Effects of low protein diets on performance of pigs with a lean genotype between 40 and 115 kg liveweight
L. Bunger A I , N. R. Lambe A , K. McLean A , G. Cesaro B , G. A. Walling C , H. Whitney D , S. Jagger E , P. Fullarton F , C. A. Maltin G and J. D. Wood HA Scotland’s Rural College, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK.
B DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy.
C JSR Genetics, Southburn, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 9ED, UK.
D Tulip Supply Group, 1 Stradbroke Business Centre, New Street, Stradbroke, Suffolk, IP21 5JJ, UK.
E ABN (a division of AB Agri Ltd), 64 Innovation Way, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6FL, UK.
F Forum Products Ltd, 41–51 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 6YS, UK.
G Quality Meat Scotland, Rural Centre, Ingliston, Newbridge, EH28 8NZ, UK.
H School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK.
I Corresponding author. Email: Lutz.Bunger@sruc.ac.uk
Animal Production Science 55(4) 461-466 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN13051
Submitted: 6 February 2013 Accepted: 28 November 2013 Published: 11 February 2014
Abstract
The aim of the work was to assess the effects of three dietary protein regimes on pig performance and nitrogen (N) excretion, in particular, whether performance can be maintained in lean, fast growing pigs when protein levels are reduced to limit N excretion. Entire male pigs of a lean genotype (Pietrain × Large White × Landrace), 192 in total in four batches, were grown from 40 to 115 kg in pens with four pigs per pen. The diets were: (i) a high-protein control regime; (ii) a low-protein regime in which protein was reduced by ~2 percentage units in each growth stage, but with levels of five essential amino acids the same as in the control (LP1); (iii) an even lower protein regime in which levels of essential amino acids were not maintained beyond 60 kg (LP2). The LP2 regime was designed to promote intramuscular fat deposition rather than efficient growth. Excretion of N was reduced by 17% and 19% in LP1 and LP2, respectively, compared with the control. Average daily gain was lower and feed conversion ratio higher in LP2 than the other regimes, as expected. The control and LP1, which differed in protein but not essential amino acid levels, produced broadly similar results for performance, but pigs in LP1 had poorer feed conversion than control pigs, which could be due to slightly greater fat deposition. The results show the difficulty in maintaining consistently high levels of performance in fast-growing, lean pigs when dietary protein levels are reduced.
Additional keywords: feeding regime, growth performance, lean genotype, low protein, N pollution, pigs.
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