The addition of ground wheat straw as a fiber source in the gestation diet of sows and the effect on sow and litter performance for three successive parities.

A regional experiment was conducted at 8 experiment stations, with a total of 320 sows initially, to evaluate the efficacy of adding 13.35% ground wheat straw to a corn-soybean meal gestation diet for 3 successive gestation-lactation (reproductive) cycles compared with sows fed a control diet without straw. A total of 708 litters were farrowed over 3 reproductive cycles. The basal gestation diet intake averaged 1.95 kg daily for both treatments, plus 0.30 kg of straw daily for sows fed the diet containing ground wheat straw (total intake of 2.25 kg/d). During lactation, all sows on both gestation treatments were fed ad libitum the standard lactation diet used at each station. Response criteria were sow farrowing and rebreeding percentages, culling factors and culling rate, weaning-to-estrus interval, sow BW and backfat measurements at several time points, and litter size and total litter weight at birth and weaning. Averaged over 3 reproductive cycles, sows fed the diet containing wheat straw farrowed and weaned 0.51 more pigs per litter (P

Evaluation of the order of limitation of lysine, threonine, and valine, as determined by plasma urea nitrogen, in corn-soybean meal diets of lactating sows with high body weight loss.

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the order of limitation for Lys, Thr, and Val in corn-soybean meal diets of lactating sows experiencing high BW loss during lactation. Plasma urea N (PUN) was used as the response criterion. Experimental diets used in all 3 experiments were derived from the basal diet (BSL) formulated to 0.51% Lys using corn and soybean meal as the only sources of AA. The BSL diet was formulated by diluting a reference corn-soybean meal diet (17.2% CP, 0.90% Lys, 0.65% Thr, 0.82% Val, and 0.28% Met) with cornstarch, sucrose, and soybean oil to maintain the same ratio of corn to soybean meal. Experiment 1 was conducted to determine whether PUN is sensitive to dietary Thr and Val levels and whether a 4-d feeding period was adequate to observe a PUN response. The results demonstrated that PUN could be used as the response criterion and that a 4-d feeding period was adequate. Experiment 2 was conducted to determine whether Thr or Val was most limiting in the BSL diet. Dietary treatments used in Exp. 2 consisted of 1) BSL supplemented with 0.09% L-Lys and 0.02% DL-Met, which served as the negative control (NC2); 2) NC2 plus 0.14% L-Thr (NC2 + T); 3) NC2 plus 0.17% L-Val (NC2 + V); and 4) NC2 plus 0.14% L-Thr and 0.17% L-Val (NC2 + T + V). The value for PUN was lower for the NC2 + T and NC + T + V treatments compared with the NC2 and NC2 + V treatments (5.18 and 5.33 vs. 6.43 and 6.62; P < 0.01), indicating that Thr was most limiting in the NC2 diet. Experiment 3 was conducted to determine whether Thr or Lys was most limiting in the BSL diet. Dietary treatments used in Exp. 3 consisted of 1) the BSL diet supplemented with 0.02% DL-Met only, which served as the negative control diet (NC3); 2) the NC3 diet supplemented with 0.20% L-Lys (NC3 + L); 3) the NC3 diet supplemented with 0.14% L-Thr (NC3 + T); and 4) the NC3 diet supplemented with 0.20% L-Lys and 0.14% L-Thr (NC3 + L + T). The value for PUN was lower for NC3 + L compared with NC3 and NC3 + T (7.45 vs. 9.11 and 8.45 mg/dL; P < 0.01), and PUN for NC3 + L + T was lower than the PUN measured for NC3 + L (5.94 vs. 7.45; P < 0.01). The results of Exp. 2 and 3 indicate that Lys was first-limiting and Thr second-limiting in the BSL diet.

Difference in rates of net portal absorption between crystalline and protein-bound lysine and threonine in growing pigs fed once daily.

