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The immediate effects of abrupt diet composition changes in young pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

I. Kyriazakis  and
G. C. Emmans
I. Kyriazakis
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
G. C. Emmans
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
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Abstract

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Forty pigs (twenty males and twenty females) were weaned at 4 weeks of age into individual cages, and their weights and feed intakes measured daily. From weaning to 16 kg live weight they were given free access to a feed with either 134 (L) or 278 (H) g crude protein (nitrogen × 6.25)/kg fresh weight. During this period pigs on feed L grew at a slower rate and converted feed less efficiently than pigs on feed H. At 16 kg live weight they were introduced to a 6 d period of feeding when, on succesive days, they were given feeds L, H, L, H, L and H (if previously fed on L) or feeds H, L, H, L, H and L (if previously fed on H). For pigs previously given access to feed L the live-weight gain was 1061 v. 575 g/d on the days when H or L was given; the feed intake was 1078 v. 1027 g/d respectively. For pigs previously given access to feed H, the live-weight gain was 655 v. 610 g/d and the feed intake 844 v. 1071 g/d on the days when H or L were given. The interactions between the feed given previously and the feed given for the 3 d of the subsequent 6 d period were highly significant for both live-weight and feed intake. These rapid changes in feed intake and growth rate suggest that the metabolism of young pigs is extremely flexible, with a rapid rate of response to a change in the protein content of their feed.

Keywords

Feed intakeDietary proteinPig
Type
Diet and Development
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , November 1990 , pp. 619 - 623
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1990

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