Practical starter pig amino acid requirements in relation to immunity,gut health and growth performance

Immune system activation begins a host of physiological responses. Infectious agents are recognized by monocytes and macrophages which in turn stimulate cytokine production. It is the hormone-like factors called cytokines that orchestrate the immune response. The classic responses observed with immune system activation and cytokine production include: anorexia, fever, lethargy, recruitment of other immune cells, and phagocytosis. While production of immune system components is known to require some amino acids, increases in amino acid requirements are more than offset by the associated decrease in protein accretion and increased muscle protein degradation that also accompanies immune system activation. However, the biggest impact of cytokine production is a decrease in feed intake. Therefore, as feed intake decreases, the energy needed to drive protein synthesis is also decreased. This suggests that diets should still be formulated on a similar calorie:lysine ratio as those formulated for non-immune challenged pigs. The evidence is sparse or equivocal for increasing nutrient requirements during an immune challenge. Nutritionists and swine producers should resist the pressure to alter the diet, limit feed, or add expensive feed additives during an immune challenge. While immune stimulation does not necessitate changes in diet formulation, when pigs are challenged with non-pathogenic diarrhea there are potential advantages on gut health with the increased use of crystalline amino acids rather than intact protein sources (i.e., soybean meal). This is because reducing crude protein decreases the quantity of fermentable protein entering the large intestine, which lowers post weaning diarrhea. It also lowers the requirement for expensive specialty protein sources or other protein sources such as soybean meal that present immunological challenges to the gut. The objective of this review is two-fold. The first is to discuss immunity by nutrition interactions, or lack thereof, and secondly, to review amino acid requirement estimates for nursery pigs.     

瘦肉型猪规模化养殖生长肥育期基础饲粮配方筛选试验

试验共使用８４头杜长大试猪,研究按理想可消化氨基酸模式利用不同蛋白源配制的基础饲粮对生长肥育猪生产性能的影响。试验结果：豆粕＋鱼粉、豆粕、豆粕＋棉粕＋菜粕３种不同蛋白源构成的基础饲粮,无论生长期、肥育期还是生长肥育全期日增重差异均不显著,采食量和饲料／增重比也很接近,肥育猪的瘦肉率和背膘厚等指标无大的差异。但豆粕＋棉粕＋菜粕日粮较豆粕＋鱼粉日粮千克增重饲料成本低４．６３％。表明,按理想可消化氨基酸     

生长猪氨基酸利用的数量观点:理论与实践

本文综述了影响生长猪氨基酸利用的主要因素,探讨了养猪生产中有关氨基酸营养问题。结果表明:通过测定体沉积蛋白质(PD)中氨基酸的沉积、生理氨基酸损失(主要是皮肤和毛发、肠道内源氨基酸损失)与不可避免的氨基酸的分解代谢来估测氨基酸的需要量,估测氨基酸需要量的数据必须建立在蛋白质沉积、活体量、饲喂水平、饲料原料组成和饲料原料的可利用氨基酸含量上。既然PD是氨基酸需要量的决定因素,在建立日粮最佳氨基酸水平时,必须认真考虑活体重或动物间的差异对PD的影响。因此,饲料组成与机体蛋白质中氨基酸组成的变化对用于蛋白质沉积需要的可利用氨基酸利用的影响必须进行更精确的定量。     

Amino acid fortified diets for weanling pigs replacing fish meal and whey protein concentrate:Effects on growth,immune status,and gut health

Background:Limited availability offish meal and whey protein concentrate increases overall feed costs.Availability of increased number of supplemental amino acids including Lys,Met,Thr,Trp,Val,and He allows replacing expensive protein supplements to reduce feed costs.This study was to evaluate the effect of replacing fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate in nursery diets with 6 supplemental amino acids on growth performance and gut health of post-weaning pigs.Treatments were 1) FM-WPC:diet with fish meal(FM) and whey protein concentrate(WPC);2) FM-AA:diet with FM and crystalline amino acids(L-Lys,L-Thr,L-Trp,DL-Met,L-Val,and L-lle);3) WPC-AA:diet with WPC and crystalline amino acid;and 4) AA:diet with crystalline amino acid.Results:Pigs in FM-AA,WPC-AA,and AA had greater(P 0.05) ADG and gain:feed than pigs in FM-WPC during wk 1(phase 1).Plasma insulin concentration of pigs in AA tended to be greater(P = 0.064) than that of FM-WPC at the end of wk 1(phase 1).Plasma concentrations of IgG in AA was lower(P0.05) compared with WPC-AA and FW,and FM-AA had lower(P0.05) IgG concentration than WPC-AA at the end of wk 1(phase 1).Concentration of acetate in cecum digesta in FM-AA tended to be greater(P = 0.054) than that of FM-WPC and WPC-AA.Concentration of isovalerate in cecum digesta of pigs in FM-AA was greater(P 0.05) than that of FW and WPC-AA.Conclusions:This study indicates that use of 6 supplemental amino acids can replace fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate without adverse effects on growth performance,immune status,and gut health of pigs at d 21 to 49 of age.Positive response with the use of 6 supplemental amino acids in growth during the first week of post-weaning may due to increased plasma insulin potentially improving uptake of nutrients for protein synthesis and energy utilization.The replacement of fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate with 6 supplemental amino acids could decrease the crude protein level in nursery diets,and potentially lead to substantial cost savings in expensive nursery diets.     

