Determination of true ileal amino acid digestibility and the endogenous amino acid outputs associated with barley samples for growing-finishing pigs by the regression analysis technique

This study was conducted to determine true ileal AA digestibility coefficients and the endogenous AA outputs associated with barley samples for growing-finishing pigs using the regression analysis technique with dual digestibility markers. Six barrows, with 30.5 and 58.6 kg average initial and final BW, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and fed six barley-based diets at close to ad libitum feed intake according to a 6 x 6 Latin square design. The six diets contained 97% of six barley samples varying from low to high in CP and AA contents (8.5, 9.2, 9.8, 11.5, 12.6, and 15.6% CP, respectively, on DM basis). The dietary NDF content ranged from 16.8 to 23.8% on DM basis. Chromic oxide (Cr2O3) and acid-insoluble ash (AIA) were used as digestibility markers. Each experimental period lasted 7 d. Ileal digesta were collected, at 2-h intervals, for a total of 24 h during d 6 and 7. There were linear relationships (P < 0.01) between dietary contents of apparent ileally digestible and total CP and AA as determined by using either Cr2O3 or AIA as a digestibility marker. The use of Cr2O3 vs AIA affected (P < 0.01) the determination of true ileal AA digestibility coefficients and the endogenous CP and AA outputs. However, there were no differences (P > 0.01) in the true ileal AA digestibility coefficients in barley samples between this study and the average values reported in the literature. The endogenous CP and AA outputs determined in this study were higher (P < 0.01) than reported values (35.1+/-3.0 vs 14.7+/-1.1 g CP/kg DMI). It is concluded that dual digestibility markers should be used to measure true ileal AA digestibility coefficients and endogenous AA outputs when dietary fiber content is high and the ileal digesta is collected through a simple T-cannula in the pig. True rather than apparent ileal AA digestibility coefficients determined in barley samples should be used in diet formulation for swine. The gastrointestinal endogenous AA secretion, recycling, and output losses are important in whole-body AA utilization and homeostasis, especially when fiber-enriched diets are fed to growing-finishing pigs.     

Real ileal protein and amino acid digestibilities in feedstuffs for growing pigs as determined with the 15N-isotope dilution technique

Twelve gilts, with an average initial BW of 38 kg, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and two catheters in the external jugular veins. The animals were fed 700 g of one of the experimental diets, twice daily at 0800 and 2000. Diets 1 and 2 were cornstarch-based diets formulated to contain 16% CP from soybean meal and canola meal, respectively. Diets 3 and 4 contained 93.9% wheat and barley, respectively. Chromic oxide was included to determine nutrient digestibilities. Following recovery from surgery, 15N-leucine was infused continuously via a jugular catheter for 9 d at a rate of 40 mg.kg BW-1.d-1. Blood samples were taken at every feeding. Ileal digesta were collected for 24 h on d 7 and 9 of the infusion period. Assuming that the 15N-enrichment excess in the trichloroacetic acid-soluble fraction of the blood was similar to that in endogenous N, the contribution of endogenous to total N in ileal digesta was calculated. The amount of endogenous protein (N x 6.25) recovered in digesta collected from the distal ileum were 25.5, 30.5, 27.4 and 27.7 g/kg DM intake for the pigs fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. In the same order for the diets, the real ileal protein digestibilities were 97.5, 84.1, 99.0 and 94.2%, respectively. In addition, the real ileal amino acid digestibilities were calculated. The recoveries of endogenous protein in ileal digesta and the real ileal protein and amino acid digestibilities were higher than those determined by feeding protein-free diets for determining the recovery of endogenous protein and amino acids in ileal digesta.     

Effect of palm kernel cake as protein source in a concentrate diet on intake, digestibility and live weight gain of goats fed Napier grass

