仔猪均匀度研究进展

仔猪均匀度是指同一窝内仔猪之间的体重差异。近年来,作为最主要的育种目标之一,母猪产仔数得到很大提高。但是随着产仔数的提高,仔猪初生重下降、均匀度越来越差、死亡率升高等问题越来越严重。仔猪均匀度差,产后仔猪的生长性能差,生产管理复杂,屠宰时肉品质差。文章概述了均匀度对猪生长性能,产后管理以及肉品质的影响,并对影响仔猪均匀度的因素进行总结,以期为提高仔猪均匀度起到指导作用。     

低水平钙磷日粮添加植酸酶对肉鸡生长性能和养分消化的影响

文章旨在探讨植酸酶对饲喂低水平钙磷日粮肉鸡生长性能和养分表观消化率的影响.试验将平均初始体重为(61.56±0.66)g的1日龄肉鸡随机分为4组,每组4个重复,每个重复38只.对照组饲喂正常钙磷水平的玉米豆粕型日粮,T1～T3组饲喂低钙磷水平的玉米豆粕型日粮+0、1000和1500?FIU/kg植酸酶,试验分为1～21...     

Effect of extra maternal feed supply in early gestation on sow and piglet performance and production and meat quality of growing/finishing pigs

The influence of differentiated extra maternal feed allowance during early gestation on maternal performance and postnatal development of the progeny from gilts and sows was investigated. Four different feed allowances of the same diet (Control [C], +35% [T35], +70% [T70], +100% [T100]) were assigned to 20 crossbred gilts (Swedish Landrace×Swedish Yorkshire), which continued as sows with the same feed allowance the following parity. The progeny was uniformly raised and slaughtered at a live weight of 110 kg. Additional maternal feed allowance resulted in significantly more weaned piglets per sow but not per gilt. Piglet numbers did not increase from T35 to T70/T100. Piglet birth weight did not increase due to maternal feeding. The intra-litter variation in piglet birth weights was similar between the treatments. Independent of the additional feed allowance, all gilts and sows had similar weights after weaning and had good body condition. The growth rate of progeny from sows was negatively related to maternal feed supply; for progeny from gilts, no clear trend of nutritional influence could be observed. Carcass and technological meat quality was not affected by maternal feeding treatment. Birth weight positively affected later growth performance (daily weight gain), carcass quality (lean meat content, back fat, proportion of muscles in ham/loin), whereas technological meat quality was unaffected.     

营养调控对母猪繁殖性能的影响

为了探讨母猪妊娠早期日粮中添加一定量的甲基吡啶铬、叶酸、维生素E和维生素A对母猪窝产仔数、初生重、仔猪成活率的影响,选用日龄、体况基本一致的长大二元母猪共计56头进行试验。结果表明,在母猪妊娠早期的日粮中添加甲基吡啶铬、叶酸、维生素E、维生素A可显著提高母猪窝产仔数,提高比例平均为29.2%,其中对后备母猪提高比例更大。     

Strategies of inorganic and organic trace mineral supplementation in gestating hyperprolific sow diets: effects on the offspring performance and fetal programming

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of trace mineral nutrition on sow performance, mineral content, and intestinal gene expression of neonate piglets when inorganic mineral sources (ITM) were partially replaced by their organic mineral (OTM) counterparts. At 35 d postmating, under commercial conditions, a total of 240 hyperprolific multiparous sows were allocated into three experimental diets: 1) ITM: with Zn, Cu, and Mn at 80, 15, and 60 mg/kg, respectively; 2) partial replacement trace mineral source (Replace): with a 30 % replacement of ITM by OTM, resulting in ITM + OTM supplementation of Zn (56 + 24 mg/kg), Cu (10.5 + 4.5 mg/kg), and Mn (42 + 18 mg/kg); and 3) Reduce and replace mineral source (R&R): reducing a 50% of the ITM source of Zn (40 + 24 mg/kg), Cu (7.5 + 4.5 mg/kg), and Mn (30 + 18 mg/kg). At farrowing, 40 piglets were selected, based on birth weight (light: <800 g, and average: >1,200 g), for sampling. Since the present study aimed to reflect results under commercial conditions, it was difficult to get an equal parity number between the experimental diets. Overall, no differences between experimental diets on sow reproductive performance were observed. Light piglets had a lower mineral content (P < 0.05) and a downregulation of several genes (P < 0.10) involved in physiological functions compared with their average littermates. Neonate piglets born from Replace sows had an upregulation of genes involved in functions like immunity and gut barrier, compared with those born from ITM sows (P < 0.10), particularly in light piglets. In conclusion, the partial replacement of ITM by their OTM counterparts represents an alternative to the totally inorganic supplementation with improvements on neonate piglet gene expression, particularly in the smallest piglets of the litter. The lower trace mineral storage together with the greater downregulation of gut health genes exposed the immaturity and vulnerability of small piglets.     