Evaluation of various extracted vegetable oils, roasted soybeans, medium-chain triglyceride and an animal-vegetable fat blend for postweaning swine

A total of 280 crossbred pigs weaned at 21 d of age and weighing approximately 6 kg were utilized in five replicates to evaluate pig growth responses when fed a basal diet or one of several dietary lipid sources during a 4-wk postweaning period. A basal corn-soybean meal-corn starch-dried whey diet was compared with diets supplemented at a 7.75% level with one of the following lipid sources: corn oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) or an animal-vegetable blend. A sixth treatment evaluated a roasted soybean diet formulated to an energy:lysine level equivalent to that of the fat-supplemented diets. In Exp. II, 36 crossbred weanling barrows were used to determine apparent fat and N digestibilities when soybean oil, roasted soybean, coconut oil or the MCT-supplemented diets were fed. Although pigs fed coconut oil grew somewhat faster, fat inclusion generally did not increase pig growth rate or result in lowered feed intake during the initial weeks postweaning; during the latter portion of the starter phase the addition of dietary fat resulted in a higher growth rate but feed intake was unaffected, resulting in an overall improvement in feed-to-gain ratio (P less than .05) for all but the roasted soybean diet. Pigs fed coconut oil had higher serum triglyceride and lower serum urea concentrations than did pigs fed diets containing most other lipid sources. Pigs fed MCT and coconut oil diets had a higher (P less than .01) apparent fat digestibility during the initial 2 wk postweaning than pigs fed soybean oil or roasted soybean diets. Pigs fed MCT and roasted soybeans had poorest growth rates; apparent fat and N digestibilities were lowest (P less than .05) for the roasted soybean diet.     

Utilization by growing and finishing pigs of raw soybeans of low Kunitz trypsin inhibitor content

Three trials were conducted to compare acceptance and utilization by growing and finishing pigs of diets containing supplemental protein from either heated, solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM), raw low-Kunitz trypsin inhibitor soybean (LT) or raw commercially grown Williams cultivar soybean with high Kunitz trypsin inhibitor content (HT). In Trial 1, 36 crossbred pigs, averaging 7 kg in weight, were fed 1) corn-SBM, 2)corn-LT or 3) corn-HT diets for 28 d. Diets were formulated to be isolysinic and to have similar calorie:lysine ratios. Average daily gain and gain/feed were higher (P less than .01) for pigs fed the corn-SBM diet than for pigs fed the corn-LT diet; average daily gain and gain/feed were higher (P less than .01) for the corn-LT diet than for the corn-HT. Average daily feed intake did not differ (P greater than .05) among diets. In Trial 2, 48 crossbred pigs averaging 67 kg were fed diets similar to those in Trial 1 but with lower lysine values. The daily gain (.95 kg) of pigs fed the corn-SBM diet was greater (P less than .05) than for pigs fed the corn-LT diet (.87 kg), which in turn was greater (P less than .05) than for the pigs fed the corn-HT diet (.83 kg). Daily feed intake (kg) and gain/feed were 3.27 and .291, 2.97 and .293, and 3.07 and .270, respectively, for pigs fed the corn-SBM, corn-LT and corn-HT diets. In Trial 3, 18 castrate male pigs averaging 12.4 kg were fed cornstarch-based diets with either SBM, LT or HT as the source of protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Potential use of ground brown rice for weanling pigs

