Influence of the Lysine to Protein Ratio in Practical Diets on the Efficiency of Nitrogen Use in Growing Pigs

Twelve gilts were used to investigate the effect of lysine to protein ratio (5.2 g lysine/100 g CP vs. 6.7 g lysine/100 g CP) in practical diets on nitrogen retention and the efficiency of utilization in growing pigs. Treatments involved 2 levels of dietary lysine (5.2 or 6.7 g/100 g CP) and 3 levels of dietary crude protein (11, 14 and 17% in diet). Nitrogen retention was greatest when pigs were fed the control diet containing 17% protein. Nitrogen retention progressively increased as dietary protein increased (p < 0.01), but it was not affected by lysine concentration (g/100 g CP). Apparent biological value (ABV, nitrogen retained/apparently digestible nitrogen) was estimated to be ~50% at the maximum nitrogen retention. ABV was not affected by lysine concentration, but declined (p < 0.05) as the dietary protein level increased. The efficiency of intake N used for maximum nitrogen retention was approximately 44%. One gram of lysine supported approximately 9 to 10 g apparent protein accretion (nitrogen retention ${\times}$ 6.25/lysine intake) in pigs fed control diets. The efficiency of lysine utilization for protein accretion was lower in pigs fed high-lysine diets (6.7 g lysine/l00 g CP) so that 1 g of lysine accounted for 7 to 8 g of protein accretion in these pigs (p < 0.01). The lysine required to support maximum nitrogen retention in pigs fed high-lysine diets was higher than that in pigs fed control diets, which suggests that lysine was over-fortified relative to crude protein, since practical diets can not be formulated without excess of some amino acids. In summary the concentration of 5.2 g total lysine/100 g CP in diet is more appropriate for corn-soybean diets than the commonly suggested the content of 6.7 g total lysine/100 g CP.