The effects of palm kernel cake (PKC) as a protein source in a concentrate diet (comprising 35 % crushed maize, 30 % rice bran, 32 % PKC, 2 % vitamin mineral premix and 1 % salt) were examined on intake, live weight (LW) gain and digestibility in female goats (average LW of 12.4?±?2.6 kg). Four goats were randomly allocated to each of the four treatment diets: (a) Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) offered ad libitum (T1), (b) T1 + concentrate at 0.5 % of LW (T2), (c) T1 + concentrate at 1.0 % of LW (T3) and (d) T1 + concentrate at 2.0 % of LW (T4). A 7-day digestibility trial and an 82-day growth experiment were conducted. No differences were observed among diets for intakes of roughage dry matter (DM), total DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). The crude protein (CP) intake increased (P?<?0.05) as the level of concentrate in the diets increased. Goats fed the T2, T3 and T4 diets gained 10.2, 34.1 and 52.5 g/head/day, respectively, while the control group (T1) lost weight (?12.7 g/head/day). The apparent digestibilities of DM, OM and CP were similar (P?>?0.05) among treatments. The digestibility of dietary NDF decreased (P?<?0.05) with increasing levels of concentrate, but there was no significant (P?>?0.05) difference between T2 and T3 diets. Supplementing a basal diet of Napier grass with PKC-based concentrate improved CP intake and LW gain. The PKC-based concentrate diet can therefore be exploited for the use of local feed resources for goat production; however, further research is required to achieve the best growth response.     

The effect of feeding level and physiological status on total flow and amino acid composition of endogenous protein at the distal ileum in swine.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of BW, feed intake, and the physiological condition of the animal on the loss and amino acid composition of endogenous protein in swine. Ten growing barrows and five multiparous sows were equipped with a T-cannula in the distal ileum for digesta collection. A protein-free diet was fed to all animals. The barrows were given free access to the experimental diet. The sows also were allowed to consume the diet on an ad libitum basis, and digesta were collected during lactation and in the following gestation period. In addition, digesta from the gravid sows were collected after restricting the sows to 2 kg of feed per day. For each animal group, the endogenous losses of protein and amino acids were calculated in relation to DMI, and the amino acid composition of endogenous protein was calculated. The total endogenous gut protein loss at the distal ileum of growing pigs, lactating sows, and gestating sows, given free access to feed, was 12.4, 9.4, and 11.2 g/kg DMI, respectively. These values were not different (P > .10). However, when gestating sows were fed only 2 kg/d, 17.8 g of endogenous protein was lost per kilogram of DMI, which was higher (P < .05) than for any of the other groups. This difference was mainly caused by higher (P < .05) losses of glycine, proline, and serine. There were no differences (P > .05) in amino acid composition of endogenous protein between growing pigs, lactating sows, and gestating sows given free access to feed, but restricted-fed gestating sows had an amino acid composition of endogenous protein that was significantly different from that of the other groups. The results from the experiment showed that age, BW, and the physiological condition of the animal have little or no effect on the amount of endogenous protein and amino acids lost at the distal ileum of hogs if calculated in relation to DMI. Likewise, the amino acid composition was not affected by the BW or physiological condition of the animal. However, DMI had a significant effect on endogenous protein losses in sows as well as on amino acid composition of endogenous protein.     

The effects of increasing the level of dietary wormwood (Artemisia montana Pampan) on intake, digestibility, N balance and ruminal fermentation characteristics in sheep

This study investigated the effect of replacing concentrates with dry wormwood (Artemisia montana) on the performance of sheep. Four Corriedale × Polwarth sheep (41.3 ± 1.3 kg) were fed diets with an 8 : 2 straw to supplement ratio, for four, consecutive 16 d periods (10 d adaptation, 6 d collection) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Supplements were made by substituting 0 (Control), 30 (LW), 50 (MW) or 100 (HW) g/kg DM of concentrate (15.6% CP, 72.1% of TDN) with dried, ground wormwood. Ruminal pH, NH₃–N and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured on d 6 of collection. Ether extract (EE) intake was linearly decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing wormwood inclusion, otherwise intake was unaffected. The Control diet had lower (P < 0.05) DM and CP digestibility than LW and MW diets and lower EE digestibility than the LW diet. Retained N (P < 0.05) and microbial N yield (P < 0.01) linearly increased with dietary wormwood level, but efficiency of microbial N synthesis linearly decreased (P < 0.001). Mean concentrations of rumen NH₃–N, total VFA and propionic acid were quadratically increased (P < 0.05) by increasing wormwood inclusion. Replacing concentrates with 30–50 g/kg DM of wormwood increased N retention, microbial N yield and EE digestibility.     

