Blood urea nitrogen as an index of feed efficiency and lean growth potential in growing-finishing swine

Five experiments were conducted to evaluate blood urea nitrogen (BUN) as a potential index of feed efficiency (G/F) and lean growth in growing-finishing pigs. Exp. 1 was conducted to examine the relationship between feeding protocol and BUN values. Fasted-refed pigs exhibited BUN peaks 3 h post-prandially while those given ad libitum access to diet had inconsistent BUN patterns in 10 h blood sampling with an 1 h interval. In Exp. 2 and 3, it was revealed that the peak BUN values were negatively correlated (p<0.01) with G/F in both barrows and gilts at 20 kg body weight (BW) and 50 kg to 90 kg BW. In Exp. 4, it was found that BUN values between 55 kg and 70 kg BW, when lean gain is maximized, were best correlated with average daily lean gain (ADLG). In Exp. 5, 18 barrows and 21 gilts were used to examine the relationship between BUN values at 65 kg BW and ADLG from birth to market weight. The BUN values at 65 kg BW and ADLG were negatively correlated (p<0.01) in both genders. These experiments demonstrated that there was a correlation between peak BUN values, and G/F and ADLG under specific circumstances.