EFFECTS OF SEVERE ENERGY VERSUS PROTEIN DEPRIVATION DURING GESTATION OF REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD METABOLITES OF GILTS

Abstract

Diets designated as high energy, high protein (HEHP), low energy, high protein (LEHP), high energy, low protein (HELP) and low energy, low protein (LELP) were fed to gilts from breeding through farrowing. Feeding rates were 1.82 (HEHP, HELP) or 0.68 kg (LEHP LELP) of diet per gilt per day. Diets were calculated to provide 6.6 (HEHP, HELP) or 2.2 Meal (LEHP, LELP) of digestible energy and 272 (HEHP, LEHP) or 60 g (HELP, LELP) of protein per gilt per day. Protein contents of the HEHP, LEHP, HELP and LELP diets were 15, 40, 3.3 and 9%. All sows and their progeny were treated similarly after farrowing. Gilts on the high energy diets (HEHP, HELP) gained significantly more weight during gestation than the gilts on the low energy diets (LEHP, LELP). Farrowing percentages were 100, 100, 80 and 40% for the HEHP, HELP, LEHP and LELP gilts respectively. Average litter size, birth weight, number of pigs weaned per litter or weaning weights were not significantly different among treatments. At the same stages of gestation, there were no significant differences among treatments in plasma glucose levels but plasma glucose significantly increased (P<0.05) in all treatments with advancing pregnancy. Serum albumun concentrations were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the HELP group than in the other groups by the end of gestation. The data indicate that lowering protein intake during gestation may be one way of reducing feed costs without impairing reproductive performance.