A note on the digestibility by growing pigs of certain nutrients and energy in maize- or molasses-based diets

Abstract

Comparison were made between the digestibilities of nutrients from diets based on maize (83·5 cent) high-test molasses (74·4 per cent) or sugar plus final molasses (52·0 and 22·5 per cent, respectively). The apparent digestibilities of dry matter (DM), organic matter, N, ash and nitrogen-free extractives did not differ between diets. Fat digestibility was negative in the molassesbased diets. Faecal fat not of immediate dietary origin amounted to 12·3 and 7·6 g/day for pigs fed high-test molasses or sugar plus final molasses, respectively. The estimated digestible energy content was 16·40, 14·85 and 14·82 MJ/kg DM for the maize, high-test molasses and sugar plus final molasses- based diets, respectively.