Some Indices of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Rats Maintained on Heat-treated Vigna unguiculata Husk

The high cost of feed ingredients such as corn is one of the most important factors in livestock production. If agricultural by-products such as Vigna unguiculata husk could replace corn starch in animal feed, the cost of raising livestock would be cheaper. Some indices of carbohydrate metabolism in rats maintained on heat-treated Vigna unguiculata husk were investigated to ascertain the extent of carbohydrate metabolism in rats maintained on the husk. Forty-six weanling albino rats (31.11 g±3.32 g) were divided into seven groups of equal average weight. The groups were then assigned to seven experimental diets. The rats were fed on their respective experimental diets and water ad libitum. Blood pyruvate and lactate concentrations, glucose 6-phosphatase activities in selected tissues, and serum lipid profiles were determined. The results revealed that the concentrations of pytuvate (0.86 mg per 100 ml blood) and lactate (12.96 mg per 100 ml blood) in rats fed 50% inclusion level of 90-minute boiled husk were not significantly different (p =.05) from the respective values (0.85 mg per 100 ml blood and 12.53 mg per 100 ml blood) in rats fed the control diet. Also, 50% inclusion level of 90-minute boiled husk caused no significant changes in the lipid profiles. With the exception of rats maintained on the control diet, the liver (37.46 nmol/hr/mg Protein) and kidney (19.02 nmol/hr/mg Protein) concentrations of glucose 6-phosphatase activities in rats fed 50% inclusion level of 90-minute boiled husk were significantly lower (p = 0.05) than the concentrations in the liver and kidney of rats maintained on other diets. The findings show that diets based on 50% inclusion level of 90-minute boiled husk are well metabolized. Therefore, 50% replacement of corn starch by 90-minute boiled Vigna unguiculata pod husk may be considered as a way of reducing the cost of livestock production.