Effects of increasing dietary lysine in transition diets on nursery pig growth performance (2003)

J L Usry,Michael D Tokach,Joel M Derouchey,Robert D Goodband,Jim L Nelssen,Steven S Dritz

doi:10.4148/2378-5977.6827

Abstract

A total of 1,400 weanling pigs (initially 13.6 lb) was used in a 9 d growth assay (d 4 to 13 postweaning) to determine the effects of increasing lysine in the transition diet on nursery pig growth performance. All pigs were fed a common SEW diet until d 4 after weaning. Pigs were then switched to experimental diets with total dietary lysine levels of 1.40, 1.50, 1.60, 1.70 or 1.80%. All diets were formulated to contain 20% soybean meal, with increasing amounts of synthetic amino acids to achieve desired amino acid concentrations in the diets. From d 4 to 9 postweaning, increasing lysine increased ADG (linear, P<0.03) and improved feed efficiency (linear, P<0.001), but ADFI was not affected. Overall (d 4 to 13 postweaning), pigs fed diets containing increasing dietary lysine had improved ADG (linear, P<0.03) and feed efficiency (linear, P<0.001), with no differences in ADFI. Although responses to increasing dietary lysine were linear, there was little improvement either ADG or F/G above 1.7% lysine. There was no difference in average pig weight at the end of the trial, probably because of the short duration of the study. In conclusion, increasing dietary lysine up to 1.7% in transition diets (13 to 19 lb) for nursery pigs maximized growth performance.; Swine Day, 2003, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2003

Highlights

Pigs were switched to experimental diets with total dietary lysine levels of 1.40, 1.50, 1.60, 1.70 or 1.80%
There was no difference in average pig weight at the end of the trial, probably because of the short duration of the study
Nursery diets are routinely formulated to contain a small amount of soybean meal, yet not as much as to cause digestive complications

Summary

Introduction

Nursery diets are routinely formulated to contain a small amount of soybean meal, yet not as much as to cause digestive complications. When maximum soybean meal levels are reached, other specialty protein products, such as spray-dried animal plasma, blood meal, fishmeal, and spray-dried whey are used to meet the amino acid requirements. As levels of these products increase in the diet, diet cost increases Another possible means of increasing dietary lysine without using excessive amounts of soybean meal or specialty protein source levels is through the use of crystalline amino acids. Synthetic amino acid use was limited to lysine and methionine because of the high cost of other amino acids. Limited data are available to determine an upper threshold of synthetic amino acid inclusion in nursery diets. Our objective was to determine the impact of increasing the lysine level in the transition diet for nursery pigs through the use of synthetic amino acids (lysine, methionine, and threonine)

Objectives

Results

Conclusion