The effect of short-term phytase supplementation on the apparent total tract digestibility of calcium and phosphorus and the reproductive performance of late gestation and lactating sows fed diets without mineral phosphorus

The objective of this study was to measure apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of Ca and P as well as reproductive performance in late gestation and lactating sows supplemented with a novel phytase and to compare the response to phytase supplementation between late gestation and lactating sows. A total of 45 late gestation sows and 45 lactating sows were used in experiments 1 and 2, respectively, in a completely randomized design. The sows were provided with a control diet or the control diet supplemented with 187.5 or 375 FYT phytase/kg feed for 10 days. The diets were prepared according to the formulas in use for production but without any inorganic P supplement. Titanium dioxide was included at 3 g/kg feed as an indigestible marker. Each dietary treatment was replicated with 15 sows individually housed in farrowing stalls. The sows were allowed to adapt to the experimental diets for 5 days before a 5-d fecal collection by grab sampling, and the performance of the sows and their litters were measured until weaning. The results showed that the ATTD of Ca increased linearly (P < 0.001), while the ATTD of P increased both linearly and quadratically (P < 0.01) with increasing supplementation of phytase in both late gestation and lactating sows. There was no significant effect of phytase on the ATTD of dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy, and the performance of the sows and their progenies. The phytase added at 187.5 and 375 FYT/kg feed released 0.07% and 0.10% digested P, respectively, in late gestation sows, which compared with 0.09% and 0.12% digested P in lactating sows. In conclusion, a novel phytase at 187.5–375 FYT/kg feed could release 0.07–0.12% digestible P for sows. It appeared that using the P digestibility values of feed ingredients listed by NRC to formulate a diet for sows might overestimate dietary P supply and a greater response to phytase supplementation could be expected in lactating sows than in late gestation sows.     

不同钙磷比例的日粮中添加植酸酶对肉鸡养分利用的影响

试验选用20只岭南黄公鸡,随机分成5组,研究在不同钙、磷比例的日粮中添加不同水平的植酸酶对钙、磷和干物质表观消化率以及总磷排出量的影响。第1组到第5组日粮中磷含量均为0.49%,Ca/P比依次为1:1.3、1:1.4、1:1.5、1:1.6和1:1.7,每组内4只鸡随机分成两组,交叉使用基础日粮和加酶日粮,加酶日粮是在基础日粮中添加500pu/kg的植酸酶。结果表明:(1)500pu/kg的植酸酶对钙、磷和干物质表观消化率以及总磷排出量的影响效果不明显;(2)不同Ca/P比对钙、磷的表观消化率有一定的影响,Ca/P比为1.6:1时,基础料钙的表观消化率显著高于其他组(P0.05),当Ca/P比为1.5:1时,基础料磷的表观消化率显著高于其他组(P0.05),但各组间干物质的表观消化率差异不显著(P0.05);(3)不同Ca/P比对总磷排泄量的影响差异极显著(P0.01)。     

Utilization of distillers dried grains with solubles and phytase in sow lactation diets to meet the phosphorus requirement of the sow and reduce fecal phosphorus concentration

