Effect of dehulling and extrusion on nutritional values of faba bean in pigs

Faba bean is a protein-rich feed ingredient for pig nutrition that could replace partially or totally traditional protein sources such as soybean meal. However, faba bean contains secondary metabolites that restrict bioavailability of proteins contained in seed. Technological processes such as dehulling and extrusion may reduce concentration and/or biological activity of antinutritional factors contained in faba bean. Apparent faecal and ileal digestibility of nutrients from whole (W) or dehulled (D) faba bean, without (E0) or with extrusion at two temperatures – 140 °C (E1) or at 160 °C (E2) – were determined in growing pigs. Dehulling increased faecal digestibility of faba bean for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and gross energy (GE). The best amino acid (AA) digestibility coefficients were obtained for diets containing whole faba bean extruded at 140 °C and dehulled faba bean extruded at 160 °C