Volume 88, Issue 1, July (2002), pp. 39-49 © The Author 2002

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The effect of dietary protein content and feeding level on the rate of protein deposition and energy utilization in growing Iberian pigs from 15 to 50 kg body weight

R. Nieto, A. Miranda, M. A. García and J. F. Aguilera^*
Unidad de Nutrición Animal, Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Camino del Jueves s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain

 (Received 2 July 2001–Revised 21 January 2002–Accepted 15 February 2002)

The effects of dietary protein content and feeding level on the utilization of metabolizable energy (ME) and on the rates of gain, protein and fat deposition have been studied in seventy-two Iberian pigs growing from 15 to 50 kg body weight (BW) by means of comparative slaughter experiments. The animals were fed on six diets providing 223, 192, 175, 156, 129 and 101 g crude ideal protein (N×6·25; CP)/kg DM and 14·64, 14·14, 14·37, 14·80, 15·36 and 15·53 MJ ME/kg DM respectively. Each diet was offered at three levels of feeding: 0·60, 0·80 and 0·95×ad libitum intake. Protein deposition (PD) increased significantly (P<0·01) with each decrease in dietary CP content and reached a maximum value (74·0 g) when the diet providing 129 g CP/kg DM (6·86 g digestible ideal protein/MJ ME) was offered at the highest feeding level. This feeding regimen resulted in average values for live-weight gain and retained energy (RE) of 559 g/d and 10·9 MJ/d respectively. RE increased significantly (P<0·001) from 480 to 626 kJ/kg BW^0·75 with each decrease in dietary CP content from 192 to 129 g/kg DM. Raising the level of feed intake led to significant linear increases in PD and RE irrespective of the diet fed (P<0·001). When diets approaching an adequate supply of CP were given, the net efficiency of use of ME for growth (k_w) and the maintenance energy requirements were 58·2 % and 422 kJ/kg BW^0·75 per d respectively.

Abbreviations: BW; body weight; CP; crude protein; DE; digestible energy; GE; gross energy; ME; metabolizable energy; PD; protein deposition; RE; retained energy

Corresponding author: Dr J. F. Aguilera, fax +34 958 572753, email aguilera@eez.csic.es

Keywords:
Protein deposition: Energy retention: Requirements: Iberian pigs