in Tables
1, 2, 3 and 4. The diets were formulated so
that they varied considerably in chemical com-
position but fulfilled the requirements of the
pigs for essential nutrients per feed unit according
to the current Danish standard (Andersen &
Just, 1979). In experiment 3, however, the factor
in question was protein and therefore the crude
protein supply in groups 2 and 3 exceeded the
Acfu Agricrrlturiz Scundiililtacica 30 (1980)
450 W. C. Sailer et al.
requirements. It was difficult to maintain feed
intake as planned especially on fibrous diets as
the appetite of the pigs was poor probably due to
problems with passage of digesta through the
re-entrant cannula. In order to diminish problems
caused by blockage of digesta, the diets were
ground through a 1 mm screen. In all experi-
ments feed intake was increased gradually from
period 1 to period 3.
The background for the composition of the
diets is that they should be representative of the
diets used in a number of investigations per-
formed in order to study factors influencing
digestibility, utilization of digestible protein
and metabolizable energy (Just, 1970; Just, 1975;
Just, Rasmussen & Hansen, 1976; Just, 1977;
Just, Jorgensen & Fekadu, 1978; Just, 1979).
The pigs were kept in metabolic cages allowing
separate collection of faeces and urine. Four
individual experiments were performed according
to a 3 x 3 Latin square design. Chromic oxide
was used as an indicator. Each test period lasted
seven days and equal amounts of feed were given
three times daily at 0700 h, 1500 h and 2300 h.
Faeces was collected for 24 hours on day six
and ileal digesta was collected for eight hours
on day seven.
Soft plastic tubing was attached to the ileal
cannula during the collection period and led
into a container filled with ice. As soon as
digesta passed through the ileal cannula into the
tubing, it was squeezed by hand until the
digesta was below the ice level in the container.
Every 1 or 2 hours, depending on the flow rate,
digesta was transferred from the tubing to a
graduated beaker. The volume was made up
to the nearest 100. ml with distilled water.
After vigorous stirring, a 50% aliquot was
taken using a 50 cc syringe and frozen im-
mediately. The remainder was made up to the
original volume with distilled water, warmed to
38°C and gradually infused through the caecal
cannula. Infusion was usually completed within
1 hour following the collection of the digesta.
After conclusion of the experiments faeces
was mixed before samples were drawn for
analyses. Faeces and digesta were freeze-dried.
Nitrogen and amino acid digestibilities were
calculated based on the levels of chromic oxide
in feed, ileal digesta and faeces.
Chromic oxide was estimated by the method
of Schiirch, Lloyd & Crampton (1950), modified
as described for official procedures by Jakobsen
& Weidner (1973). Amino acid analyses were per-
formed using a Durrum D500 amino acid
Acra Agriculfum Scundinaricu 30 (1980)
analyser. The procedures were described by
Weidner & Eggum (1966), Eggum (1968) and
Bech-Andersen (1979).
Analysis of variance was carried out with aid
of the statistical analysis system SAS (Barr,
Goodnight, SalI & Helwig, 1976) taking into
account the effects of pig, period, diet and site
at which digestibilities were determined. Dif-
ferences among treatment means were tested
according to Duncan’s multiple range test.
Results
Both ileal and faecal digestibility of crude
protein and amino acids were decreased with
increasing concentration of dietary crude fibre
as shown in Table 1. The source of dietary
crude fibre and crude protein, processing etc.
also influence the digestibility of crude protein
(Just, Jorgensen & Fernindez, 19790) but in
compleiely balanced diets this influence most
likely is small. Using a number of different
cereal based (different varieties and qualities of
barley, oat, maize, sorghum) balanced diets
Just (1970) found that dietary crude fibre ac-
counted for 50% and dietary protein accounted
for 19% of the variation in the digestibility of
crude protein.
Most of the amino acids were digested to a
greater extent than crude protein. The explana-
tion most likely is that crude protein contains
some lower nitrogen compounds, which have
lower digestibilities than the amino acids. Similar
results were obtained by Just (1968, 1970, 1971 &
1980) and Just, Sauer, Bech-Andersen, Jorgensen
& Eggum (1980). Just, Andersen & Jorgensen
(1980) similarly found the long chain fatty acids
to be more digestible than crude fat.
The pattern of the apparent digestibility coeffi-
cients of the individual amino acids follows that
of crude protein, but systematic differences are
found among the amino acids and between the
individual amino acids and crude protein. In-
terpretation of these differences is complicated
by the fact that the nitrogenous compounds in
ileal digesta and faeces originate from several
sources, e.g. diet, endogenous secretions and
microbial synthesis or conversions. Only small
differences were found between the ileal and
faecal digestibility of lysine and methionine and
the data further indicate a net increase of these
amino acids in the hind gut of the pigs fed the
most fibrous diet (group 3). Larger differences
