Evaluation of Nutritional Status of Common Vetch (<i>Vicia sativa</i>) on Growing Rats

Anti-nutritional effect of common vetch (Vicia sativa) was evaluated in 12 growing long-Evans rats of either sex, divided into three groups (A, B & C), each consisting of 4 rats during the period from September 1999 to April 2000.  Rats of group A fed with commercial poultry pellet feed (Quality Feeds Ltd., Dhaka), group B fed vetch supplemented ration and group C fed with ration contained vetch and methionine for a period of 43 days. Results showed that the body weight gain was significantly (p < 0.01) lower  in rats fed with vetch supplemented (183.75 ± 11.09 g) in comparison to control (221.25 ± 22.87 g) and vetch + methionine supplemented (246.25 ± 2.5 g) diets. On proportional weight basis, gut length was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in rats fed vetch supplemented diet (167.08 ± 12.72 cm) than those of vetch + methionine supplemented (106.63 ±  4.12 cm) and control (123.53 ± 19.85 cm) groups. Addition of methionine in the vetch diet resulted in a significant (p < 0.01) increases in pancreatic weight on wet weight basis. The apparent digestibility of nitrogen was found to be increased in case of rats fed vetch supplemented diet than those of control and vetch + methionine supplemented diet. Key words: Anti-nutritional effect, common vetch, growing rat DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v1i1.1920 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2003). 1(1) : 57 - 61