Two experiments were completed to determine the potential for using distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets with or without phytase to provide available P, energy, and protein to highly productive lactating sows without increasing their fecal P. In Exp. 1, the dietary treatments were as follows: (1) corn and soybean meal with 5% beet pulp (BP) or (2) corn and soybean meal with 15% DDGS (DDGS). Besides containing similar amounts of fiber, diets were isonitrogenous (21% CP, 1.2% Lys) and isophosphorus (0.8% P). Sixty-one sows were allotted to dietary treatments at approximately 110 d of gestation (when they were placed in farrowing crates) based on genetics, parity, and date of farrowing. Sows were gradually transitioned to their lactation diet. On d 2 of lactation, litters were cross-fostered to achieve 11 pigs/litter. Sows and litters were weighed on d 2 and 18. Fecal grab samples were collected on d 7, 14, and 18 of lactation. Dietary treatment did not affect the number of pigs weaned (10.9 vs. 10.8) or litter weaning weight. On d 14, DDGS sows had less fecal P concentration than BP sows (28.3 vs. 32.8 mg/g; P = 0.04). Fecal Ca of sows fed DDGS decreased for d 7, 14, and 18 (55.6, 51.4, and 47.1 mg/g of DM, respectively; P = 0.05) but not for BP sows. In Exp. 2, the dietary treatments were as follows: (1) corn and soybean meal (CON), (2) CON + 500 phytase units of Natuphos/kg diet, as fed (CON + PHY), (3) corn and soybean meal with 15% DDGS and no phytase (DDGS), or (4) DDGS + 500 FTU of Natuphos/kg of diet, as fed (DDGS + PHY). Sows (n = 87) were managed as described for Exp 1. Litter BW gain (46.0, 46.3, 42.1, and 42.2 kg; P = 0.25) and sow BW loss (8.1, 7.2, 7.4, and 6.3 kg for CON, CON + PHY, DDGS, and DDGS + PHY, respectively; P = 0.97) were not affected by dietary treatment. Fecal P concentration did not differ among dietary treatments but was reduced at d 14 and 18 compared with d 7 (P = 0.001). However, fecal phytate P concentration was decreased by the addition of DDGS when DDGS and DDGS + PHY were compared with the CON sows except on d 7 (P < 0.05). Sows fed CON diet had greater fecal phytate P than sows fed DDGS, and sows fed DDGS + PHY had less fecal phytate P than sows fed DDGS with no phytase (P = 0.001). Although these experiments were only carried out for 1 lactation, these results indicate that highly productive sows can sustain lactation performance with reduced fecal phytate P when fed DDGS and phytase in lactation diets.     

植酸酶和木聚糖酶对断奶仔猪生长性能及蛋白质利用率的影响

本试验研究了在饲粮中添加植酸酶和木聚糖酶对断奶仔猪生长性能及蛋白质利用率的影响。采用完全随机设计．将90头35日龄的断奶仔猪分为5组．每组3个重复．每个重复6头。5个处理组分别为：（1）玉米-豆粕基础日粮（正对照组．PC），（2）基础日粮-75％磷酸氢钙（负对照组．NC）．（3）负对照组＋植酸酶（植酸酶组，phy），（4）负对照组＋木聚糖酶（木聚糖酶组，xy），（5）负对照组＋植酸酶＋木聚糖酶（植酸酶-木聚糖酶组，phy—xy）．植酸酶的添加量为750U／kg，木聚糖酶的添加量为4000U／kg。结果表明：低磷饲粮添加植酸酶或木聚糖酶后．平均日增重和平均日采食量都得到了明显改善（P〈0．05）．植酸酶和木聚糖酶同时添加对仔猪平均日增重的改善极显著（P〈0．01）。在低磷口粮组单独添加植酸酶或同时添加植酸酶和木聚糖酶极显著提高了蛋白质生物学价值（P〈0．01）。饲粮加酶后，血清尿素氮浓度显著降低（P〈0．05）．添加植酸酶或同时添加植酸酶和木聚糖酶后．血清总蛋白浓度显著升高（P〈0．05）．但添加酶对蛋白质表观消化率无显著影响．总之．在断奶仔猪低P日粮中添加植酸酶或木聚糖酶都不同程度地改善了仔猪生长性能．促进了蛋白质的利用．二酶同时添加对仔猪的平均日增重有显著的协同效应．     

生长猪添加植酸酶对植物性蛋白饲料磷消化率的影响研究

采用4个3×3拉丁方设计对12头平均体重(42±5)kg杜×长×大阉猪进行消化试验,在基础日粮中分别添加0,250,500,1000 U/kg的植酸酶,评定植酸酶对菜籽粕、棉籽粕植酸磷和总磷消化率的影响.试验结果表明:(1)菜籽粕、棉籽粕中植酸磷消化率与植酸酶的添加量呈极显著二次曲线关系(P＜0.001).当植酸酶添加量分别为945U/kg和873 U/kg时.菜籽粕、棉籽粕中植酸磷消化率达到最优.(2)菜籽粕、棉籽粕总磷消化率随植酸酶添加量的增加而增加.(3)植酸磷的消化率与总磷表现消化率存在极显著线性关系(P＜0.001).     