between the ileal and faecal digestibility were
 Infliierice of diet coripositiori or1 tke apparerit digestibility of criide proteiii 45 1
found for threonine, tryptophan, cystine and
proline.
The depressive effect of crude fibre from barley
straw on the ileal and faecal digestibility of crude
protein and amino acids, shown in Table 2,
seems to be of the same magnitude as that of
crude fibre from cereals and cereal byproducts
given in Table 1. The pattern of the digestibility
coefficients given in Table 2 is. also similar to
those in Table 1, but the difference between the
ileal and faecal digestibility is apparently
diminished more by crude fibre from barley
straw than by crude fibre from cereal and cereal
byproducts. The net increase of Iysine and niethio-
nine in the hind gut of the pigs fed the diet
including 15% barley straw was also greater
than that on the crude fibre-rich diet shown in
Table 1.
The explanation for the diminishing difference
between the ileal and faecal digestibilities with
increasing concentration of dietary crude fibre
is most likely an increased microbial activity in
the hind gut, which in turn is due to the
transfer of more undigested material to the
hind gut as found by Just (1979). Furthermore
combined balance-slaughter investigations with
growing pigs showed that intake of 1 kg ground
barley straw increased the heat production by
2.0 MJ and increased the faecal excretion of
crude protein by 90-100 g.
Increasing concentration of dietary crude pro-
tein caused a statistical significant increase in
the apparent ileal and faecal digestibility of
crude protein and most of the amino acids as
shown in Table 3. This would be expected as
the excretion of endogenous nitrogen into the
digestive tract more or less is proportional with
dietary dry matter intake and therefore ac-
counts for a greater part of the faecal nitrogen
at lower than at higher dietary crude protein
concentrations (Just, 1970; Eggum, 1973). In
addition to the effect of the concentration of
crude protein, the digestibility of crude protein
and amino acids is influenced by numerous
factors such as the dietary concentration and
the source of crude fibre and crude protein (Just,
1970; Eggum, 1973; Just, Jargensen & Fernindez,
1979b), tannins (Eggum & Christensen, 1975;
Gohl & Thomke, 1976), the presence of enzyme
inhibitors in the diet and the hind gut micro-
flora (Kidder & Manners, 1978), type of starch
(Mason, Just & Bech-Andersen, 1976), the effect
of processing and age or weight of pigs (Just,
1978). As shown in Table 3 no significant dif-
ferences were found between the apparent ileal
and faecal digestibility of lysine and methio-
nine, but in most cases. statistically significant
differences were found for the other amino acids.
Increasing concentration of dietary animal
fat from 4.5 to 26.8y6 of diet dry matter in-
creased the apparent ileal and faecal digestibility
of crude protein and amino acids by approxi-
mately 3 percent units (Table 4), which is in
accordance with the results given by Just, Ras-
mussen & Hansen (1976) and Just (1979). Thus
dietary crude fat has only little influence on the
digestibility of crude protein and amino acids.
The differences between the ileal and faecal
digestibilities were of the same magnitude as
found in the foregoing experiments and were in
most cases statistically significant. .
The apparent ileal and faecal digestibilities of
crude protein and amino acids in average of the
36 individual experiments are given in Table 5
together with the amounts disappearing in the
hind gut. The average difference between the
apparent ileal and faecal digestibility of crude
protein and of amino acids was identical and
amounted to 7.6 percent units or approxi-
mately 9 % of the total digested amounts. How-
ever, there was considerable variation among
amino acids in the ileal-faecal difference. Thus,
there was a decrease of 17.8 percent units of
glycine in the hind gut and an increase of 0.8
percent units of methionine.
Generally, only small amounts of methionine
and lysine were produced or disappeared in the
hind gut, whereas tryptophan, threonine, cystine,
proline, serine and glycine disappeared to a
greater extent.
Discussion
Infusions of crude protein or amino acids into
the caecum (Zebrowska, 1975; Sauer, 1976;
Hodgon, 1977; Just, Jmgensen & Fernindez,
1 9 7 9 ~ )have shown that amino acids absorbed
(disappearing) from the hind gut have little or no
protein value as their nitrogen is almost fully
excreted into the urine. The explanation for this
is probably that the nitrogen is absorbed in the
form of ammonia and/or amines instead of
amino acids. This would indicate the ileal
digestibilities to be the proper ones but in addi-
tion to the former discussed factors influencing
the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids
one must be aware of the pitfalls arising in
experiments with cannulated pigs such as site
and effect of cannulation, particle size of the diet,
feeding frequency, collection procedures, marker
Arm Agricrhrrre Scondinacica 30 (1 9SO)
452 IV. C. Sailer et al.
Table 1. The irrflierice of dietary crude fibre or1 the apparerit ileal arid faecul digestibility of crude
proteiii arid arnirio acids
Group