Protein and body weight accretion of chicks on diets with widely varying contents of soyabean meal supplemented or unsupplemented with its limiting amino acids

1. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of relative deficiencies of methionine and threonine on the growth performance of 8- to 21-d-old chicks fed on isoenergetic diets containing a wide range of crude protein (CP) concentrations from dehulled soyabean meal (SBM). 2. Chicks fed on graded levels of SBM containing supplemental methionine and threonine (BAL) accreted whole-body protein more efficiently (P < 0.05) than those receiving graded levels of unsupplemented SBM (DEF), and superior (P < 0.05) growth performance was also obtained at lower CP levels when chicks were fed on the BAL diets. 3. Voluntary food intake increased between 30 and 220 g CP/kg in chicks fed on DEF diets, whereas food intake of chicks fed on BAL diets increased only between 30 and 100 g CP/kg, after which it decreased between 100 and 220 g CP/kg. 4. Protein efficiency ratio (g gain per g protein intake) decreased with each incremental increase in CP between 30 and 260 g CP/kg, regardless of whether diets were BAL or DEE 5. These data indicate that maintaining a balanced ratio of amino acids is a preferable approach when poultry producers are interested in employing low CP diets for economic, physiological or environmental reasons.     

The effect of feeding different protein-free diets on the recovery and amino acid composition of endogenous protein collected from the distal ileum and feces in pigs

Nine barrows with an average initial weight of 60 kg were fitted with simple T-cannulas at the distal ileum. The animals were fed four different protein-free diets according to an incomplete latin square design. Diet 1 (control diet) consisted of 79.7% cornstarch, 10% sucrose, 3% Alphafloc (a source of cellulose), 3% canola oil and a vitamin-mineral premix. Diets 2, 3 and 4 contained, respectively, 4% pectin, an additional 7% cellulose and an additional 10% canola oil, each included at the expense of cornstarch. Feces were collected during 3 d following a 7-d adaptation period. Thereafter, digesta were collected during two 24-h periods with a 24-interval between periods. The pigs were fed 800 g of feed twice at 0800 and 2000. Added pectin increased (P less than .05) the recovery of endogenous protein in ileal digesta from 19.8 diet (diet 1) to 24.0 g per kg dry matter intake. This increment was largely due to increases (P less than .05) in glycine and proline from 1.9 to 2.4 and from 6.2 to 8.4 g per kg dry matter intake, respectively. In feces, only added cellulose increased (P less than .05) excretion of endogenous protein (8.4 vs 11.1 g/kg DM intake) and of most amino acids. Including additional fat did not affect the quantity of endogenous protein and amino acids recovered in ileal digesta or feces. Small but significant differences (P less than .05) were observed in the amino acid composition of endogenous protein recovered in ileal digesta when the different protein-free diets were fed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Increasing dietary crude protein does not increase the essential amino acid requirements of kittens

Essential amino acid (EAA) requirements of omnivores and herbivores (e.g. chicks, lambs, pigs and rats) are directly related to the concentration of dietary crude protein (CP). When an EAA is limiting in the diet, addition of a mixture of EAA lacking the limiting one (which increases dietary CP) results in a decrease in food intake and weight gain. This interaction has been referred to as an AA imbalance and has not been studied in depth in strict carnivores. The objectives of these experiments were to examine the effects on growing kittens (2-week periods) of the addition to diets of a mixture of AA lacking the limiting one. The control diets were at the requirement of the respective limiting EAA (or about 85% of the 1986 National Research Council requirement). In experiment 1, with the dietary EAAs at the minimally determined requirements, the concentration of the essential or dispensable amino acids was increased to determine if CP or an EAA was limiting. Results of growth rates (n = 12) and plasma AA concentrations indicated that tryptophan was limiting, but increased body weight gain also occurred when the concentration of CP was increased as dispensable amino acids without additional tryptophan. Experiment 1 was repeated in experiment 2 using a crossover design. Again, when tryptophan was limiting additional concentrations of dispensable AAs increased body weight gain. This response is the opposite of that in herbivores and omnivores. Experiment 3 consisted of 10 separate crossover trials, one for each of the 10 EAA and examined the effect of two concentrations of dietary CP (200 and 300 g CP/kg diet) on body weight gain of kittens (n = 8) offered diets limiting in each respective EAA. Body weight gain was numerically greater when diets contained 300 g CP/kg than 200 g CP/kg for eight of 10 EAAs (p < 0.05 for only isoleucine and threonine) when each amino acid was limiting. This response is the reverse of that which occurs in chicks, lambs, pigs and rats when an EAA is limiting and dietary CP lacking the limiting EAA is increased. These results indicate that the EAA requirements of kittens are not positively correlated with dietary CP concentrations.     

