Abstract
The AA requirements of reproducing females are likely influenced by genetics, number of embryos and fetuses, and their nutritional needs during development. Hence, it is important to determine the change in AA concentration during development. Fetuses from a total of 26 second-parity sows were used to determine their AA composition at various stages of pregnancy. Yorkshire × Landrace sows were bred to Duroc boars and killed at 45, 62, 80, and 100 d of gestation, and fetal weights were determined. The pigs from 6 litters were killed prior to nursing the sow. The number of fetuses ranged from 10 to 13 pigs/litter. Pigs were combined by litter, ground, and freeze-dried, and AA was determined by gas chromatography. Litter was the experimental unit, and statistics were conducted using the GLM model of SAS with the best fitting regression equation estimates for each AA determined. Individual pigs (average/litter), litter, grams per 100 g total AA, and the ratio of each AA to Lys were statistically determined. Although the regression of individual pigs and litters were significant in a quadratic, cubic, or quartic manner ( < 0.01 to < 0.05), the general trend was a quadratic increase in total essential AA (EAA) and nonessential AA (NEAA) from 45 d to birth. All AA increased rapidly from 80 d of gestation, and more than 50% of total fetal growth occurred from 80 d to birth. Three AA (Arg, Leu, and Lys) constituted more than half of the total EAA from 80 d of gestation to birth compared with the other EAA. Overall, the NEAA increased more rapidly as pregnancy progressed than the EAA, with Pro, Hyp, and Gly increasing at a faster rate. When expressed in a ratio of Lys to the other AA, both Arg and Leu had a greater ratio increase than Lys. These results demonstrated that 50% of the total amount of EAA in the fetal pig increased during the last 2 wk of gestation and that Arg and Leu increased at a greater rate than Lys. The NEAA increased at a faster rate than the EAA throughout pregnancy.
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