PSVII-4 Optimal standardized ileal digestible lysine and methionine + cysteine to lysine ratio for 12 to 23 kg pigs fed antibiotic-free diets

Abstract

Requirement of Lys is affected by lean gain capacity of the pigs. Methionine is the 3rd limiting AA in typical swine diets. In Exp. 1, 108 crossbred pigs (initial BW 11.8 kg) were assigned to 6 diets adequate in all AA but with increasing Lys content [0.90, 1.00, 1.10, 1.20, 1.30 and 1.40% standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys] to determine the SID Lys requirement. In Exp. 2, 108 pigs (initial BW 11.9 kg) were assigned to 6 diets to determine the optimal SID Met+Cys:Lys ratio. Diets 1 to 5 were varied in SID Met+Cys:Lys (50, 55, 60, 65 and 70%) and 1.17% SID Lys (second limiting). Diet 6 was formulated to be adequate in all AA (1.25% SID Lys and 62% SID Met+Cys:Lys). There were 6 pens (2 barrows and 1 gilt) per treatment in both experiments and lasted for 21 d. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS. In Exp. 1, increasing SID Lys increased the overall ADG and G:F (linear, P < 0.001) and decreased plasma urea nitrogen (PUN; linear, P < 0.001). Regression analysis estimated the SID Lys to be 1.36, 1.38 and 1.28% for ADG, G:F and PUN, respectively with an average SID Lys requirement of 1.34% for 12-23 kg pigs. In Exp. 2, increasing SID M+C:Lys ratio (diets 1 to 5) increased ADG and G:F (linear and quadratic, P < 0.001) and decreased PUN (quadratic, P < 0.001). Pigs fed a high Lys diet (diet 6) tended to have a lower PUN (P = 0.076) but performance was not affected. The regression models estimated the optimum SID M+C:Lys ratio to be 63.1 and 60.7% for ADG, and 62.5 and 61.1% for G:F, respectively while 62.9% SID M+C:Lys optimized PUN. On average, the optimal SID M+C:Lys ratio for 12-23 kg pigs was 62%.