Crude protein and essential amino acid requirements in chicks during the first week posthatch

1. This study examined optimal lysine and sulphur amino acid supply in the first week posthatch in broilers and the relationship between essential amino acids and dietary crude protein during the first week posthatch on performance at 7 d and through marketing. 2. The optimal supply during the 7 d posthatch using a 230 g/kg crude protein diet for sulphur amino acids was 9.1 and for lysine was 10.3-10.8 g/kg with maximal body weight (BW) or feed efficiency as the criteria. 3. Feeding diets with crude protein content ranging from 200 to 260 g/kg with either constant amounts of essential amino acids at different crude protein levels or constant ratios of essential amino acids to crude protein resulted in enhanced performance at 7 but not at 4 d with high protein intake and proportionally increased essential amino acids. 4. Performance on diets with crude protein ranging from 160 to 280 g/kg, with constant ratios of essential amino acid to crude protein, was much enhanced with the high crude protein diets at 7 d. All chicks were transferred to standard diets after 7 d and the BW advantage due to the balanced amino acid-high crude protein diet remained through marketing. 5. Thus increasing essential amino acids in a constant ratio to crude protein enhanced performance during the 7 d posthatch.     

Increasing dietary crude protein does not increase the methionine requirement in kittens

The objective of this study was to determine if the methionine (met) requirement of kittens is correlated with the concentration of dietary crude protein (CP). The study used 48 male kittens in two replications of six 4 x 4 Latin squares, each representing one concentration of met (1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 6.0 or 9.0 g/kg diet) with four CP concentrations (150, 200, 300 and 500 g/kg diet) in 2-week periods. Cystine was present in the lowest CP diet at 5.3 g/kg diet and increased as dietary CP increased. Body weight gain, food intake, nitrogen balance and plasma amino acids, glucose, insulin, cortisol, somatomedin C, T(3) and T(4) concentrations on day 12 were measured. From breakpoint analysis of the nitrogen retention curves, the met requirement of kittens was found to be 3.1, 3.8, 3.1 and 2.4 g met/kg for the 150, 200, 300 and 500 g CP/kg diets, respectively. When met was limiting (1.5 or 2.5 g/kg diet), increasing dietary CP did not decrease, but rather increased food intake, body weight gain and nitrogen retention. Plasma met concentrations increased as dietary met increased and at 2.5-3.5 g met/kg diet were not different among kittens fed the various CP diets. Total plasma T(3) and T(4) increased significantly as dietary CP increased in kittens given the 2.5 and 4.5 g met/kg diets. Results indicate that food intake and possibly altered hormonal secretion play a role in this growth response. In conclusion, the met requirement of growing kittens, unlike omnivores and herbivores studied, was not positively correlated with the concentration of dietary CP.     

Apparent precaecal digestibility of nutrients and level of endogenous nitrogen in digesta of the small intestine of growing pigs as affected by various digesta viscosities.

Sixteen male growing pigs of about 24 kg BW were fitted with both a duodenal re-entrant and a post-valve T-shaped cannula inserted in the caecum. The animals were divided into four groups. Each group received one of the following diets: corn starch-soybean protein isolate-based diet without (diet C) and with carboxymethylcellulose (diet CMC) or a rye-wheat-based diet without (diet RW) and with xylanase addition (diet RWX). The diets provided similar levels of apparent precaecal digestible crude protein (CP), lysine, methionine + cystine, threonine and tryptophan. Additionally, [15N]-yeast was given with the diets during the first 10 days of the experiment. For estimation of digesta viscosity, N-flow of dietary and endogenous origin, apparent precaecal digestibilities of dry matter (DM), CP, amino acids and non starch polysaccharides (NSP) (only in pigs fed diets RW and RWX), ileal and duodenal digesta were quantitatively collected on day 16 and 17, respectively. The endogenous N-proportion was measured by the ratio of 15N enrichment in the digesta and urine. The duodenal and ileal digesta supernatant viscosity increased as carboxymethylcellulose was included into the diet. Xylanase addition to the rye-wheat based diet reduced the viscosity in the ileal digesta. There were no differences in precaecal digestibilities of DM, CP and amino acids between diet C and CMC. The precaecal digestibilities of DM and soluble and insoluble NSP increased from 69.5% to 73.9%, from 1.3% to 47.9% and from 17.0% to 35.4%, respectively, as xylanase was added to the rye-wheat-based diet. The apparent precaecal digestibility of most essential amino acids increased by 2 to 5 percent units. The amounts of endogenous N at the duodenal level were estimated to be 158, 233, 313 and 276 mg per 12 h per kg0.75 BW of pigs fed diets C, CMC, RW and RWX, respectively. The corresponding values at the ileal level were 95, 107, 164 and 150 mg per 12 h per kg0.75 BW. For endogenous N amounts, significant differences were observed between diets C and CMC (duodenum) and also between semi-purified and cereal-based diets (duodenum and ileum). Methodological aspects for the estimation of endogenous N using the isotope dilution technique are discussed. Obviously, the digesta viscosity per se does not affect the nutrient absorption and endogenous N flow within the small intestine of pigs. Other properties of complex dietary fibre, digesta passage rate or bacterial activity probably contribute to the observed changes.     

