227 Compensatory body protein gain in newly weaned pigs

Abstract

Protein sources used in nursery diets are expensive; there is a need to examine alternative feeding strategies to lower production costs. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of a short term lysine restriction at weaning on pig growth performance and body composition, and the extent of compensatory growth when pigs are then fed adequate amounts of dietary lysine. Pigs were followed until final market weight of 124kg was attained to assess effects of compensatory growth on carcass and meat quality. Short term lysine restriction at weaning reduced growth performance (gains, feed efficiency) and body protein mass while increasing body lipid mass.However, when fed a diet that was no longer limiting in lysine, pigs were capable of achieving compensatory growth with no effects on carcass or meat quality. Short term nutrient restriction may be an effective approach to reduce diet costs without jeopardizing performance and carcass and meat quality.

Influence of various levels of milk by-products in weaner diets on growth performance, blood urea nitrogen, diarrhea incidence, and pork quality of weaning to finishing pigs

“…Also, growth retardation due to nutrient limitation in weaning pigs induced compensated growth of growing-finishing pigs resulting in similar BW at the end of finishing period [ 19 , 20 ]. Weaning pigs with low growth rate due to limited nutrient intake recovered the normal growth rate compared with other pigs on the same nutritional supply [ 21 ]. Ishida et al [ 20 ] reported that compensatory growth of pigs induced by lysine sufficiency was partly attributed to greater N retention which increased protein synthesis in skeletal muscle.…”