1 2 3

Dirt composition, ?La

Maize 24.9 12.5 0.0
Barley 0.0 28.3 56.6
Soyabean meal 31.7 22.1 12.5
bleat & bone meal 2.0 2.0 2.0
hlaize starch 34.3 17.2 0.0
Wheat bran 0.0 5.4 10.7
Oat hulls meal 0.0 7.0 13.9
Animal fat 3.7 2.9 2.0
CJieniicaIcomposition, ?& of D h l
Crude protein 23.9 23.2 18.1
Crude fat 6.9 5.8 4.7
Crude fibre 4.1 5.9 7.8
Nitrogen-free extract 58.6 58.5 63.8
Amino acid composition, g/kg Dhf
Arginine 15.9 13.8 10.1
Histidine 5.4 4.8 3.7
Isoleucine 10.6 9.7 6.9
Leucine 19.4 17.5 12.6
Lysine 13.1 12.1 7.5
hlethionine 3.8 3.9 2.7
Phenylalanine 11.0 10.4 8.5
Threonine 8.5 8.0 5.7
Tryptophan 2.6 2.9 2.2
Valine 9.9 9.7 7.2
Alanine 11.6 11.0 7.5
Aspartic acid 24.4 20.8 13.1
Cystine 3.5 3.4 2.9
Glutamic acid 47.1 49.3 43.9
Glycine 11.2 11.3 8.1
Proline 12.6 15.5 15.5
Serine 10.7 9.7 7.5
Tyrosine 8.3 7.4 5.5
Daily feed intake
kg dry matter 1.14 1.14 1.15
Apparent cligrstibiliiy, 7; Ileum Overall Ileum Overall Ileum Overall
Crude protein 7SbC 89a 75c 87" 74c 82b
Arginine 92ab 95" 87' 9 P 89bC 91abc
Histidine 89b 95" 82' 92ab 87bC 90ab
Isoleucine 81bC 9Ia 78' 8Sab 82C 83bC
Leucine 86bC 92" 81' 90ab 84c 86bc
Lysine 8Sab 91' 84bC 89"b 8Sabc 81'
hlethionine 87" 89' 82"b 87a 85"b SOb
Phenylalanine 84ab 9 la 79b 89" 85ab
Threonine 76ac 89a 67' 87a 73bC S0"b
Tryptophan 77b 90a 75b 90" 82ab 88"
Valine 81bC 89a 77c 87'b 81' 82b'
Alanine 77 b C 89a 71' 86ab 73' 78b'
Aspartic acid 82bC 92" 72d 8gab 76Cd 82bC
Cystine 75b 89" 66' 87" 74bC 85"
Glutamic acid 8Sb 95" 85b 94' 89ab 93"
Glycine 72b 89" 64b 88' 69b 82a
Proline 77c 93a 79bC 93a 86'b 93a
Serine 8IbC 92" 74c 90" 8IbC 86ab
Tyrosine 84abc 92a 78' 90ab 83bC 86ab
Average 82bc 91' 77c 89a 81bC 85"b
a hlinerals and vitamins were added t o the diets according to the Danish Standards (Andersen & Just, 1979).
a * b * c * d * e =Values in the same row with the same letter do not differ significantly (P<O.O5).
 Ittflrerice of diet conposition 011 the apparent digestibility of crirde proteiri 453