Estimation of true phosphorus digestibility and endogenous phosphorus loss in growing pigs fed conventional and low-phytate soybean meals

This study reevaluated the method of regressing of total P output against dietary P intake to simultaneously estimate true P digestibility and endogenous P loss in growing pigs fed either conventional or low-phytate soybean meal (SBM). Four isocaloric diets were formulated to contain increasing concentrations of each type of SBM (8 diets total), and therefore contained increasing concentrations of dietary P. Dietary P and Ca concentrations were deficient because they were supplied solely by SBM, and Ca:total P ratios were less than 1:1. Sixteen barrows (initial BW 17.7 +/- 1.8 kg) were surgically fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum, randomly assigned to metabolism crates, and fed the experimental diets in a replicated 8 x 8 Latin square design. Feed was provided at 90 g/kg of BW(0.75) and fed in 2 equally sized meals at 0800 and 2000, with diets containing Cr sesquioxide (3 g/kg) as an indigestible marker. As the P concentration increased from 0.9 to 3.9 g/kg of DM, the apparent prececal P digestibility increased for conventional SBM (P < 0.05), but no relationship was observed for low-phytate SBM. The output of total P [mg/(kg of BW(0.75).d)], either prececal or total tract, exhibited a linear relationship (P < 0.01) with increasing P intake. However, a quadratic response (P = 0.02) was also detected for total tract P output from pigs fed low-phytate SBM. True P digestibility was not different between prececal and total tract collection sites (P > 0.10), but was greater (P < 0.01) for low-phytate SBM (62.6%) compared with conventional SBM (44.5%). Endogenous P estimates were not different between the SBM varieties and averaged 4.83 mg/(kg of BW(0.75).d). However, endogenous P estimates were highly variable between individual animals and, therefore, were not significantly different from zero. In this study, estimates of endogenous P loss from pigs were relatively low compared with previously reported values, and evidence of nonlinearity in P output was observed. These results suggest that the difference in true P digestibility between conventional SBM and low-phytate SBM is influenced by dietary phytate content when growing pigs are fed P-deficient diets.     

Effects of dietary supplementation of an enzyme blend on the ileal and fecal digestibility of nutrients in growing pigs

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of a beta-glucanase-protease enzyme blend product (EBP) on fecal digestibility (FD), apparent ileal digestibility (AID), standardized ileal digestibility, and digestibility in the hindgut of growing pigs. Twelve ileal-cannulated, growing barrows (38.2 +/- 0.5 kg) were housed in individual metabolism crates, blocked by previous feed intake into 3 groups with 4 pigs each, and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments within a square (group) of 3 replications of 4 x 4 Latin square design. Treatments were basal diet (Basal), Basal + 0.05% of EBP (0.05% EBP), Basal + 0.10% of EBP (0.10% EBP), and hydrolyzed casein for measurement of endogenous amino acids. The Basal diet consisted of corn and soybean meal and was calculated to have 3.36 Mcal of ME/kg and 1.1% of total lysine, as-fed basis. Feed intake of each replicate of the Latin square during the first period was 85% of the minimum feed intake of the 4 pigs during the preliminary period and was equalized within each square. The feeding level was increased by 100 g/d in each subsequent period. Each of the experimental periods was 14 d, including 4 d of dietary adaptation, 5 d of fecal collection, 3 d of transition period, and 2 d of ileal collection. Ileal effluents were collected continuously for the same 12-h interval each day. Pigs fed the EBP demonstrated increased (P < 0.05) FD of DM, OM, energy, CP, nonfiber carbohydrate, total dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, acid-hydrolyzed fat, ash, Ca, and P compared with pigs fed Basal. The AID of NDF and hemicellulose was increased (P < 0.05) by supplying the EBP either at 0.05 or 0.10% in the diets, but AID of DM and energy was not increased. The AID of acid-hydrolyzed fat tended to be greater (P = 0.051) for the pigs fed the EBP than for those fed Basal. Ileal digestibility of most amino acids was not affected by treatment, but the EBP reduced the apparent and standardized digestibility of methionine, alanine, and serine (P < 0.05). The difference between FD and AID of hemicellulose was lower (P < 0.05) for the pigs fed the EBP than for those fed Basal. These results demonstrated that the EBP fed to growing pigs improved the FD of DM, OM, energy, CP, nonfiber carbohydrate, total dietary fiber, acid-hydrolyzed fat, Ca, and P, and the AID of NDF and hemi-cellulose, but the standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids was not improved by supplying the EBP in corn-soybean meal-based diets of growing pigs.     

