True Metabolizable Energy and True Amino Acid Availability of an Alfalfa Protein Concentrate (Pro-Xan)

An alfalfa protein concentrate (Pro-Xan) was assayed for proximate composition, true metabolizable energy (TME), nitrogen-corrected TME (TMEn), and true available amino acid (TAAA) content. The sample had a crude protein content of 52.7%, ether extract of 8.4%, crude fiber of 2.9%, ash of 9.2%, moisture of 7.8%, and nitrogen-free extract of 19.0%. Determined TME and TMEn values were 3.28 and 2.97 kcal/g, respectively, on a dry matter basis. With one exception, the true availabilities of 16 amino acids were between 83.6 and 92.3% with an overall average of 86.1%.