Table 2. The irillirence of groirrid barley straw on the apparent ileal arid faecal digestibility of crirde
proteiri arid amirio acids
Group

I 2 3

Diet coniposilion, Y',

Barley 75.4 68.6 61.8
Soyabean meal 14.3 14.4 14.5
hfeat & bone meal 2.0 1.9 1.7
Sugar 2.0 1.9 1.7
Barley straw meal 0.0 7.5 15.0
Animal fat 2.8 2.6 2.3

Cltemicul coniposifion, 7; of Dhf

Crude protein 19.1 19.1 17.9
Crude fat 5.4 5.1 4.6
Crude fibre 4.7 7.0 9.4
Nitrogen-free extract 64.8 62.8 62.2

Amino acid contposition, glkg Dhf

Arginine 10.8 10.8 10.2
Histidine 3.8 3.8 3.4
Isoleucine 7.7 6.7 7.2
Leucine 13.5 13.5 12.6
Lysine 8.1 8.4 7.8
hlethionine 2.9 2.9 2.7
Phenylalanine 9.4 9.2 8.6
Threonine 6.1 6.3 5.7
Tryptophan 2.1 2.3 1.9
Valine 8.3 8.3 7.8
Alanine 7.8 8.0 7.5
Aspartic acid 14.4 14.8 13.8
Cystine 2.9 2.8 2.6
Glutamic acid 46.6 44.9 42.3
Glycine 8.3 8.5 7.8
Proline 17.1 16.1 15.1
Serine 8.1 8.2 7.4
Tyrosine 5.8 5.7 5.3

Daily feed intake

kg dry matter 1.14 1.24 1.33

Apparent digestibility, 7; Ileum Overall Ileum Overall Ileum Overall

Crude protein SOab 85' 76b Slab 75b 75b
Arginine 9oab 93' 8gb 92a 8Sb 8ga
Histidine 8Sb 92' 86bC 91' 85' 87b
Isoleucine 84'bC 88' 79' 8Sab 82bC 82bC
Leucine 85bC 89' 84' 8Sab 83' 84'
Lysine 87' 8Ta 86' 85' 86' 79b
hlethionine 87' 86' 85' 84a 85' 77b
Phenylalanine 86'b 89' 84b 8Sab 84b 84b .
Threonine 76' 86' 75' 84'b 72' 7SbC
Tryptophan 79b 89' SOb 89' 77b 83b
Valine 84abc 87= 8IbC 87ab 80' 81bC
Alanine 7Sabc 83' 76bC Slab 76bc 74'
Aspartic acid 79' 87' 76' 85ab 76' SObc
Cystine 73'b 84' 74'b Slab 6gb 73ab
Glutamic acid 91b' 94' 90' 94'b 90' 92bC
Glycine 73b' 85' 70' 85' 66' 79ab
Proline 90' 95' 87d 94'b 87d 92bC
Serine 83Cd 90' 81cd 8Sab 796 84bC
Tyrosine 83'b 89' 82b 8ga 83'b 84'b
Average 83bC 88' 81' Uab 80' 82'

' Minerals and vitamins were added to the diets according t o the Danish Standards (Andersen & Just. 1979).
'* b* '. dm = Values in the same row with the same letter d o not differ significantly (Px0.05).
454 .'fI C. Sarrer et al.

Table 3. Tjie iitflttteme of dietary protein 011 fhe apparei~tileal a i d faecal dipstibility o j crride proteiti
aud ainitio acids
Group

1 2 3

Diet coiposirion, :Au

Barley 29.0 62.2 42.3
Wheat bran 28.4 5.0 0.3
Soyabean meal 4.5 23.4 47.1
hleat & bone meal 2.0 2.0 2.1
Dried skim milk 0.3 0.7 1.4
hiaize starch 25.9 0.0 0.0
Animal fat 2.0 2.2 2.5
Clieiiiical coinposition, %
' of DAI
Crude protein 16.5 24.1 32.8
Crude fat 5.4 5.4 5.7
Crude fibre 5.7 4.9 5.6
Nitrogen-free extract 66.2 59.0 48.5
Anriiio acid coiqmsition, g/kg DAI
Arginine 10.7 15.1 21.9
Histidine 3.6 5. I 7.3
Isoleucine 6.0 10.0 14.2
Leucine 10.9 17.6 24.2
Lysine 8.8 11.6 17.2
hiethionine 3.2 3.5 4.6
Phenylalanine 7.3 11.9 16.0
Threonine 5.0 8.2 11.5
Tryptophan 2.1 3.1 4.1
Valine 7.9 11.7 15.6
Alanine 7.2 10.0 13.7
Aspartic acid 12.4 21.1 32.6
Cystine 2.8 3.8 4.9
Glutamic acid 35.8 53.9 67.8
GIycine 8.5 10.9 14.6
Proline 12.9 20.5 23.2
Serine 6. I 9.8 14.5
Tyrosine 5.0 8. I 11.5
Daily feed inrake
kg dry matter 1.37 1.38 1.36

