Effect of feeding mid- or zero-tannin faba bean cultivars differing in vicine and covicine content on diet nutrient digestibility and growth performance of weaned pigs

To prioritize what cultivars to grow to feed pigs, five faba bean cultivars including three zero-tannin, high vicine and covicine cultivars (Snowbird, Snowdrop, Tabasco), and two medium-tannin, lower vicine and covicine cultivars (Fabelle and Malik) were fed to compare effects on diet nutrient digestibility and growth performance of weaned pigs. A total of 260 pigs (8 ± 1.2 kg), weaned at 20 ± 1 d of age housed 2 barrows and 2 gilts/pen were fed 1 of 5 dietary regimens starting 1-week post-weaning for 4 weeks in a randomized complete block design. Diets including each cultivar at 20% or 30% provided 10.2 and 10.1 MJ net energy (NE)/kg and 1.3 and 1.2 g standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys)/MJ NE in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Digestibility data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX and growth performance data were analyzed using PROC MIXED with pen as experimental unit. Fabelle contained the most condensed tannins (CT; 0.53%) but the least vicine (0.04%) and covicine (0.01%). Zero-tannin cultivars contained little CT (