Journal of Animal Science, Vol 73, Issue 8 2315-2318, Copyright © 1995 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Valine requirement of the finishing pig

A. J. Lewis and N. Nishimura
Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0908, USA.

Pigs weighing approximately 70 kg were used in two experiments to determine the valine requirement during the finishing period. In the first experiment, 10 gilts were allotted in two 5 x 5 Latin square designs to five semipurified diets that ranged in valine concentration from .35 to .55%. Urinary urea excretion was measured during each of the 3-d periods of the Latin square. Urea N excretion in relation to N intake and to creatinine N excretion was minimized (quadratic effect, P < .10) at valine concentrations of .45 to .50%. In Exp. 2, 36 barrows and 36 gilts were fed one of six diets containing .35 to .60% valine. The highest weight gains (not significant) and feed efficiencies (quadratic effect, P < .05) were achieved by the pigs that consumed .45% valine. Plasma urea concentration at the end of the experiment was lowest (quadratic effect, P < .05) in pigs that consumed .50% valine. Estimates of the valine requirement based on breakpoint and quadratic equation analyses ranged from .40 to .50% total valine (.33 to .43% ileal digestible valine). Pigs in Exp. 2 consumed approximately 2.5 kg/d (8,850 kcal/d of ME). Thus, the estimate of the valine requirement is approximately 11 g/d. These estimates of the valine requirements of finishing pigs are slightly higher than the National Research Council requirements when expressed as a percentage of the diet but are similar when expressed on a grams per day basis.

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