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of substituting corn with ground brown rice on growth performance, immune status, and gut microbiota in weanling pigs. Seventy-two weanling pigs (28 d old with 6.78 ± 0.94 kg body weight [BW]) were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments with six pens and six pigs (three barrows and gilts) per pen within a randomized complete block design. The control pigs were fed a typical diet for weanling pigs based on corn and soybean meal diet (control diet: CON), and the other pigs were fed a formulated diet with 100% replacement of corn with ground brown rice for 35d (treatment diet: GBR). Growth performance, immune status, and gut microbiota of weanling pigs were measured. The substitution of corn with GBR did not affect growth performance or diarrhea frequency. Additionally, there were no differences in white blood cell number, hematocrit, cortisol, C-reactive protein, and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels between pigs fed CON or GBR for the first 2 wk after weaning. However, weanling pigs fed GBR had lower (P < 0.05) serum transforming growth factor-beta 1 level than those fed CON. Furthermore, weanling pigs fed GBR had increased (P < 0.05) relative abundance of phylum Firmicutes and genus Lactobacillus and Streptococcus and decreased (P < 0.05) relative abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and genus Clostridium and Prevotella in the gut microbiota compared with those fed CON. In conclusion, there was no significant difference in growth performance when corn was replaced with ground brown rice in diets for weanling pigs. Furthermore, the substitution of corn with ground brown rice in weaning diet modulated immune status and gut microbiota of pigs by increasing beneficial microbial communities and reducing harmful microbial communities. Overall, ground brown rice-based diet is a potential alternative to corn-based diet without negative effects on growth performance, immune status, and gut microbiota changes of weanling pigs.     

苏氨酸在养猪生产中的应用研究

苏氨酸是猪营养需要的必需氨基酸,尤其是添加合成赖氨酸配制低蛋白日粮时,猪日粮中的苏氨酸就成为第一限制性氨基酸,可进一步改善饲料的氨基酸平衡和降低饲料的配方成本。本文综述了苏氨酸在养猪生产中的生理作用、免疫功能、缺乏症、营养需要量和应用效果。     

低蛋白日粮对生长猪生长性能和腹泻率的影响

本研究旨在探讨低蛋白日粮对生长猪生长性能和腹泻率的影响。试验选取初始体重为16kg左右的三元（杜×长×大）健康生长猪66头,采用单因子试验设计,分为对照组和试验组,每组设3个重复,每个重复11头;对照组日粮按照NRC（1998）推荐营养需要量配制,试验组在NRC推荐日粮粗蛋白水平上降低3.8个百分点,试验期30d。结果表明,试验组日增重比对照组增加了23．4g,提高幅度为4．6％（P〈0．05）;料肉比降低了0．22,降低幅度为10．8％（P〈0．05）;试验组腹泻率与对照组相比,有下降趋势,但无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。说明使用低蛋白日粮能提高生长猪的生长性能和饲料转化率,并在一定程度上能减少仔猪腹泻。     

Effect of fermented corn–soybean meal on carcass and meat quality of grower-finisher pigs

The fermented feed has been identified as a potential alternative to antibiotics in feeds that markedly affects gut health and growth performance of pigs. Two recent studies performed in our laboratory investigated that the fermented corn–soybean meal (fermented feed, FF) improved the gut health of pigs. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a FF on the carcass, meat quality, muscle fatty acids profile, muscle amino acid and antioxidant ability of grower-finisher pigs. In this study, a total of 48 crossbred barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) were randomly divided into 2 treatments with unfermented corn–soybean diet (Ctrl) and FF diet. Compared with control pigs fed a standard diet, the results showed that FF significantly increased the muscle colour of redness and significantly reduced muscle moisture loss rate. Furthermore, FF significantly increased the content of aromatic amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine. More importantly, FF increased monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Collectively, FF could be a promising feed strategy in improving meat quality and nutritional value in grower-finisher pig.     

木瓜蛋白酶和苜蓿对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响

选取杜×长×大三元杂断奶仔猪171头作为实验动物,研究木瓜蛋白酶的添加和苜蓿替代部分豆粕后对断奶仔猪腹泻、生产性能的影响。结果表明:添加木瓜蛋白酶后对仔猪的生长有促进作用,平均日采食量增加2.7%、平均日增重提高2.56%、料重比分别提高2.7%、2.56%和降低1.6%。添加木瓜蛋白酶并用苜蓿替代5%的豆粕对仔猪的生长也有促进作用,平均日采食量增加10.8%、平均日增重提高7.69%、料重比降低1.03%。     

Amino acid fortified diets for weanling pigs replacing fish meal and whey protein concentrate: Effects on growth,immune status,and gut health