Net portal absorption of AA during the 6-h postprandial period was measured in eight gilts (48.5 +/- 1.6 kg BW) in a crossover design. The pigs had chronic catheters placed in the portal vein, carotid artery, and ileal vein, and were trained to consume 1.2 kg of a standard grower diet once daily. Blood samples were taken every 30 min for 4 h and then hourly until 6 h after feeding. The first set of blood samples was taken after pigs were fed a meal of the test 16% CP corn-soybean meal diet (16% CP) or the test 12% CP corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with crystalline lysine, threonine, and tryptophan (12% CP + AA) to equal the three AA levels in the 16% CP diet. Pigs were then fed the standard diet for 2 d. Following that, blood samples were again taken after the pigs were fed a meal of the test diet that was not given to them at the first sampling period. Net portal AA absorption was calculated by multiplying porto-arterial plasma AA concentration difference by portal vein plasma flow rate (PVPF), estimated by an indicator-dilution technique employing p-aminohippuric acid as the indicator infused into the ileal vein. Plasma concentrations of lysine and threonine of pigs were affected by the diet x time interaction (P < 0.01). Portal and arterial plasma lysine and threonine concentrations in pigs attained the maximal level by 1 h postprandial when the 12% CP + AA diet was fed, but reached the peak level at 2.5 h postprandial when the 16% CP diet was given. The PVPF of pigs over the 6 h postprandial was less (P < 0.01) when the 12% CP + AA diet was given than when the 16% CP diet was fed. Net portal absorptions of lysine and threonine also were affected (P < 0.05) by time x diet interaction. The peak portal absorption of both lysine and threonine in pigs appeared at 0.5 h postprandial when the 12% CP + AA diet was given, but at 2.5 h postprandial with the feeding of the 16% CP diet. The early appearance of peak portal absorption of lysine and threonine from feeding the 12% CP + AA compared with the 16% CP diet indicates that crystalline lysine and threonine are absorbed more rapidly than protein-bound lysine and threonine in pigs fed once daily.

Influence of dietary protein level, amino acid supplementation, and dietary energy levels on growing-finishing pig performance and carcass composition.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding reduced-CP, AA-supplemented diets at two ambient temperatures (Exp. 1) or three levels of dietary NE (Exp. 2) on pig performance and carcass composition. In Exp. 1, 240 mixed-sex pigs were used to test whether projected differences in heat increment associated with diet composition affect pig performance. There were 10 replications of each treatment with four pigs per pen. For the 28-d trial, average initial and final BW were 28.7 kg and 47.5 kg, respectively. Pigs were maintained in a thermoneutral (23 degrees C) or heat-stressed (33 degrees C) environment and fed a 16% CP diet, a 12% CP diet, or a 12% CP diet supplemented with crystalline Lys, Trp, and Thr (on an as-fed basis). Pigs gained at similar rates when fed the 16% CP diet or the 12% CP diet supplemented with Lys, Trp, and Thr (P > 0.10). Pigs fed the 12% CP, AA-supplemented diet had a gain:feed similar to pigs fed the 16% CP diet when housed in the 23 degrees C environment but had a lower gain:feed in the 33 degrees C environment (diet x temperature, P < 0.01). In Exp. 2, 702 gilts were allotted to six treatments with nine replicates per treatment. Average initial and final BW were 25.3 and 109.7 kg, respectively. Gilts were fed two levels of CP (high CP with minimal crystalline AA supplementation or low CP with supplementation of Lys, Trp, Thr, and Met) and three levels of NE (high, medium, or low) in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. A four-phase feeding program was used, with diets containing apparent digestible Lys levels of 0.96, 0.75, 0.60, and 0.48% switched at a pig BW of 41.0, 58.8, and 82.3 kg, respectively. Pigs fed the low-CP, AA-supplemented diets had rates of growth and feed intake similar to pigs fed the high-CP diets. Dietary NE interacted with CP level for gain:feed (P < 0.06). A decrease in dietary NE from the highest NE level decreased gain:feed in pigs fed the high-CP diet; however, gain:feed declined in pigs fed the low-CP, AA-supplemented diet only when dietary NE was decreased to the lowest level. There was a slight reduction in longissimus area in pigs fed the low-CP diets (P < 0.08), but other estimates of carcass muscle did not differ (P > 0.10). These data suggest that pigs fed low-CP, AA-supplemented diets have performance and carcass characteristics similar to pigs fed higher levels of CP and that alterations in dietary NE do not have a discernible effect on pig performance or carcass composition.

Use of carbohydrases in corn-soybean meal-based nursery diets.

