Optimal Lysine:DE Ratio for Growing Pigs of Different Sexes

This study was conducted to evaluate changes in the lysine to digestible energy (DE) ratio on performance, apparent ileal and fecal nutrient digestibilities as well as blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and to estimate optimal lysine:DE ratios for growing pigs of different sexes. A total of 150 pigs ($(Landrace{\times}Yorkshire){\times}Duroc$, 16.78 kg average body weight, 75 barrows and 75 gilts) was randomly allotted into a $2{\times}3$ (sex by diet) factorial design. Three diets were formulated to contain a crude protein level of 19%, a DE level of 3.5 Mcal/kg with three lysine:DE ratios of 3.2 (low), 3.5 (middle) and 3.8 (high) g lysine/Mcal DE per kg diet for both barrows and gilts throughout the study. With increasing dietary lysine:DE ratio, the average daily gain (ADG) of barrows decreased but there was no significant difference among treatments (p>0.05). However, ADG was significantly higher in gilts fed the diet containing the high lysine:DE ratio (p<0.05), followed by the middle and low lysine:DE ratio dietary groups. No significant effects of lysine:DE ratios on feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion (F/G) were observed for barrows and gilts during overall period (p>0.05), while the optimal F/G was found in barrows fed diets of low and in gilts fed high lysine:DE ratio. Blood urea nitrogen had a positive relationship with growth rate. The results showed that the optimal lysine:DE ratios were 3.2 and 3.8 g lysine/Mcal DE per kg diet for barrows and gilts of 16 to 57 kg body weight, respectively.