The chemical composition of different types and varieties of pea and the digestion of their protein in pigs

Six varieties of white-flowered and three varieties of coloured-ftowered peas were analysed for content of nutrients and some antinutritional factors. In a trial on cannulated pigs, ileal and fala) digestibility of protein and amino acids wcre estimated. The coloured-flowered varieties of pea contained significantly more NDF (P <0,051, Klason lignin and tannins (P <0.01) Chan the white-flowered ones. The trypsin inhibitor activity ranged widety in both white-and coloured-flowered peas. Methionine, cystine and threonine were negatively correlated with the protein content of the tested seeds. The true ileal and faecal digestibilifies ofpea protein ranged from 66 to 83 and from 74 to 88, respectively. The greatest differences among the peas in ileal amino acid digestibility occurred for methi oni ne, cystine and tryptophanc. It was found that among the analyscd factors (NDF, tannins, trypsin inhibitor) only NDF significantly decreased the ileal digestibility of protein. The faccal digestibility was mainly reduced by tannin content.