Background

Limited availability of fish meal and whey protein concentrate increases overall feed costs. Availability of increased number of supplemental amino acids including Lys, Met, Thr, Trp, Val, and Ile allows replacing expensive protein supplements to reduce feed costs. This study was to evaluate the effect of replacing fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate in nursery diets with 6 supplemental amino acids on growth performance and gut health of post-weaning pigs. Treatments were 1) FM-WPC: diet with fish meal (FM) and whey protein concentrate (WPC); 2) FM-AA: diet with FM and crystalline amino acids (L-Lys, L-Thr, L-Trp, DL-Met, L-Val, and L-Ile); 3) WPC-AA: diet with WPC and crystalline amino acid; and 4) AA: diet with crystalline amino acid.

Results

Pigs in FM-AA, WPC-AA, and AA had greater (P < 0.05) ADG and gain:feed than pigs in FM-WPC during wk 1 (phase 1). Plasma insulin concentration of pigs in AA tended to be greater (P = 0.064) than that of FM-WPC at the end of wk 1(phase 1). Plasma concentrations of IgG in AA was lower (P < 0.05) compared with WPC-AA and FW, and FM-AA had lower (P < 0.05) IgG concentration than WPC-AA at the end of wk 1 (phase 1). Concentration of acetate in cecum digesta in FM-AA tended to be greater (P = 0.054) than that of FM-WPC and WPC-AA. Concentration of isovalerate in cecum digesta of pigs in FM-AA was greater (P < 0.05) than that of FW and WPC-AA.

Conclusions

This study indicates that use of 6 supplemental amino acids can replace fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate without adverse effects on growth performance, immune status, and gut health of pigs at d 21 to 49 of age. Positive response with the use of 6 supplemental amino acids in growth during the first week of post-weaning may due to increased plasma insulin potentially improving uptake of nutrients for protein synthesis and energy utilization. The replacement of fish meal and/or whey protein concentrate with 6 supplemental amino acids could decrease the crude protein level in nursery diets, and potentially lead to substantial cost savings in expensive nursery diets.     

Utilization of alternative protein meals with or without multiple-enzyme supplementation in broilers fed low-energy diets

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different protein meals, with or without enzyme supplementation, on the performance of broilers. A diet based on a combination of protein meals (15% soybean meal, and 5% each of sunflower meal, canola meal, rapeseed meal, and cottonseed meal) was compared with 4 other diets containing 15% soybean meal and 20% of sunflower meal, canola meal, rapeseed meal, or cottonseed meal. Experimental diets were formulated to contain 2,630 kcal of ME/kg and 0.95% digestible lysine, with all other essential amino acids set to meet or exceed the ideal protein ratios. Each diet was fed with or without supplemental exogenous enzyme (Rovabio Excel at 500 g/metric ton of feed) to 6 replicate pens of 50 chicks from 1 to 35 d posthatch as coarse mash. In the cottonseed meal-based diet, supplemental enzyme resulted in high 35-d feed intake and FCR compared with the cottonseed meal-fed groups with no enzyme. There was a significant (P < 0.05) diet × enzyme interaction for 35-d feed intake and FCR. Birds fed the sunflower meal-based diet had significantly (P < 0.05) higher final BW gain and lower FCR as compared with those fed rapeseed meal- or cottonseed meal-based diets, whereas the BW gain of birds fed the rapeseed meal-based diet was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced compared with birds in all other groups. In conclusion, in low-ME broiler diets formulated on a digestible amino acid basis, up to 20% sunflower meal and canola meal can be safely incorporated into the diet. Supplementation of Rovabio failed to exert any positive effect on production parameters when used with diets containing high levels of each of the common protein meals.     

Feed preference in pigs: effect of selected protein, fat, and fiber sources at different inclusion rates