Apparent cligestibiliry. % Ileum Overall Ileum Over Ileum Overall

Crude protein 67' 78b 76b 84" 79b 87"
Arginine 81d 90' 86' 92ab 89bC 9 9
Histidine 81d 89b 84' 92a 87b 93a
lsoleucine 77e 80de 83'd 86ab 84b' 88"
Leucine 7SC 83b 83b 88" 84b 89a
Lysine 82b 84b 84b 86"b 84b 90"
hlethionine 85a 83" 86" 82" 86a 86"
Phenylalanine 77' 85b 83b 89" 84b 90"
Threonine 66' 78b 76b 85" 79b 8Sa
Trypiophan 75d 86ab 81' 8Sab 82bC 90"
Valine 74' 8lb 8Ob 86a 82b 88"
Alanine 66' 76b 736 81" 76b 8.4"
Aspartic acid 71' 81b 79b 87" 82b 91"
Cystine 72d 84b 77' 88ab 78' 89"
Glutamic acid 86' 91"b 88b' 94a 86' 94a
Glycine 55' 8 la 63bc 86" 69b 87a
Proline 4Sb 91" 69ab 94" 75ab 94"
Serine 72d 8Sb 78' 89" 83b 92"
Tyrosine soc 82b' 83bC 86ab 85b 89"
Average 74' 84b 80' 8Sa 82bC 90"

hlinerals and vitamins were added to the diets according to the Danish Standards (Andersen & Just, 1979).
"* b* d * = Values in the same row with the same letter d o not differ significantly (P<O.O5).
'p
 Iirflrreiice of diet conposition on the apparent digestibility of crirde proteiii 455

Table 4 . The iqflirerice of dietary fat on the apprirriit ileal atid fnecal digestibiliry of crude protein aid
arniiio acids

Group

1 2 3

Diet cottiposilion,';7
Barley 79.6 47.6 18.4
Wheat bran 1.9 16.6 29.0
Soyabean meal 10.3 17.6 24.7
hleat & bone meal 2.0 2.2 2.5
Sugar 2.0 2.2 2.5
Animal fat 0.9 10.7 20.3

Cfrertriral cotirposilion, % of DAf

Crude protein 20.0 20.1 20.7
Crude fat 4.5 17.0 26.8
Crude fibre 5.5 5.6 5.7
Nitrogen-free extract 64.2 51.0 40.2
Atiriiio acid cotitposition, g/kg DAf
A r g inin e 10.9 12.2 13.6
Histidine 4.3 4.6 4.9
Isoleucine 7.5 7.9 8.3
Leucine 13.5 14.0 14.5
Lysine 7.8 8.4 9.0
hlethionine 3.0 3.2 3. I
Phenylalanine 9.6 9.3 9.3
Threonine 6.2 6.6 7.1
Tryptophan 2.5 2.4 2.6
Valine 8.7 8.9 9.3
Alanine 7.9 8.5 9.1
Aspartic acid 13.9 16.4 18.9
Cyst i ne 3.3 3.2 3.5
Glutamic acid 47.3 43.9 41.3
Glycine 8.5 9.4 10.1
Proline 18.7 16.0 13.6
Serine 7.8 8.4 9.3
Tyrosine 6.4 6.5 6.8
Daily feed itilake
kg dry matter 1.41 1.42 1.42
Apparent cligestibilily, %, Ileum Overall lleum Overall Ileum Overall
Crude protein 74b 82' 73b 81' 76b 85'
Arginine 86d 92b 88Cd 93'b goc 94'
Histidine 84b 93' 84b 93' 85b 9ja
lsoleucine 79' 85'b 80' 87'b 83bC 89'
Leucine 81b 87a 82b 88' 83b 90'
Lysine 83b 83b 84b 84'b 8S'b 87'
hiethionine 83b 83'b 82b 8 84ab 86'
Phenylalanine 82b 8ga 82b- 89' 83b 91a
Threonine 6gb 84a 70b 85' 73b 88'
Tryptophan 77b 89' 79b 8ga 81b 92'
Valine 76b 86' 78b 87' 80b 89'
Alanine 72d 8Ob" 73d 82'b 77' 85'
Aspartic acid 72d 85b 76d 879b soc 90'
Cystine 70b 86' 6gb 85' 73b 87a
Glutamic acid 89b 94' 88b 94' 88b 94'
Glycine 63' 84a 6gbC 85' 73b 87'
Pro1i n e 85b 94' 84b 93a 84b 93'
Serine 74c 88' 77bC 89' 80b 91'
Tyrosine 8IC 8 Ib' 88' 84; 90'
Average 78b 87a 79b 88' 81 90'

