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Early Protein Deficiency: Effects on Later Growth and Carcass Composition of Lean or Obese Swine

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, USDA SEA-AR, Clay Center, NE 68933

Sixteen genetically obese (O) Duroc X Yorkshire and 16 lean (L) Hampshire X Yorkshire female pigs were randomly assigned at 4 weeks of age to dets containing 12% protein (LP) or 18% protein (C). After 8 weeks (12 weeks old) all pigs were fed diet C to slaughter at approximately 90 kg. Pigs fed LP had a slower daily gain (P < 0.01) and a lower body weight at 8 weeks (P < 0.01) than pigs fed C; O pigs had a slower daily gain than L pigs during the 8-week depletion period but the effect of the LP diet on O pigs was less than that on L pigs (P < 0.01). Blood hemoglobin and hematocrit and serum total protein, albumin and transferrin were reduced (P < 0.01) by the LP diet after 8 weeks in both genetic groups, but serum albumin was reduced more in L than in O pigs (P < 0.01); concentrations had returned to normal in both O and L pigs after 4 weeks of repletion. During repletion, L pigs previously fed LP and C diets had parallel growth curves, suggesting no compensatory growth after protein restriction. O pigs gained weight at a slower rate than L pigs during the period from 8 weeks postweaning to slaughter. Overall daily gain (depletion and repletion periods combined) was significantly greater for pigs fed C than for those fed LP during depletion period; O pigs were affected less severely than L pigs (P < 0.05). Carcass length and longissimus muscle cross-sectional area were less (P < 0.01) and back fat was greater (P < 0.01) in O than in L pigs at slaughter. It was concluded that genetically O pigs are less severely affected than L pigs by dietary protein restriction (12% protein) during the early postweaning period (4–12 weeks of age) and that repletion on a high protein diet is not associated with compensatory growth in L pigs.

KEY WORDS: • protein deficiency • growth retardation • obese pigs

Manuscript received 1 April 1980.