Three experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that supplementing nursery pig diets with a mixture of carbohydrases (CS) will improve pig performance and nutrient digestibility. The CS used in these experiments contained 7 units/g of alpha-1,6-galactosidase, 22 units/g of beta-1,4-mannanase, beta-1,4 mannosidase, and trace amounts of other enzymes. In Exp. 1, 108 pigs weaned at d 21 of age were fed one of three diets containing 0 (control), 0.1, or 0.2% CS for 5 wk, based on a three-phase feeding program (1, 2, and 2 wk). Over the entire 35-d period, ADG was not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment, but supplementing 0.1% CS increased (P < 0.05) gain:feed by 9%. Experiment 2 used 10 gilts fitted with simple T-cannula in the terminal ileum at 3 wk of age. After cannulation, pigs were fed the same control Phase I and II diets, but the Phase III diet contained either 0 or 0.1% CS. Ileal samples were collected for the 3 d following the 5-d adjustment period during Phase III. Apparent ileal digestibility of GE, lysine, threonine, and tryptophan was greater (P < 0.05) in the CS diet. In Exp. 3, 90 pigs weaned at 21 d of age were fed the same control Phase I and II diets, but the Phase III diet contained either 0 or 0.1% CS. Phase III diets were fed for 3 wk. Average daily gain of the CS group was greater (P < 0.05) than the control group during wk 3. Gain:feed ratio was greater (P < 0.05) for the carbohydrase group during the entire Phase III period. Four pigs per treatment were killed at the end of Exp. 3 to measure villus height and to determine the concentration of raffinose and stachyose in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Average villus height was greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the CS diet. Carbohydrase supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the concentration of stachyose in freeze-dried digesta from the proximal and distal small intestine. Raffinose concentration, on the other hand, was decreased (P < 0.05) by CS supplementation only in the distal small intestine. These lower concentrations suggest that CS improved the digestibility of carbohydrate in soybean meal. In conclusion, the addition of CS to Phase I and Phase II nursery diets containing low levels of soybean meal did not improve pig performance, but its addition to corn-soybean meal-based Phase III nursery diets improved gain:feed ratio and energy and AA digestibility.

Influences of dietary protein level, amino acid supplementation and environmental temperature on performance, body composition, organ weights and total heat production of growing pigs.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a 16% CP diet, a 12% CP diet, or a 12% CP diet supplemented with crystalline Lys, Trp, and Thr (12% CP + AA diet) in a thermal-neutral (23 degrees C) or heat-stressed (33 degrees C) environment on various body and physiological measurements in growing pigs. Heat-stressed pigs were given a 15% lower daily feed allowance than thermal-neutral pigs to remove the confounding effect of feed intake caused by high temperature. No diet x temperature interaction was observed for any variables (P > 0.09) except for pig activity and pancreas weight. At 33 degrees C, pig activity and pancreas weight did not differ among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). In contrast, at 23 degrees C, pigs fed the 12% CP diet had greater activity than those fed the 16% CP diet or the 12% CP + AA diet (P < 0.05). Pancreas weight was greater for pigs fed the 12% CP + AA diet than those fed the 12% CP diet (P < 0.05) when maintained at 23 degrees C. Compared with 23 degrees C, the 33 degrees C temperature decreased pig activity, heat production, daily gain, feed efficiency, and affected the concentration and accretion of empty body protein and ash, as well as weights of heart, pancreas, stomach, and large intestine (P < 0.05). Pigs fed the 12% CP + AA diet attained similar levels of performance and rates of empty body water, protein, lipid, and ash deposition as pigs fed the 16% CP diet (P > 0.10). Pigs fed the 12% CP + AA diet had lower serum urea plus ammonia nitrogen concentrations (P < 0.01) and total heat production (P < 0.05) compared with those fed the 16% CP diet or the 12% CP diet. These results confirm that, with crystalline AA supplementation, growing pigs fed a 12% CP diet will perform similar to pigs fed a 16% CP diet. The data further indicate that lowering dietary CP and supplementing crystalline AA will decrease total heat production in growing pigs whether they are housed in a thermal-neutral or heat-stressed environment.

Effect of increasing dietary vitamin A on bone density in adult dogs.

There has been an increase in vitamin A fortification of livestock feeds resulting in increased residual vitamin A in organ meats, which are often used in canned dog foods. The effect on bone density of feeding various concentrations of vitamin A in a canned dog food product was investigated. Thirty-two random-source dogs were assigned to four treatments in a randomized complete block design. The diets contained 15,000, 50,000, 116,000, or 225,000 IU vitamin A/1,000 kcal ME. Diets were fed up to 1 yr. Computed tomography was used to determine bone density of the right tibia at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo. Computed tomography is a more sensitive technique for determining bone density in vivo than conventional x-rays. There were no differences (P > .10) in tibia bone or marrow density in any of the dogs fed the various concentrations of vitamin A. There was no interaction of time x diet on bone density (P > .05) or bone marrow density (P > .05). In addition, there were no changes in serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium, or phosphorus. These results indicate that concentrations of vitamin A three times the recommended maximum safe amount (71,429 IU/1,000 kcal ME) are not detrimental to normal bone health in dogs. Therefore, these data support the hypothesis that canines are less sensitive to excess vitamin A in the diet than some other mammals.

