QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pond, W. G. Articles by Lindvall, R. N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pond, W. G. Articles by Lindvall, R. N.

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.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. B. Kamalakar, L. I. Chiba, K. C. Divakala, S. P. Rodning, E. G. Welles, W. G. Bergen, C. R. Kerth, D. L. Kuhlers, and N. K. Nadarajah Effect of the degree and duration of early dietary amino acid restrictions on subsequent and overall pig performance and physical and sensory characteristics of pork J Anim Sci, November 1, 2009; 87(11): 3596 - 3606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. C. Divakala, L. I. Chiba, R. B. Kamalakar, S. P. Rodning, E. G. Welles, K. A. Cummins, J. Swann, F. Cespedes, and R. L. Payne Amino acid supplementation of hydrolyzed feather meal diets for finisher pigs J Anim Sci, April 1, 2009; 87(4): 1270 - 1281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]