Three double-choice feeding experiments were conducted to study the effect of different feedstuffs on feed preference in pigs. Fifteen protein sources, 6 fat sources, and 3 fiber sources were evaluated in Exp. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Pigs were offered a series of double choices between a common reference diet and the diet with the ingredient under evaluation. The reference diet contained a soybean meal product with 56% CP (SBM-56), sunflower oil, and wheat bran, which were considered as the feedstuffs of reference for the protein, fat, and fiber sources, respectively. Preference, expressed as percentage of the tested diet to total feed intake, was affected by feedstuff nature and by its inclusion rate. In Exp. 1, feeds with fish meal at 50 and 100 g·kg?1, dried porcine hydrolyzed protein at 50 g·kg?1, and lupine, soybean meal with 44% CP, and dried skim milk at 100 g·kg?1 were preferred (P < 0.05) to the reference feed with SBM-56. On the contrary, relative to SBM-56, an avoidance (preference less than 50%) was observed for potato protein at all inclusion rates tested, rapeseed meal and acid milk whey at 100 and 200 g·kg?1, and dried porcine hydrolyzed protein, soybean protein concentrate, wheat gluten, and sunflower meal at 200 g·kg(-1). The storage of dried skim milk, soybean protein concentrate, and potato protein for 10 mo resulted in a reduction (P < 0.001) of their preference values. In Exp. 2, the feed with palm oil (at 30 g·kg?1) was preferred (P < 0.05), whereas feeds with linseed oil (at 30 and 100 g·kg?1) and soybean oil (at 100 g·kg?1) were avoided (P < 0.05) when contrasted with the reference feed with sunflower oil. Finally, in Exp. 3 diets with dehydrated alfalfa and sugar beet pulp at 130 g·kg?1 had a reduced (P < 0.05) preference compared with the reference diet with wheat bran. It is concluded that feedstuff nature, inclusion rate, and freshness affect feed preference in pigs. Feedstuff preferences should be taken into account during diet formulation, particularly at critical stages such as immediately after weaning.     

益生菌发酵中药对生长育肥猪生产性能的影响

为了研究益生菌发酵中药对生长育肥猪生产性能的影响,试验选择胎次、体重相近的杜×长×大三元杂交健康猪36头,随机分为3个处理,每个处理组设3个重复,每个重复4头猪,进行饲养试验。通过试验分析生长育肥猪的平均日增重、平均日采食量、饲料转化率和腹泻率等数据,评估益生菌发酵中药对生长育肥猪生产性能的影响。结果表明,日粮中添加益生菌发酵中药,平均日增重比对照组提高20.5%,日采食量比对照组提高8.1%,饲料转化率比对照组提高10.3%,腹泻率比对照组降低71.4%,益生菌发酵中药作为饲料添加剂能显著提高猪的各项生产性能。     

Substitution of plant protein for fish meal in the diet of laying ducks

Fish meal is a good source of protein feed that can be used to get a high production yield even though it has a comparatively higher price. Plant protein has been found to substitute for fish meal without any adverse effect on production as well as helping to reduce feed cost. Moreover, it is not necessary for a level more than 5% fish meal in the diet of laying ducks. One type of plant protein is soybean meal, considered one of the most valuable sources of vegetable protein and whose amino acid composition is comparable to that of milk protein. In a soybean meal, the first limiting amino acid is methionine. Soybean meal can substitute for fish meal in laying ducks' diet but supplementation of methionine and lysine is recommended. Since sesame meal is rich in methionine and agrinine, 50% of soybean meal can be replaced by sesame meal without adverse effects. Leucaena leaf meal is also a valuable source of protein (26%) and carotenoids but it also has a toxic amino acid (mimosine). However, soaking leucaena leaf meal in water can remove the toxic amino acid and can be used, together with added methionine and lysine, as 10% of the diet for laying ducks.     

两型饲料的能量和新型蛋白质替代原料

两型饲料是指资源节约型和环境友好型饲料。目前,市场上猪、肉鸡和蛋鸡的日粮以玉米豆粕型为主,需要新的解决方案来改善饲料生产可持续性和解决工农争粮问题。有许多原料可作为替代能量和蛋白质来源正受到人们的关注,其中包括高粱、大麦、昆虫源性原料、藻源性蛋白和单细胞蛋白等。文章主要论述了两型饲料中纤维的重要性以及几种能量和新型蛋白质替代猪只饲料原料的应用前景。     

Effects of dietary level of lysine and of level and source of protein on feed intake, growth performance, and plasma amino acid pattern in the finishing pig.