Effect of feeding reduced protein, amino acid-supplemented diets on nitrogen and energy balance in grower pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of feeding reduced CP, amino acid (AA)-supplemented diets on the nitrogen (N) and energy (E) balance of grower pigs. In Exp. 1, 24 barrows (22.2 kg BW) were fed corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) diets containing either 16% CP, 12% CP, or 12% CP supplemented with lysine (LYS), tryptophan (TRP), and threonine (THR). After 6 d of adaptation to the diets and feeding frequency, a 5-d N and E balance trial was conducted. Supplementation of the 12% CP diet with LYS, TRP, and THR improved N retention ( P < .01) but failed to improve N retention to the level attained by pigs fed the 16% CP diet (P < .01). Efficiency of N retention was similar between pigs fed the AA-supplemented 12% CP diet and pigs fed the 16% CP diet (P > .10). Energy retention was increased by AA-supplementation of the 12% CP diet ( P < .10) to a level higher than that of pigs fed the 16% CP diet (P < .01). In Exp. 2, 60 barrows (21.7 kg BW) were fed one of the following diets: 16% CP; 12% CP diet supplemented with indispensable AA (IDAA) to simulate the 16% CP diet; 12% CP supplemented with LYS, TRP, THR, and dispensable AA N (DAAN); 12% CP supplemented with LYS, TRP, and THR; or a 12% CP negative control diet. After 6 d of adaptation to the diets and feeding frequency, a 5-d N and E balance trial was conducted. Nitrogen retention was improved (P < .01) by supplementing the 12% CP diet with LYS, TRP, and THR but remained inferior (P < .01) to that obtained when pigs were fed the other three diets. Pigs fed the 12% CP diet with LYS, TRP, THR, and DAAN supplementation retained less N (P < .07) than pigs fed the 16% CP but retained an amount similar (P > .10) to pigs fed the 12% CP diet with IDAA and DAAN supplementation. Pigs fed the 12% CP diet with LYS, TRP, and THR supplementation exhibited the highest efficiency of N retention (P < .01). Pigs fed the 12% CP diet supplemented with LYS, TRP, THR, and DAAN retained more (P < .01) E than pigs fed the 12% CP diet supplemented with IDAA and DAAN and more (P < .07) E than pigs fed either the 12% CP diet supplemented with LYS, TRP, and THR or the unsupplemented 12% CP diet. Pigs fed the 16% CP diet retained more (P < .06) E than pigs fed the 12% CP diet with IDAA and DAAN supplementation. Although the data show that the efficiency of N retention is greatest when LYS, TRP, and THR are supplemented to the 12% CP diet, maximal N retention is achieved only when the 12% CP diets are supplemented with both the deficient AA and a source of N for dispensable AA synthesis.

