Starter Protein Nutrition and Compensatory Responses in Swine

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Abstract
COMPENSATORY responses (rate of gain, feed efficiency, proximate analysis of the body) were determined in pigs fed different protein and energy intakes in the starter period (5 to 20–23 kg). In experiment 1, 36 pigs were individually self-fed a 10 or a 24% protein diet from 5 to 23 kg body weight or were pair-fed daily the protein intake of the 10% and the energy intake of the 24% protein-fed pigs during the starter period. In experiment 2, 32 pigs were individually fed to scale to receive the four combinations of 3.84 and 2.88 kg protein and 95.3 and 71.5 Mcal metabolizable energy during a 42-day period. Pigs were then continued on their respective starter diets until reaching the expected lean body mass attained by the treatment group receiving 3.84 kg protein and 95.3 Meal energy in 42 days. In the subsequent growth period, half the pigs in each experiment were individually self-fed a 16% protein diet to 57 kg followed by a 12% protein diet to 90 kilograms. The other half were slaughtered after the starter period. There were large differences in body composition at the end of the starter period in each experiment. Pigs fed low-protein, high-energy intakes deposited twice as much ether extract in their empty bodies during the starter period when compared with the pigs fed the high-protein diet in experiment 1 or the high-protein, low energy intake diet of experiment 2. Pigs made compensatory responses in the subsequent grower and finisher periods, evidenced by the absence of significant differences in performance and chemical composition of the bodies of pigs at 90 to 93 kilograms. Copyright © 1973. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1973 by American Society of Animal Science.

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