BIOLOGICAL VALUE OF A SOY-BASED (Glycine hispide) AND MESQUITE (Prosopis juliflora) DIET

Abstract

The nutritive value of a vegetable-based blend, soy milk (Glycine hispide) plus mesquite flour (Prosopis juliflora) was assessed in male weanling rats (Wistar) aged 21 day-old. The animals, (n=40), were divided into four groups and had free access to diets and water. Feeding schedule was as follows: Diet 1 - soy milk (50%) plus mesquite flour (50%); Diet 2 - soy milk (70%) plus mesquite flour (30%); Diet 3 - casein (Control); Diet 4 - a protein-free diet. Diets 1 and 2 provided approximately 9% of protein. The Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Food Efficiency Ratio (FER), Net Protein Ratio (NPR), Coefficient of Apparent Food Digestibility (CapFD) and weight gains were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis method was used for statistical analysis (significance level set at 5%). Values of all parameters were higher in the control animals than in the experimental ones. The parameters for animals fed with the Diet 2 showed higher values compared to those of Diet 1. It is concluded that this vegetable-based blend proved to be valid in terms of nutritive value, even though, further investigation is recommended before its use in supplementary feeding programs directed towards population groups from economically deprived environments.