Effects of induced or delayed parturition and supplemental dietary fat on colostrum and milk composition in sows.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of inducing premature parturition on the composition of colostrum and milk and the effects of dietary fat supplementation on colostrum and milk composition from premature and delayed farrowing sows. In Trial 1, eight sows were allowed to farrow naturally (d 114, NF sows) and eight sows were induced to farrow (IF sows) prematurely by injection of prostaglandin F2 alpha on d 112 of gestation. Average fat content of sow's milk during the first 12 h postpartum was lower for IF than for NF sows (P < .05), as was overall mean fat percentage (P < .05). In Trial 2, 53 sows were randomly assigned in a 2 (diets) x 5 (parturition treatments) factorial experiment. Dietary treatments fed during the last 2 wk of gestation and throughout lactation were control diet and added fat diet (control diet plus 10% corn oil). Parturition treatments included 1) natural farrowing (d 114), induction of parturition with prostaglandin F2 alpha on 2) d 110, 3) d 111, or 4) d 112 of gestation, and 5) delay of parturition with progesterone followed by injection of prostaglandin on d 115. The added fat diet increased milk fat percentage compared with the control diet (P < .01). Colostral fat percentage was reduced by induction of premature farrowing (d 110 or 111) in sows fed the control diet but was unaffected in sows fed added dietary fat (interaction, P < .05). Mean fat content of colostrum was not reduced in groups receiving the added fat diet that were induced to farrow prematurely.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect on performance and carcass characteristics of nursery to finisher pigs fed reduced crude protein, amino acid-supplemented diets.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding reduced CP, amino acid (AA)-supplemented diets to pigs from weaning to slaughter weight on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Pigs were fed a 19%-16%-14% CP starter-grower-finisher high-CP sequence of diets, respectively, or a sequence of diets reduced in CP by 4 percentage units (3 percentage units in the finisher period) with or without lysine (LYS), tryptophan (TRP), and threonine (THR) supplementation. Pigs fed the low-CP diets without AA supplementation grew more slowly, were less efficient in feed conversion, and developed carcasses that contained a smaller longissimus muscle, greater, average backfat depths, and a lower percentage of muscle compared with pigs fed the high-CP sequence of diets (P < .01). The reduction in growth performance, feed efficiency, longissimus muscle area, and percentage of muscle in pigs fed the low-CP diets was alleviated by LYS, TRP, and THR supplementation (P > .10). Although pigs fed the low-CP diets supplemented with AA had reduced average and 10th rib backfat depths compared with pigs fed the unsupplemented, low-CP diets (P < .01), these fat depth measures remained greater (P < .05) than those of pigs fed the high-CP diets. Feeding reduced dietary CP, regardless of AA supplementation, resulted in reduced heart (P < .10) and liver weights (P < .01) compared with feeding the high-CP diets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of protein source and fumaric acid supplementation on apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients by young pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the apparent ileal digestibility of DM and N by young pigs fed diets supplemented with different protein sources or organic acids. Pigs were surgically fitted with silicone cannulas at 2 wk of age. Following surgery, pigs were allowed to recuperate with their dams while suckling normally. After weaning at 24 d, pigs were assigned to treatment diets at 28 d of age. A 3-d adjustment and 4-d collection sequence was followed for the duration of the 4-wk experiment. Four treatment diets were fed in each experiment in a weekly rotation until each diet had been fed to each pig. Diet samples and digesta collected through the ileal cannulas were analyzed for chromic oxide (used as an indigestible marker), DM, and N. Pigs in Exp. 1 were fed isolysinic (1.0%) corn-based diets supplemented with casein, soybean meal, soy protein concentrate, or isolated soy protein. Casein addition resulted in improved DM (P less than .001) and N (P less than .05) digestibility but reduced gain (P less than .05) compared with the average of the soy protein sources. Nitrogen from diets formulated with soybean meal was digested more completely (P less than .05) than N from diets based on soy protein concentrate and isolated soy protein. Experiment 2 was an evaluation of the effect of dried skim milk (25%) and fumaric acid (2%) addition on apparent ileal digestibility of N and DM in corn-soybean meal diets. Addition of dried skim milk improved DM (P less than .01) and N (P less than .05) digestibility and daily gain (P less than .001). Fumaric acid supplementation did not affect nutrient digestibility or gain (P greater than .10).

Riboflavin requirement of lactating swine.

Twenty-five crossbred gilts and 25 crossbred sows were used in an experiment to estimate the riboflavin requirement of lactating swine. During gestation the females were fed a 12% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet that was marginal in riboflavin content, i.e., 2.3 mg/kg. After farrowing, litter size was equalized across lactation diets within each parity category. The basal, 14% crude-protein corn-soybean meal lactation diet was supplemented to provide five levels of dietary riboflavin: 1.25, 2.25, 3.25, 4.25 and 5.25 mg/kg. Five gilts and five sows were fed each dietary treatment. Each dam was provided her assigned diet ad libitum during the 24-d lactation; piglets were not provided supplemental feed. The erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGRAC), an indicator of riboflavin status, was measured on blood samples obtained from the dams and their piglets on d 1 and d 24 postpartum. On d 1, the mean EGRAC of gilts was slightly higher than that of sows, while piglet EGRAC was similar regardless of maternal age. On d 24 gilts and their piglets had higher average EGRAC (P less than .01) than did sows and their piglets. Thus, there was a treatment x dam age interaction (P less than .05). Lactation performance criteria gave further evidence of similar treatment x age group interactions. Gilts fed the diet containing 1.25 ppm riboflavin had higher piglet mortality, consumed less feed and lost more weight (P less than .05) for each criterion than did sows fed the same diet. Despite these observations, the broken-line estimates of the riboflavin requirement, based on EGRAC, for gilts and sows were 16.3 and 16.2 mg/d, respectively. The EGRAC values for piglets closely paralleled those of their dams regardless of treatment, suggesting that there is no mechanism to protect the nursing piglets from a maternal dietary deficiency of riboflavin.

