California is a leading producer of pistachios in the United States and globally and it is estimated that annual production will reach 2.08 billion pounds in 2031. As a result, about 31.2 million pounds of shells will be produced after the nuts are processed for human consumption. Pistachio shells have been viewed as a waste product and are frequently disposed of using ecologically friendly practices. However, it is possible that pistachio shell powder can be used as a high fiber ingredient for swine. Specifically, gestating sows may benefit from the high fiber concentration in pistachio shell powder because this may increase satiety and reduce stress. However, at this time, there is no information about the nutritional value of pistachio shell powder when fed to sows. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) and concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in pistachio shell powder are not different from those in soybean hulls when fed to gestating sows. The second hypothesis was that the ATTD of GE and DE in pistachio shell powder are not different from those in soybean hulls when fed to lactating sows.

Kim, Beob G., Su A Lee, Kyu R. Park, and Hans H. Stein. 2020. At least 3 days of adaptation are required before indigestible markers (chromium, titanium, and acid insoluble ash) are stabilized in the ileal digesta of 60-kg pigs, but values for amino acid digestibility are affected by the marker. Journal of Animal Science, 2020,  Vol. 98: No.

Kim, B. G., K. R. Park, and H. H. Stein. 2017. Time course of indigestible indexes in the ileal out flow of pigs fed a soybean meal-based or nitrogen free diet. J. Anim. Sci. 95(Suppl. 4):209 (Abstr.) Link to abstract (.pdf)

Walsh, M. C., L. Payling, I. H. Kim, and H. H. Stein. 2017. Effects of a multistrain Bacillus spp. direct-fed microbial and protease combination at different doses on apparent ileal and total tract digestibility of nutrients in growing pigs fed corn–soybean meal–based diets – A combined analysis of two studies. J. Anim. Sci. 95(Suppl. 5):141 (Abstr.) Link to abstract (.pdf)

Kim, B. G., Y. Liu, and H. H. Stein. 2016. Effects of collection time on flow of chromium and dry matter and on basal ileal endogenous losses of amino acids in growing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4196-4204. Link to full text (.pdf)

Mahan, D. C., M. Azain, T. D. Crenshaw, G. L. Cromwell, C. R. Dove, S. W. Kim, M. D. Lindemann, P. S. Miller, J. E. Pettigrew, H. H. Stein, and E. van Heugten. 2014. Supplementation of organic and inorganic selenium to diets using grains grown in various regions of the United States with differing natural Se concentrations and fed to grower-finisher swine. J. Anim. Sci. 92:4991-4997. Link to full text (.pdf)

Kim, B. G., D. M. Wulf, R. J. Maddock, D. N. Peters, C. Pedersen, Y. Liu, and H. H. Stein. 2014. Effects of dietary barley on growth performance, carcass traits and pork quality of finishing pigs. Rev. Colomb. Cienc. Pecu. 27:102-113. Link to full text

Kil, D. Y., B. G. Kim, and H. H. Stein. 2013. Feed energy evaluation for growing pigs. (Invited Review). Asian-Austr. J. Anim. Sci. 26: 1205-1217. Link to full text (.pdf)

Kim, B. G., D. Y. Kil, and H. H. Stein. 2013. In growing pigs, the true ileal and total tract digestibility of acid hydrolyzed ether extract in extracted corn oil is greater than in intact sources of corn oil or soybean oil. J. Anim. Sci. 91:755-763. Link to full text (.pdf)