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Methionine Requirement of Weanling Large White x Landrace Pigs as Determined by Plasma Urea Concentration, Nitrogen Retention and Some Urinary Nitrogenous Components

Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

The methionine requirements of weanling Large White x Landrace pigs fed a 20% protein cassava flour-soybean meal diet were evaluated using nitrogen balance, plasma urea concentration, urinary nitrogenous end products and the index—(allantoin/urinary urea) x protein intake (A/U x Ip). Sensitivities of the response criteria to sex differences in methionine requirements were compared. Allantoin excretion consistently and significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing methionine levels to a maximum of 0.55% total methionine. Maximum nitrogen retention was observed in diets containing 0.55, 0.47 and 0.55% total methionine for castrated males, females and the pooled data for both sexes, respectively. Minimum urea concentration in plasma was obtained with the diets containing 0.55% methionine. The index, + A/U x Ip, showed that the diet was better utilized when it contained 0.63, 0.55 and 0.63% total methionine in castrates, females and combination of the two sexes, respectively.

KEY WORDS: • pigs • methionine requirements • nitrogen balance • urea

¹ Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Manuscript received 11 March 1980.