Limiting amino acids in an 11% crude protein corn-soybean meal diet for growing pigs.

Three experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that methionine, isoleucine, valine or nitrogen either singly or in combination are limiting in an 11% crude protein, lysine-tryptophan-threonine-supplemented, corn-soybean meal diet for growing pigs. A 16% crude protein diet was used as a positive control in each experiment and all amino acid additions were made, at a minimum, to equal requirements. Average initial weights were 21.3 kg, 23.0 kg and 19.1 kg in Exp. 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The experiments averaged 4 wk in duration. In Exp. 1 and 2, neither the addition of glutamic acid as a source of nitrogen, nor methionine to the 11% diet resulted in any improvement (P greater than .20) in rate or efficiency of growth. Addition of the combination of isoleucine and valine to the 11% diet resulted in an increase (P less than .05) in both growth rate and feed efficiency to a level not different (P greater than .20) from that of the pigs consuming the positive control diet. The addition of valine to the 11% crude protein diet with supplemental lysine, tryptophan and threonine (Exp. 3) caused an improvement in daily gain (P less than .05) but not feed efficiency (P greater than .10). Isoleucine addition tended to reduce pig performance. The results of these experiments suggest that an 11% crude protein, corn-soybean meal diet fortified with lysine, tryptophan and threonine is not limiting in sulfur amino acids or nitrogen. Valine may be the only limiting amino acid.

Effect of lysine and threonine supplementation of sorghum gestation diets on nitrogen balance and plasma constituents in first-litter gilts.

Fifteen gravid, crossbred gilts were utilized in an experiment to measure the effect of five isonitrogenous dietary treatments (12% crude protein, sorghum-soybean meal; sorghum; sorghum + lysine; sorghum + threonine; sorghum + lysine + threonine) on N balance, colostrum composition and plasma constituents (protein, urea N and IgG). All gilts were fed a standard corn-soybean meal diet from breeding until switched to the sorghum basal diet, on d 60 of gestation. Treatment diets were imposed at d 70. Nitrogen retention, measured between d 103 and 113 of gestation, was improved (P less than .002) by lysine addition. Nitrogen retention was similar (P greater than .10) for gilts fed either the 12% crude protein, sorghum-soybean meal diet or the lysine + threonine-supplemented diet. Plasma protein levels at farrowing were depressed (P less than .06) in those gilts fed sorghum diets without supplemental lysine and plasma urea N was elevated (P less than .10). Plasma protein and plasma urea N were not affected by threonine supplementation (P greater than .10). In contrast, the depression of plasma IgG was ameliorated (P less than .03) by threonine and unaffected by lysine supplementation. These results confirm the hypothesis that lysine is the first limiting amino acid in sorghum protein for gravid gilts as determined by N retention but indicate that threonine is likely the first limiting amino acid for the production of the specific protein, IgG.

Amino acid supplementation of low-protein diets for swine: effects of gestation treatment on reproductive performance of gilts and sows.

The effect of lysine and tryptophan addition to an all-corn diet fortified with vitamins and minerals fed to gestating gilts and sows was studied in a series of five trials. The experiments were designed to establish the effect of the addition of the two amino acids on: 1) N balance, 2) reproductive performance over two consecutive parities and 3) the immune response of the gestating gilt and transfer of immune proteins to the nursing pig. Nitrogen retention by gravid gilts fed an all-corn gestation diet increased (P less than .05) in response to lysine addition, but was not affected by subsequent addition of tryptophan. Daily N retention of gravid gilts fed the corn or corn and amino acid-supplemented diets was lower than that of gilts fed a 12% crude protein (CP) diet. Reproductive performance for two parities, as evaluated by gestation and lactation weight gain and, number and weight of pigs at birth and at 28 d was similar among treatments. Evaluation of the amino acid status of gestating gilts by measurement of the development of specific antibody response to sheep red blood cells and bovine serum albumin showed a trend for improved antibody development in gilts fed corn diets supplemented with both lysine and tryptophan and in the passive immunity of their offspring. Total whey protein and globulin content of 0-h colostrum was not affected by dietary treatment. The lack of a depression in reproductive performance of gilts fed an all-corn diet could be because of compensatory N retention. During the 4 to 5 d before parturition, all gilts were fed the 12% protein control diet. Gilts that were fed a corn diet from d 1 to 108 of gestation retained 40% more (P less than .01) N from d 109 to 114 of gestation than gilts that had been fed the 12% protein diet throughout gestation.