Standardized ileal protein and amino acid digestibility by growing pigs and sows

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the physiological condition of swine on standardized ileal digestibility coefficients (SID). The apparent ileal digestibility coefficients were determined for crude protein and amino acids in six feed ingredients (corn, barley, wheat, soybean meal, canola meal, and meat and bone meal) in growing pigs and in gestating and lactating sows. Growing pigs and lactating sows were given free access to their diets, whereas gestating sows were allowed to consume only 2 kg of feed daily. The nonspecific (basal) endogenous losses of protein and amino acids were determined under similar feeding regimens after feeding a protein-free diet. The SID for crude protein and amino acids were calculated by correcting the apparent ileal digestibility coefficients for the nonspecific endogenous losses of protein and amino acids. With a few exceptions, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in the SID for crude protein and amino acids between growing pigs and lactating sows. Overall, gestating sows had higher (P < 0.05) SID for crude protein and all amino acids, except for tryptophan and aspartate, compared with growing pigs. Likewise, the SID of most amino acids obtained by gestating sows were higher (P < 0.05) than those obtained by lactating sows. Interactions (P < 0.05) between animals and diets were observed for gestating sows compared with growing pigs as well as gestating sows compared with lactating sows. As a consequence, it is not possible to extrapolate data from one feed ingredient to another. On most occasions, the lowest SID among the indispensable amino acids was calculated for threonine, valine, and lysine. It is concluded that gestating sows fed 2 kg of feed per day have higher standardized digestibility coefficients than do growing pigs and lactating sows given free access to their diets. This difference may be due to differences in daily feed intake rather than to the physiological status of the animals.