A regional evaluation of the effect of fiber type in gestation diets on sow reproductive performance

A cooperative regional research study using 194 sows, from which data were collected from 381 litters, was conducted at 3 research stations to determine the effects of added psyllium (a concentrated fiber source) or soybean hulls to gestation diets on reproductive performance of sows and preweaning performance of their pigs. Primiparous and multiparous sows were allotted to the 3 treatments of control (corn and soybean meal-based), 0.30% psyllium, or 20% soybean hulls. Sows fed the control and 0.30% psyllium diets were provided 1.82 kg/d, and sows fed the 20% soybean hulls diet were provided 2.0 kg/d to equalize ME, Lys, Ca, P, and vitamin and trace mineral intake. Treatments 1 to 3 had 130, 130, and 121 litters per treatment from 64, 64, and 63 sows, respectively. Gestating sows fed psyllium had a greater (P < 0.01 to 0.10) d 110 gestation, farrowing, weaning, and 17 d postpartum BW and gestation ADG compared with sows fed soybean hulls. Sows fed psyllium also had a greater (P < 0.10 and 0.08) d 110 gestation BW and gestation ADG than the control sows. Sows fed soybean hulls had a reduced (P < 0.06) farrowing BW compared with the control sows. Sows fed psyllium weaned lighter (P < 0.09) pigs than sows fed the control diet. Litter size was not affected (P > 0.10) by diet. Sows fed psyllium had a reduced (P < 0.03) feed intake compared with sows fed soybean hulls for d 5 to 7 postpartum, and sows fed the control diet were intermediate. Fecal scores (1 to 5 with 1 = dry and 5 = watery) were greater (P < 0.001) and DM content was less (P < 0.001 to 0.01) in the feces of sows fed soybean hulls compared with sows fed psyllium or the control diet on d 112 of gestation and d 4 postpartum. Fecal scores were greater (P < 0.10) and fecal DM content was less (P < 0.02) in sows fed psyllium compared with sows fed the control diet only on d 4 postpartum. In summary, sows fed soybean hulls during gestation had reduced BW compared with sows fed the control diets. In contrast, sows fed psyllium had an increased BW.     

Value of raw soybeans and soybean oil supplementation in sow gestation and lactation diets: a cooperative study

A cooperative study using 215 sows during two parities (349 litters) was conducted at six stations to determine the effect of raw soybeans in gestation and lactation diets on sow and litter performance. Sows were bred and allotted to fortified corn diets containing either soybean meal (control) or raw soybeans. A corn-soybean meal-soybean oil diet, isocaloric to the raw soybean diet, was included as a third treatment at three stations. All diets contained 14% CP. These diets were fed during both gestation and lactation through two parities. The daily gestation feed intake ranged from 1.8 to 2.3 kg/sow, depending on station. During lactation, the sows were allowed ad libitum access to their respective diets. Gestational weight gain was not influenced by diet, but sows fed raw soybeans consumed less (P less than .01) feed during lactation and had greater (P less than .01) lactational weight loss and their pigs were lighter in weight (P less than .05) both at 21 d and at weaning (varied between 3 and 5 wk of age). Sows fed the diet with supplemental oil had reproductive and lactational performance similar to those fed the control diet. Milk obtained at d 10 to 14 of lactation from sows fed raw soybeans had lower (P less than .05) protein content than milk from sows fed the other two diets, but fat content of the milk tended to be increased by raw soybeans or by added soybean oil. Return to estrus was not affected by diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

