Impact of feeding reduced crude protein diets to lactating sows on nitrogen utilization

Forty lactating multiparous Yorkshire sows were used to test the hypothesis that reducing dietary CP and supplementing with crystalline amino acids (CAA) increases dietary N utilization for milk production during early and peak lactation. Sows were assigned to 1 of 4 diets: 1) 16.0% CP (as-fed; analyzed contents; HCP); 2) 15.7% CP (MHCP); 3) 14.3% CP (MLCP); 4) 13.2% CP (LCP); diet HCP was formulated using soybean meal and corn as the only Lys sources. The reduced CP diets contained CAA to meet requirements of the limiting AA. Sow and piglet BW were measured on d 1, 3, 7, 14, 18, and 21 of lactation. Nitrogen retention was measured on sows between d 3 and 7 (early) and d 14 and 18 (peak) of lactation. Milk true protein output was calculated from estimated milk yield and analyzed true protein concentration. Sow BW change (overall mean: -4.2 +/- 3.37 kg over the 21-d lactation period) and average daily DM intake (overall mean: 4.05 +/- 0.18 and 6.12 +/- 0.20 kg/d, early and peak lactation, respectively) did not differ between diets. Nitrogen intake decreased as dietary CP concentration decreased (114.3, 106.0, 107.4, and 99.0 +/- 5.29 g/d and 169.5, 168.3, 161.2, and 145.1 +/- 5.29 g/d for HCP, MHCP, MLCP, and LCP in early and peak lactation, respectively; L: P < 0.05). Sow loin eye area loss tended to increase as dietary CP concentration decreased (Linear (L): P = 0.082). Litter growth rate (LGR) over the 21-d lactation period tended to increase with decreasing dietary CP concentration (L: P = 0.084). In early lactation, N retention (N intake-fecal and urinary N) and milk true protein and casein output were not affected by dietary treatment. In early lactation, as dietary CP decreased, N retained as percentage of N intake tended to increase (L: P = 0.093) and estimated efficiency of using retained N for milk N output was not influenced by dietary CP concentration. In peak lactation, N retention (122.5, 123.8, 121.2, and 109.0 +/- 4.88 g/d for HCP, MHCP, MLCP, and LCP, respectively) decreased (L: P < 0.05), N retained as percentage of N absorbed (N intake - fecal N) increased (L: P < 0.05), milk casein yield increased (P = 0.051), and estimated efficiency of using retained N for milk N output (44.5, 51.0, 54.9, and 62.9 +/- 5.9% for HCP, MHCP, MLCP, and LCP, respectively) increased (L: P < 0.05). Feeding lactating diets reduced in CP from 16.0% to 14.3% with CAA inclusion as partial replacement for limiting AA improved N retention and N utilization efficiency for milk protein production in peak lactation, while these effects were less pronounced in early lactation.