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The thin sow—observations on digestive efficiency, nitrogen balance and carcass composition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. M. MacPherson ,
Rosa M. Campbell  and
R. I. Smart
R. M. MacPherson
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
Rosa M. Campbell
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
R. I. Smart
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
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Summary

Measurements were made of apparent digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and lipid, nitrogen balance, pancreatic lipase activity and carcass composition in eight non-pregnant sows during three 10-day balance trials during which the feed intake was 1·1, 0·8 and 2·6 kg/day of a diet containing 14·69% crude protein and 3·0 Meal gross energy/kg DM.

All the sows had similar breeding histories and had completed their fourth lactation. Four were in standard condition (mean body weight, 160 kg) and four in thin condition (mean body weight, 134 kg). All the animals lost weight and were in negative nitrogen balance while on the two lower levels of feed intake; the thin sows lost significantly more N than the standard animals (P < 0·05) and on the lowest level of feeding digestibility of DM by the thin sows was significantly less (P < 0·001).

In both groups there was a rapid recovery in nitrogen retention and in body weight when the food intake was increased.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , December 1973 , pp. 287 - 293
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1973

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References

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