STUDIES ON ENERGY AND NITROGEN-METABOLISM OF PREGNANT AND LACTATING SOWS AS WELL AS SUCKLING PIGLETS .7. ENERGY AND NITROGEN-METABOLISM OF SUCKLING PIGLETS

In 23 litters, each with 10 or 11 piglets, the energy and nitrogen met abolism was measured on base of 218 body analyses in suckling piglets and on base of 96 total metabolism experiments in early weaned piglets , combined with 134 body analyses. The studies were carried out as par t of a complex experimental program for the factorial derivation of en ergy and protein requirement of piglets and for measuring the milk pro duction of lactating sows. The energy maintenance requirement of suckl ing piglets (sow's milk nutrition, I) and of early weaned piglets (sow 's milk replacement on the basis of cow's milk, II) amounted to 468 (I ) and 451 kJ (II) metabolizable energy per kg LW(0.75) . d, th, Utiliz ation of metabolizable energy for energy deposition to 70 (I) and 72% (II). With mean live weight gains (LWG) of 161 and 162 g per animal an d day the cost per kg LWG amounted to 19.9 and 20.4 MJ gross energy, 1 9.3 and 19.4 MJ metabolizable energy as well as 14.4 and 14.2 MJ net e nergy-fat in suckling and early weaned piglets resp. The mean energy c ontent of the LWG amounted to 8.9 (I) and to 7.9 MJ/kg (II).