The effect of energy intake, genotype, and body weight on protein retention in pigs when dietary lysine is the first-limiting factor.

This study tested the hypothesis that the effect of lysine intake, if first-limiting, on protein retention in growing pigs is completely independent of the effects of energy intake, differences in the protein retention capacity among genotypes and gender, and body weight. Protein retention, using the nitrogen balance technique, was measured in 12 castrated male German Landrace and Pietrain pigs at 44 and 77 kg of BW and at two energy intake levels (1.1 and 1.3 MJ ME/kg BW.75). All animals received a constant amount of a basal diet that provided a protein intake of 220 g/d and a total lysine intake of 13 g/d. Appropriate amounts of cornstarch were offered additionally to reach the intended energy intake levels. The results show that neither energy intake nor breed had any effect on the level of protein retention, whereas, at 77 kg BW, protein retention was significantly lower than at 44 kg (117.8 and 123.5 g/d, respectively), which can be attributed to the higher requirement for maintenance. The results of this experiment and the linearity of the relationship between protein retention and lysine intake as shown by several authors simplify both the prediction of protein retention from lysine intake and the calculation of the lysine requirement for a particular protein retention. However, to ensure accuracy of these predictions, it is essential to know when ratios of lysine to other amino acids and to energy and capacity for protein retention in the animal become first-limiting.