The effects of dietary level of lysine and of level and source of CP on voluntary feed intake, growth performance, plasma free amino acids, and carcass characteristics were investigated in a study involving 60 female and 60 castrated male Large White finishing pigs (from 42 to 101 kg live weight) with ad libitum access to feed. Six treatments were compared according to a 2 x 3 factorial plan, with two levels of lysine (.55 and .65% selected below the recommended levels for both sexes) and three types of CP (N x 6.25) supply: a 13% CP diet based on wheat, peanut meal and soybean meal; a 15.6% CP diet providing the same amino acid pattern as that of the basal diet; and a 15.2% CP diet containing the same levels of essential amino acids as the 13% CP diet, with the addition of glutamic acid as a source of nonessential amino acids. By maintaining a constant amino acid pattern separate changes in dietary lysine and CP levels resulted in a relative independency of their effects on feed intake, growth performance, and body composition. Muscle gain increased with supplementary lysine, with a lower response at the lower CP level (13%). At the same level of lysine (.55 or .65%), increasing protein content from 13 to 15.6% did not affect feed intake, but growth rate was lower and feed/gain was increased, partly because of an additional energy cost resulting from catabolism of excess protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fiber effects in nutrition and gut health in pigs

Dietary fiber is associated with impaired nutrient utilization and reduced net energy values. However, fiber has to be included in the diet to maintain normal physiological functions in the digestive tract. Moreover, the negative impact of dietary fiber will be determined by the fiber properties and may differ considerably between fiber sources. Various techniques can be applied to enhance nutritional value and utilization of available feed resources. In addition, the extent of fiber utilization is affected by the age of the pig and the pig breed. The use of potential prebiotic effects of dietary fiber is an attractive way to stimulate gut health and thereby minimize the use of anti-microbial growth promoters. Inclusion of soluble non-starch polysaccharides （NSP） in the diet can stimulate the growth of commensal gut microbes, inclusion of NSP from chicory results in changes in gut micro-environment and gut morphology of pigs, while growth performance remains unaffected and digestibility was only marginally reduced. The fermentation products and pH in digesta responded to diet type and were correlated with shifts in the microbiota. Interestingly, fiber intake will have an impact on the expression of intestinal epithelial heat-shock proteins in the pig. Heat-shock proteins have an important physiological role in the gut and carry out crucial housekeeping functions in order to maintain the mucosal barrier integrity. Thus, there are increasing evidence showing that fiber can have prebiotic effects in pigs due to interactions with the gut micro-environment and the gut associated immune system.     

Evaluation of increased fiber,decreased amino acids,or decreased electrolyte balance as dietary approaches to slow finishing pig growth rates

In swine production, pig movement restrictions or packing plant closures may create the need to slow growth rates of finishing pigs to ensure they remain at a marketable body weight when packing plant access is restored. Although dietary formulations can be successful at slowing pig growth, precision is needed regarding how to best formulate diets to achieve growth rate reductions. Thus, the objective was to evaluate three dietary experimental approaches aimed at slowing growth rates in finishing pigs. These approaches consisted of either increasing neutral detergent fiber (NDF), reducing essential amino acids, or reducing the dietary electrolyte balance through the addition of acidogenic salts. A total of 94 mixed-sex pigs (72.4 ± 11.2 kg BW) across two replicates were individually penned and assigned to 1 of 8 dietary treatments (n = 11–12 pigs/treatment): 1) Control diet representative of a typical corn–soybean meal-based finisher diet (CON); 2) diet containing 15% NDF from soybean hulls (15% NDF); 3) diet containing 20% NDF from soybean hulls (20% NDF); 4) diet containing 25% NDF from soybean hulls (25% NDF); 5) diet formulated as per CON but with 50% of the soybean meal replaced with corn (89% Corn); 6) diet containing 97% corn and no soybean meal or synthetic amino acids (97% Corn); 7) diet containing 2% anhydrous calcium chloride (2% CaCl₂); and 8) diet containing 4% anhydrous calcium chloride (4% CaCl₂). Over 28 d, pig body weights and performance were recorded weekly. At d 28, all pigs were ultrasound scanned and switched to the CON diet to evaluate compensatory gain from d 28 to 35. Overall, increased NDF did not impact any growth performance parameter (P > 0.05). Amino acid restriction reduced average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain:feed (G:F) linearly (linear P < 0.001). Similarly, ADG, ADFI, and G:F were linearly reduced with increased CaCl₂ inclusion (linear P < 0.001). ADG differed during the compensatory gain period (P < 0.001), with 4% CaCl₂-fed pigs having a 47% increase in ADG compared with CON-fed pigs. Conversely, 15% and 25% NDF-fed pigs had reduced ADG compared with CON-fed pigs during the compensatory gain period. Gain efficiency differed from day 28 to 35 (P < 0.001), with 4% CaCl₂-fed pigs having a 36% increase in G:F compared with CON-fed pigs. Altogether, these data demonstrate that both amino acid restriction and CaCl₂ inclusion are effective at slowing pig growth, albeit at greater inclusion rates.