不同苜蓿草粉水平对初产母猪生产和繁殖性能的影响

为了探讨初产母猪的后备期、妊娠期饲粮中不同比例的苜蓿草粉,对其生长性能和繁殖性能的影响,试验选用640头日龄110 d、体重45 kg左右的健康后备母猪(长×大),采用单因子完全随机设计,分为4个处理,分别为:对照组(0%草粉组)、5%草粉组、10%草粉组、15%草粉组,每个处理4个重复,每个重复40头猪。妊娠期选取增重和发情较好的5%草粉组后备期母猪,发情配种后分为对照Ⅰ组(0%草粉组)、10%草粉组、15%草粉组、20%草粉组,后备期对照组母猪继续作为妊娠期的对照组,共5个处理,每个处理4个重复,每个重复3头猪。结果表明:1)在后备期45~70 kg阶段,试验组的采食量均低于对照组,随着苜蓿草粉用量的增加,采食量依次下降;5%草粉组的日增重显著高于、料重比显著低于10%和15%草粉组(P<0.05),但与对照组无显著差异;3个试验组中,只有5%草粉组的增重成本低于对照组,且使用苜蓿草粉愈多,成本愈高。在后备期70~130 kg阶段,无论是采食量还是日增重,3个试验组均低于对照组,随着草粉用量增加,采食量和日增重均依次下降,其中10%和15%草粉组显著低于对照组(P<0.05),但与5%草粉组差异不显著;3个试验组的料重比和增重成本均高于对照组,且有随着苜蓿草粉用量增加而依次增加的趋势,其中15%草粉组显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。添加5%的苜蓿草粉对母猪发情率有改善,但各组之间差异不显著。2)在妊娠期阶段,草粉组的背膘增厚显著高于对照组和对照Ⅰ组(P<0.05);对照Ⅰ组和10%、15%、20%苜蓿草粉组的初生活仔率均显著高于对照组,初生窝重分别比对照组提高了14.88%、6.89%、12.31%、24.48%,弱仔率分别降低了53.44%、36.39%、87.37%、62.78%,尽管均未达到显著差异程度,但说明后备期饲粮中使用苜蓿草粉对妊娠期母猪产仔数及仔猪健康有良好的后续效应,后备期用5%苜蓿草粉妊娠期使用20%苜蓿草粉效果最佳。综合得出,后备期添加5%的苜蓿草粉不会影响后备母猪生长但会提高发情率,后备期添加5%草粉妊娠期不添加时,母猪的繁殖效果也得到改善;妊娠期添加20%的苜蓿草粉产活仔率和初生窝重最佳。     

Ileal amino acid and phosphorus digestibility responses of pigs to microbial phytase supplementation of high-phytin diets

The hypothesis that increase in dietary phytin amplifies phytin binding to protein thereby reducing protein digestion, which is alleviated by phytase, was tested. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments was used to investigate the response of growing pigs to supplemental phytase (0, or 1200 units/kg) in low- or high-phytin P diets (2.2 or 3.9 g/kg). Eight crossbred barrows (28–30 kg) were canulated and assigned to crates using a double, 4 × 4 Latin Square design. Pigs were fed each of the 4 diets at 3 times metabolic BW (0.09  BW kg ^0.75) for 7 d. Ileal digesta was collected for 12 h on d 6 and d 7 by attaching plastic bags to the cannula. Feed and ileal digesta were analyzed for N, energy and P. Phytase had no effect on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of N or AAs. The AID of some AAs was higher in the high-phytin diet, which contradicts the hypothesis that higher phytin content would have a negative impact. In contrast, the AID of P was depressed by high dietary phytin (P < 0.01) and increased by phytase (P < 0.01) more so at the higher dietary phytin resulting in a phytin × phytase interaction (P < 0.01).     

Effects of dietary boron and phytase supplementation on growth performance and mineral profile of broiler chickens fed on diets adequate or deficient in calcium and phosphorus

1. Two experiments were designed to determine the effect of dietary boron (B) in broiler chickens. In Experiment 1, a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments was used to investigate the effect of dietary calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (aP) (adequate or deficient) and supplemental B (0, 20, 40, and 60 mg/kg diet). In Experiment 2, B, at 20 mg/kg, and phytase (PHY) (500 FTU/kg diet) were incorporated into a basal diet deficient in Ca and aP, either alone or in combination.

2. The parameters that were measured were growth performance indices, serum biochemical activity as well as ash and mineral (i.e. Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn) content of tibia, breast muscle and liver.

3. Results indicated that both supplemental B and dietary Ca and aP had marginal effects on performance indices of chickens grown for 42 d.

4. There were positive correlations (linear effect) between B concentrations of serum, bone, breast muscle and liver and the amount of B consumed.

5. Serum T₃ and T₄ activities increased linearly with higher B supplementation.

6. Increasing supplemental B had significant implications on breast muscle and liver mineral composition. Lowering dietary Ca and aP level increased Cu content in liver and both Fe and Zn retention in breast muscle. Tibia ash content and mineral composition did not respond to dietary modifications with either Ca–aP or B.