Effects of dietary threonine and crude protein on growth performance, carcase and meat composition of broiler chickens

1. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary threonine (Thr) and crude protein (CP) in maize-soybean meal based diets on the growth performance, carcase traits and meat composition of broiler chickens and to determine the dietary Thr requirement for optimum performance (weight gain and feed conversion efficiency (FCE)) at 0 to 3 weeks and 3 to 6 weeks of age. 2. Two basal diets that differed in CP (191.3 or 179.7 and 176.7 or 165.4 g/kg at 0 to 3 and 3 to 6 weeks, respectively) were formulated to have identical contents of Thr (6.0 and 5.4 g/kg), energy (12.97 and 13.39 MJ ME/kg) and other essential amino acids except for Gly + Ser. Basal diets were supplemented with L-Thr from 0.6 to 1.8 g/kg in 0.6 g/kg increments. Broiler chicks (540) were randomly allocated to 9 dietary treatments with 6 replicates of 10 (5 female, 5 male) chicks. 3. A significant interaction between dietary CP and Thr was found for feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and FCE. Increasing Thr supplementation improved feed intake, BW gain and FCE, especially in high CP diets in both feeding periods. 4. Incremental increases in dietary Thr increased breast yield at both CP levels and drumstick yield only on high CP diets. The proportion of thigh decreased with Thr concentration. Liver weight was significantly reduced by Thr supplementation; abdominal fat was not affected. 5. Estimated Thr requirements for FCE increased as dietary CP increased according to an exponential model. This model indicated higher Thr requirements than those of broken-line models for growth performance.     

Limiting amino acids in low protein maize-soyabean meal diets fed to broiler chicks from 3 to 7 weeks of age

1. An experiment with separately housed male and female broiler chicks was carried out during the period of 3 to 7 weeks of age to determine the limiting amino acids (AA) in a low protein maize-soyabean meal diet. Chicks were fed on diets containing 170, 180, 190 and 200 g crude protein (CP)/kg with or without combined additions of L-threonine (Thr), L-tryptophan (Trp) and L-arginine (Arg) to those in the 180, 190 or 200 g CP/kg diets and a 170 g CP/kg diet with or without combined additions of Thr, Trp, Arg, L-isoleucine (Ile), L-leucine (Leu) and L-valine (Val) to those in the 190 g CP/kg diet. The diets were iso-energetic and contained the same concentrations of lysine (Lys) and sulphur-containing amino acids. 2. Decreasing the dietary CP had a significantly negative effect on performance. 3. No significant effects on performance were found when diets with 180 and 190 g CP/kg were supplemented with Thr, Trp and Arg to those in the 200 g CP/kg diet. 4. There were no significant differences in performance between the groups fed on the diets with 170, 180 and 190 g CP/kg when the 170 and 180 g CP/kg diets were supplemented with Thr, Trp and Arg to those in the 190 g CP/kg diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Feeding different dietary protein to energy ratios to Holstein heifers: effects on growth performance,blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters

