Apparent absorption and retention of nutrients during the postweaning period in sows fed supplemental fat or lysine

Abstract

A total of 36 first-parity Landrace × Yorkshire sows and 17 second-parity Yorkshire sows were used in separate metabolism trials of a 2 × 3 factorial design with two lactation (21–d) weight-loss groups and three postweaning treatment diets to determine the effect of feeding supplemental fat or lysine on apparent absorption and retention of nutrients during the postweaning period. Following a 5-wk lactation, sows were housed in individual sow metabolism stalls equipped for separate collection of feces and urine. The three treatment diets fed during the postweaning period were (1) control — a barley – canola meal gestation diet (12.4 MJ DE, 4.7 g lysine kg −1 , and 12% protein) fed 2 kg d −1 , (2) fat — the control diet plus animal fat premix to provide approximately 50% more DE d −1 , and (3) lysine — the control diet with supplemental lysine to provide approximately 50% more lysine d −1 . Feeding supplemental fat increased (P < 0.05) fat absorption and energy retention in sows of both parities. Water intake and absorption were reduced by feeding supplemental fat in first-parity sows. Feeding supplemental lysine increased nitrogen absorption in first-parity sows. The absorption and retention of both Ca and P were also higher in first-parity sows fed supplemental fat or lysine. The results indicated that feeding supplemental fat or lysine during the postweaning period may improve the absorption and retention of certain nutrients in sows. Key words: Postweaning, sows, nutrients, absorption, retention