a hlinerals and vitamins \vere added to the diets according t o the Danish Standards (Andersen & Just, 1979).
*' b* '* dm = Values in the same row with the same letter d o not differ significantly (P<0.05).
456 IV. C. Sailer et al.

Table 5 . Apparent ileal arid faecal digestibilities arid the disappearatice iri the kirid grit. Acerage of 36
experiments, i.e. Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4

Average apparent Average disappearance

digestibility in the hind gut -

Ileum Overall % of intake g/kg dry matter intake

Crude protein 75.3 82.9 7.6 5.3

Arginine 87.9 92.4 4.5 0.6 I
Histidine 85.1 91.8 6.7 0.3 I
Isoleucine 81.1 86.0 4.9 0.43
Leucine 82.9 88.0 5.1 0.8 1
Lysine 84.7 85.4 0.7 0.15
Methionine 84.8 84.0 + 0.8 +
0.02
Phenylalanine 82.6 88.2 5.6 0.57
Threonine 72.7 84.2 11.5 0.82
Tryptophan 78.7 88.6 9.9 0.25
Valine 79.3 85.8 6.5 0.63
Alanine 74.0 81.5 7.5 0.73
Aspartic acid 76.7 86.4 9.7 1.79
Cystine 72.5 85.0 12.5 0.42
Glutarnic acid 88.2 93.5 5.3 2.54
Glycine 67.1 84.9 17.8 1.76
Proline 79.3 93.2 13.9 2.27
Serine 78.5 88.6 10.1 0.91
Tyrosine 82.3 87.7 5.4 0.38
Average 79.9 87.5 7.6 0.85