Eighteen Chinese Holstein heifers average age 230 ± 14 days were allocated to 1 of 3 dietary crude protein (CP) to metabolizable energy (ME) ratios to examine the effects on growth performance, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters with 90‐days experiment. Three different dietary CP:ME ratios were targeted based on the formulation of dietary CP contents of 10.85%, 12.78% and 14.63% on dry matter (DM) basis with similar ME contents (10.42 MJ/kg DM), which were categorized as low, medium and high dietary CP:ME ratios. The actual CP:ME ratios obtained in this study significantly increased from low to high CP:ME ratio groups with a value of 10.59, 11.83 and 13.38 g/MJ respectively. Elevated CP:ME ratios significantly increased CP intake (kg/day) and feed efficiency (FE) which was defined as dry matter intake as a proportion of average daily gain (ADG), whereas little difference was observed in body weight (kg), ADG (kg/day), DM intake (kg/day) and ME intake (MJ/day) among the three different CP:ME ratio groups. Increasing dietary CP to ME ratios significantly increased CP digestibility, whereas digestibility of DM and gross energy remained constant in the current experiment. Blood urea nitrogen and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 linearly increased with increasing dietary CP:ME ratios. There was significantly dietary treatment effect on rumen fermentation parameters including acetate, propionate, butyrate and total volatile fatty acids. Therefore, this study indicated that increasing dietary CP levels with similar energy content contributed to increased protein intake and its digestibility, as well as FE. Holstein heifers between 200 and 341 kg subjected to 13.38 dietary CP:ME ratio showed improved feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, some blood metabolites and rumen fermentation characteristics for 0.90 kg/day rate of gain.     

Effect of dietary crude protein level on basal ileal endogenous losses and standardized ileal digestibilities of crude protein and amino acids in newly weaned pigs

The study was carried out to estimate basal ileal endogenous crude protein and amino acid losses (IAAL_B) and standardized ileal digestibilities (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) originating from casein in newly weaned pigs from linear relationships between ileal recoveries and dietary intakes of graded levels of CP and AA. A total of 14 (12 + 2 for replacement) 3‐week‐old barrows weighing 5.7 kg was fitted with simple T cannulas at the distal ileum. At 28 days of age, the pigs were randomly allocated to the six experimental diets with two pigs per diet in four weekly repeated measurements. Corn starch‐based diets, containing six graded levels of CP from casein (90, 155, 220, 285, 350, 415 g/kg CP as‐fed basis respectively), were formulated. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) was included as a digestibility marker. Each experimental period consisted of 7 days. Ileal digesta were collected for a total of 24 h during day 6 and 8. Splitting the total range of 90 to 415 g/kg CP into smaller ranges, i.e. from 90 to 220, 220 to 350 or 285 to 415 g/kg CP, provides estimates for CP and AA recoveries which are not significantly different from zero. As a result, dietary CP and AA originating from casein are completely digested and absorbed until the end of the small intestine. In addition, the use of large ranges of dietary CP levels showed that IAAL_B were affected (p < 0.050) by the dietary CP content. Accepting that ileal recoveries of CP and AA are exclusively of endogenous origin when purified corn starch casein‐based diets are fed, IAAL_B were estimated as a function of the dietary CP level. There were linear increases (p < 0.050) in IAAL_B when the dietary CP content was increased from 90 to 415 g/kg. Average IAAL_B expressed in g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) were 16.3, 0.7, 0.2, 0.9 and 0.2 for CP, lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan respectively. These values are in close agreement with IAAL_B obtained in grower‐finisher pigs.     

饲粮不同粗蛋白质水平对育肥羔羊小肠氨基酸流量及吸收率的影响

本研究旨在比较饲粮不同粗蛋白质(CP)水平对育肥羔羊小肠氨基酸(AA)流量及吸收率的影响。选用体重(30.0±3.7)kg,安装有瘤胃、十二指肠近端和回肠末端瘘管的3只哈萨克羊公羔为试验动物,采用3×3拉丁方试验设计,各处理饲粮CP水平分别为11.00%、12.00%和13.00%;预试期10 d,正试期10 d。采用镱锕(Yb-Ac)、锂铬乙二胺四乙酸(Li Cr-EDTA)分别作为消化道固相和液相食糜标记物测定小肠食糜流量。结果表明:提高饲粮CP水平可增加羔羊氮进食量、表观消化率和氮沉积,13.00%CP处理显著高于11.00%CP处理(P0.05),并有增加饲粮干物质(DM)、有机物(OM)和中性洗涤纤维(NDF)表观消化率的趋势(0.05≤P0.10),但不影响酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)的表观消化率(P0.05)。提高饲粮CP水平虽然对小肠真食糜流量及氨基酸吸收率无显著性影响(P0.05),但十二指肠氮、总氨基酸(TAA)流量以及必需氨基酸(EAA)中精氨酸(Arg)、组氨酸(His)和赖氨酸(Lys)的吸收率在数值上有所增加。结果显示,提高饲粮CP水平有提高消化率、小肠食糜流量及氨基酸吸收率的潜在趋势。     

