Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 7.1. Typical contents of dietary energy, nitrogen and lysine in gestation and lactation diets.
Gestation diets
Lactation diets
Energy, ME
(MJ/kg)
1
Nitrogen, SID
(% in diet)
2
Lysine, SID
(% in diet)
3
Energy, ME
(MJ/kg)
1
Nitrogen, SID
(% in diet)
2
Lysine, SID
(% in diet)
3
Canada
11.9
1.9
0.52
13.4
3.0
1.0
Denmark
13.0
2.2
0.31
14.0
2.9
0.63
Netherlands
12.1
2.2
0.50
13.0
2.8
0.75
France
12.1
2.2
0.50
12.9
2.6
0.89
USA
13.6
2.2
0.58
13.8
3.1
1.0
1
Metabolizable energy, i.e. gross energy-energy lost in feces, urine and gases.
2
Standardized ileal digestible (dietary content corrected for apparent ileal digestibility and basal endogenous losses of nitrogen).
3
Standardized ileal digestible (dietary content corrected for apparent ileal digestibility and basal endogenous losses of lysine).
spring of 2014 revealed that specific transition diets are not presently used in Canada,
Denmark, the Netherlands, France or the USA.
The dietary nitrogen content is around 2% in gestation diets and close to 3% in lactation
diets (Table 7.1). These values are equivalent to approximately 13 and 18% of the crude
protein in gestation and lactation diets, respectively. Dietary nitrogen originates mainly
from a protein source, such as soybean meal, and either wheat and barley (Europe) or
maize (USA and Canada). Lactation diets are typically formulated with 22 to 25% soybean
meal whereas gestation diets contain 15 to 18% soybean meal. In Europe, the nitrogen
content of lactation diets is lower than in USA and Canada, likely because pollution with
nitrogen from manure is of major public concern.
The dietary content of standard ileal digestible (SID) lysine differs much more than
the dietary energy and protein contents. In general, the lysine level in lactation diets is
2-fold higher than that found in gestation diets. Between countries, the dietary SID lysine
content varies considerably, and in gestation diets, the content of SID lysine ranges from
0.31 to 0.58% whereas it ranges from 0.63 to 1.0% in lactation diets (Table 7.1). Dietary
lysine generally originates from soybean meal and either wheat/barley or maize (such as
for dietary nitrogen), but in addition, crystalline lysine is often added to lactation diets
to specifically increase the lysine levels.
7.3.3
Feeding curves and sow appetite during transition
Most gestating sows are fed restrictedly throughout gestation, and hence also during
the transition period, in order to avoid excessive maternal deposition of muscle and fat
tissues which can predispose to farrowing problems and health-related issues such as
mastitis, metritis and agalactia around parturition. In late gestation, the feed allowance
is typically increased compared with that in early- and mid- gestation and the elevated