recovery, amino acid analyses etc. (Zebrowska,
Buraczewska, Buraczewski & Horszczaruk, 1975;
Zebrowska & Horszczaruk, 1975; Low, 1976;
Sauer, 1976; Livingstone, Atkinson, Baird &
Crofts, 1977; Low & Zebrowska, 1977; Poppe,
Meier & Bennke, 1977; Zebrowska, Buraczewska,
Pastuszewska, Chamberlain & Buraczewski,
1977; Bech-Andersen, 1979).
In the present investigation the pigs were fed
the same amount of diet at each of three daily
feedings exactly eight hours apart. Under
such experimental conditions Sauer, Stothers &
Phillips (1977) found the ileal digestibilities
based on an eight hours’ collection period to be
representative of those based on a twenty-four
hours’ collection period.
In order to reduce problems caused by blockage
of digesta in the cannulae, the diets were ground
through a 1 mm screen. Experiments of Sauer,
Stothers & Phillips (1977) showed slightly higher
ileal digestibilities of amino acids in finely ground
than in cracked wheat, but the faecal digesti-
bilities were not affected. Just (1978) found a
slight increase in the faecal digestibility by
fine grinding especially of fibrous diets in young
pigs. Thus the effect of grinding on the dif-
ference between the ileal and faecal digestibility
seems to be small.
Acta Agriculture Scandinmica 30 (1980)
It was attempted that the differently fed pigs
should have identical daily intakes of feed units
for pigs, which in turn would have resulted in
identical daily intakes of digestible nutrients as
the diets were completely balanced on a feed
unit basis. However, the appetite of the pigs was
generally somewhat poor, and following it was
not always possible to obtain the planned feed
intake. This may have a slightly positive effect
on the digestibility of the fibrous diets shown in
Table 1 as Just, Jmgensen & Fernandez (1980)
have found an increase in the digestibility of
crude protein with a decreasing daily feed intake.
There was considerable variation among
amino acids in the ileal-faecal difference. It is a
question, however, whether these differences are
true measures of the availability of these amino
acids in the dietary crude protein or an artifact
due to endogenous secretions into the alimentary
canal (Zebrowska, 1973 a; Buraczewska, Bura-
czewski, Horszczaruk, Jones & Zebrowska, 1975;
Rerat, Vaissade, Vaugelade, Robin, Robin &
Jung, 1977; Low, 19790, b; Just, 1980) and/or
microbial action in the hind gut (Dammers,
1964; Eggum, 1972; Salter, 1973; Salter, Coates
& Hewitt, 1974; Salter & Fulford, 1974; Ze-
browska & Pastuszewska, 1975; Mason, Just &
Bech-Andersen, 1976; Zebrowska, Buraczewska
 Inftireiice of diet composition on the apparelit digestibility of crirde protein
& Horaczyfiski, 1977; Eggum, Fekadu, Wol-
strup, Sauer & Just, 1979; Just, Sauer, Bech-
Andersen, Jsrgensen & Eggum, 1980).
The amounts of the individual amino acids
disappearing in the hind gut were very con-
sistent among diets (except the two high in fibre)
and, agree very well with the data of Just (1968,
1971, 1980), Eggum (1973), Mason, Just &
Bech-Andersen (1976), Zebrowska, Buraczew-
ska & Buraczewski (1977) and Just, Sauer, Bech-
Andersen, Jsrgensen & Eggum (1980). The net
formation of methionine and lysine that took
place in the hind gut of the pigs fed the more
fibrous diets was most likely due to an increase
in the amount of undigestible nutrients transferred
to the hind gut and its effect on the amount of
breakdown and synthesis of bacterial protein
(Mason, Just & Bech-Andersen, 1976; Just, 1979;
Just, Jargensen & Fernindez, 1979a; Just, 1980).
It can therefore be concluded that the chemical
composition of diets exerts a great influence on
the apparent ileal and faecal digestibility of crude
protein and amino acids, but it has apparently
only a limited influence on the amounts dis-
appearing in the hind gut. However, much more
work is needed to elucidate, properly, the amount
and amino acid composition of the nitrogen con-
taining substances secreted into the digestive
tract, the significance of the microflora in the
alimentary canal, the influence of type of carbo-
hydrates, feed processing and the relationship
of ileal and faecal digestibility t o BV and NPU
etc.
Summary
In order to elucidate the influence of diet com-
position on the ileal and faecal apparent digesti-
bility of crude protein and amino acids and the
amounts disappearing in the hind gut, four
experiments were performed with ileo-caecal re-
.entrant cannulated Danish Landrace pigs ac-
cording to a 3 x 3 Latin square design. The diets
were formulated to vary in crude fibre (4-8%),
ground barley straw (0-15 %), crude protein
(1633%) and crude fat (4-2776).
Diet composition had a large influence upon
the apparent ileal and faecal digestibility of
crude protein and amino acids, whereas the
influence of diet composition on the amounts
disappearing in the hind gut was limited except
for the fibre-rich diets. On average 7.6 percent
units of crude protein or amino acids disappeared
in the hind gut. The amount of the individual
amino acids disappearing in the hind gut differed
457
considerably. On average a net increase of 0.8
percent units of methionine took place in the hind
gut, whereas 17.8 percent units of glycine dis-
appeared.
The difference between the ileal and faecal
apparent digestibilities for lysine and methio-
nine were small, whereas tryptophan, threonine,
cystine, proline, serine and glycine always
showed larger differences (10-20%). The amounts
disappearing in the hind gut of the individual
amino acids were very consistent among diets
except for the fibre-rich diets.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their thanks to Mr
Tage Olsen and Mr Ole H. Olsen for excellent
animal care and to S. Bech-Andersen, Cand.
Pharm., for his valuable technical assistance
with the amino acid analyses.
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h ls received February 4, 1980
Printed November 28, 1980
Acta Agriculturm Scandinarica 30 (1 980)