Nutrient and energy retention in weaned Iberian piglets fed diets with different protein concentrations

Fifty-eight purebred castrated male Iberian (IB) piglets (initial BW 9.9 ± 0.1 kg) were used in an experiment to determine the effect of dietary protein content (PC) and feeding level (FL) on the rates of BW gain, whole body protein deposition (PD), and energy utilization between 10 and 25 kg of BW using the serial slaughter method. Treatments followed a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement with 4 PC (201, 176, 149, and 123 g of CP/kg of DM) and 2 FL (0.95 and 0.70 × ad libitum) and 6 or 7 piglets per combination of treatments. All diets were formulated to have an optimal AA pattern. Six piglets were slaughtered at the start of the trial to estimate initial body composition. The experimental pigs were individually housed in an environmentally controlled room (27 ± 2°C) until they reached 25 kg of BW, when they were slaughtered and analyzed for body composition. Positive linear effects of dietary PC on ADG, G:F, and gain:ME intake were observed (P < 0.001). Piglets fed at the highest FL showed greater ADG, G:F, and gain:ME intake (P < 0.001). An average increase was estimated to be 38.0 g of gain/MJ of ME intake. Protein deposition increased linearly from 35.6 to 50.9 g/d with increasing dietary PC (P < 0.001). A daily increase was estimated to be 0.35 g of PD/g of CP intake. Although the maximal genetic potential for PD of the IB piglet was not attained, a maximal value of 59.9 g/d for whole-body PD was achieved when the diet provided 201 g of CP/kg of DM and was fed at 0.95 × ad libitum. Piglets on the highest FL deposited on average 39% more body protein (P < 0.001) than restricted piglets. An average value of 4.39 g increase in PD/MJ of ME intake was obtained for diets containing 201 and 176 g of CP/kg of DM. Maintenance energy requirements and net efficiency of utilization of ME for growth, calculated by linear regression of ME intake on body retained energy, were 427 kJ/kg of BW(0.75)·d(-1) and 0.552, respectively. The corresponding partial efficiencies of utilization of ME for protein and fat deposition were 0.378 and 0.672, respectively, considerably less than the accepted values for conventional pig breeds. Practical diets of the young IB piglet should contain at least 201 g of ideal CP/kg of DM.     

Effect of cellulase supplementation in low-crude protein diets on performance, nitrogen excretion, fat deposition, hepatic lipogenic and lipolytic enzyme activity in broilers

1. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary enzyme supplementation of a low-protein diet on performance, nitrogen excretion, fat deposition, hepatic lipogenic and lipolytic enzyme activity in 7-21- (Experiment 1) and 21-42-d-old (Experiment 2) male broiler chicks. 2. Chicks were given diets containing 210 g (Experiment 1) or 170 g (Experiment 2) crude protein (CP)/kg (Control), amino acid-fortified diets 190 g (Experiment 1) and 150 g (Experiment 2) CP/kg (Low-protein), and a low-protein diet supplemented with 1000 U/kg of cellulase. 3. In Experiment 1, growth performance and abdominal fat deposition were not affected by dietary treatments, and birds given low-protein diets excreted less nitrogen. The activities of hepatic lipogenic and lipolytic enzymes were not different among the three dietary groups. 4. In Experiment 2, the dietary treatment did not affect growth performance or abdominal fat weight. Nitrogen excretion was significantly lower in chicks given the 150 g/kg CP diet than those on the 170 g/kg CP diet; however, nitrogen retention was no different among the treatments. Dietary CP and enzyme supplementation did not significantly affect hepatic enzyme activities. 5. These results suggest that CP content in the broiler diet can be reduced by 20 g/kg without lowering performance by the supplementation of crystalline amino acids, and can reduce nitrogen excretion by about 25%. Cellulase supplementation of a low-CP diet slightly lowered abdominal fat deposition; however, it did not significantly affect hepatic lipogenic and lipolytic enzyme activity.