7. The results also suggested that dietary contents of Ca and aP do not affect the response to B regarding tissue mineral profile. Dietary combination with B and PHY did not create a synergism with regard to growth performance and bioavailability of the minerals.     

The effect of dietary supplementation with phytase transgenic maize and different concentrations of non-phytate phosphorus on the performance of laying hens

1. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with phytase transgenic corn (maize) (PTC) which has a phytase activity of 21 000 units (U) phytase per kg of maize on productive performance, egg quality, tibia bone quality and phosphorus (P) excretion in laying hens.

2. In the experiment, 1800 44-week-old Hy-line brown laying hens were divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates per group and 60 hens per replicate. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. The layers in the control group (control) were given a basal diet with 0.36% non-phytate P (NPP), while the treatment groups received diets containing 360 U of exogenous phytase/kg with 0.26% NPP (EP) or 360 phytase U of PTC/kg diet with 0.26% (PTC1), 0.21% (PTC2) or 0.16% (PTC3) NPP.

3. The results showed that there was no significant difference in egg production, average daily feed intake, feed efficiency, rate of broken or soft-shell egg production or egg mass among the treatments. There was no significant difference in eggshell thickness or eggshell strength. On the other hand, no differences in any of the bone variables were found between treatments. The faecal P percentage content in EP, PTC1, PTC2 and PTC3 groups was significantly lower than the control group.

4. In summary, the PTC could be used in the feed of laying hens instead of EP to reduce P excretion without effecting production and bone mineralisation.     

微囊丁酸钠对母猪生产性能与仔猪生长性能的影响

40头妊娠85 d健康二元杂交经产母猪(胎次、体况、前胎产仔数一致),随机分为2组,每组20个重复,每个重复1头,分别为对照组(基础日粮)、处理组(妊娠期:基础日粮+800 g/t微囊丁酸钠;哺乳期:基础日粮+500 g/t微囊丁酸钠)。结果表明,饲粮中添加微囊丁酸钠能够显著提高母猪生产后期采食量(4.56%),显著降低母猪哺乳期的体失重(P<0.05),提高仔猪断奶日增重(P<0.05)和断奶体重。此外,处理组弱仔率较对照组下降35.72%,窝断奶仔猪数和断奶仔猪均重有上升趋势(P=0.07,P=0.14)。由此可见,微囊丁酸钠可改善母猪生产性能,提高仔猪平均日增重。     

Effect of energy and lysine intake in gestation on sow performance

Nutrient intake during gestation has an impact on gestation parameters and subsequent lactation performance. The objectives of this experiment were to determine the impact of feeding two levels of amino acids in gestation on sow BW changes in gestation and lactation, and litter size, and to evaluate a factorial method for determining daily energy requirements. At mating, 419 sows (Camborough 15; Pig Improvement Canada, Acme, AB) were assigned randomly within Parities 1, 2 or 3+ to a gestation diet containing either 0.44% (low lysine) or 0.55% (high lysine) total lysine and 3,100 kcal DE/kg; other indispensable amino acids were adjusted to lysine based on ideal protein ratios. Feed allowance in gestation was determined factorially using estimated DE requirements for maintenance, maternal gain, and conceptus growth. Sows were allowed free access to the lactation diet. Gestation BW gain from d 0 to 110 was affected by parity (61.2, 60.0, and 42.3 kg for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.05) but not (P > 0.10) by gestation lysine level. Sow BW changes from d 0 of lactation to weaning were affected by parity (0.5, 6.8, and 5.8 kg for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and gestation BW gain (P < 0.01), but not by gestation lysine level (5.0 vs 3.8 kg for low and high lysine, respectively; P > 0.10). Total piglets born was affected by parity (11.5, 12.1, and 12.5, for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and increased with increasing sow BW gain (P < 0.05). Total piglets born alive (mean = 11.2) was increased with increasing sow BW gain (P < 0.05). Total litter weight born alive was affected by parity (15.9, 18.6, and 19.4 kg for Parities 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and gestation BW gain (P < 0.05). The model used to determine daily energy intake requirements resulted in an average BW gain of 10.6 kg above the targets set by the model. Total lysine intakes greater than 10.6 g/d in gestation did not improve sow productivity. Setting target weight gains in gestation and feeding to meet these targets may not always provide predictable results due to a number of factors that affect the energy requirement in the sow.