Comparison between titanium dioxide as an inert marker and total collection in the determination of digestibility of components in diets fed to pigs

Abstract

Nutritional studies with pigs have most commonly used chromic oxide as an inert marker, (Low, 1982) although there are various problems associated with its use. Continued experimentation to validate the use of other substances as inert markers has led to titanium dioxide becoming more popular. In an evaluation of markers using a single dietary treatment, (Jagger et al. 1992) it was concluded that titanium dioxide at a rate of 1g/kg feed was the most suitable marker of those tested. More recent work using ten dietary treatments, (Thompson and Wiseman, 1998) found titanium dioxide to be a valid inert marker in the determination of energy digestibility of diets which varied in content of fat and fibre. The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate titanium dioxide as a marker in the determination of digestibility of components in diets based on a range of raw materials.