Modeling standardized ileal digestible lysine requirements during gestation on gilts and sows

The objective of this study was to model daily standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys-requirements in gestating sows. Data from 877 females (459 gilts, 418 sows; Camborough (R), PIC, Hendersonville, TN) was collected and modeled using Dourmad et al. (2008) equations. Individual feed intake and body weight (BW) were recorded daily throughout gestation. Dietary treatments included 11, 13.5, 16, and 18.5 g/d SID Lys-intake throughout gestation. Data were divided into 2 parity groups: gilts and sows, and gestation was divided into 3 stages: d 5 to 39 (early), 40 to 74 (mid), and 75 to 108 (late). The model follows the principle that energy is partitioned between maintenance, growth of conceptus (fetus, placenta, and fluids), and maternal protein and lipid deposition. Requirements for SID Lys-were estimated based on predicted whole body protein deposition. After dividing energy requirements into tissue pools for maintenance, products of conceptus, and maternal reserves, the greatest portion of the energy requirement was for maintenance. Estimated protein retention of the conceptus increased in each sequential stage of gestation (P 0.05) but there were no differences (P 0.05) among treatments. Regardless of parity or stage of gestation, increasing SID Lys-increased estimated maternal protein deposition (linear, P < 0.001), but it decreased in each sequential stage of gestation (P < 0.001). Estimated maternal lipid deposition increased with increasing SID Lys (linear, P = 0.076) and decreased in each sequential stage of gestation (P < 0.05), with gilts having to mobilize maternal lipid in late gestation. For gilts and sows, estimated SID Lys-requirements increased in each sequential stage of gestation (P < 0.05). Estimated SID Lysbalance (SID Lys-intake - SID Lys-requirement) increased with increasing SID Lys-in the diet (quadratic, P < 0.054), and decreased (P < 0.05) in each sequential stage of gestation. Overall, the model shows how changes in protein retention of the conceptus and maternal protein deposition differ by parity and stage of gestation for a single gestation phase. Based on predicted changes in protein deposition, and SID Lys-balance, providing females with 11.0 g/d SID Lys-throughout gestation adequately meets Lys-requirements for most of gestation; however, gilts and sows were in a negative SID Lys-balance for the last 5- to 10 d of gestation and this can be prevented by providing gilts and sows with 13.5 g/d SID Lys.