Comparative total tract digestibility of dietary energy and nutrients in growing pigs and adult sows

Seventy-seven diets were fed to 61-kg growing pigs at a feeding level close to their ad libitum intake and to nonlactating, nonpregnant sows slightly above their maintenance energy level (2.4 kg/d). The main objectives of thi s study were to compare the total tract digestibility of dietary energy or nutrients of the 77 diets in growing pigs and adult sows and to analyze the effect of diet chemical composition on total tract digestibility in both g roups of pigs. Diets were formulated to represent a range of chemical compo sitions as large as those found in most practical situations. The DE and ME values and total tract digestible nutrient contents of diets were measured for each group of animals; each diet was measured in four to five animals per group, and collection of urine and feces lasted 10 d. The results were used to establish equations for predicting DE and ME values, total tract di gestible nutrient contents, and total tract digestibility coefficients of e nergy from chemical characteristics for each group of animals. The results show that the total tract digestibility of energy or nutrients was higher ( P < 0.01) in adult sows than in growing pigs; the total tract digestibility coefficients of energy, crude protein, ether extract, and NDF averaged 85. 2, 85.1,37.1, and 64.4%, respectively, for sows and 82.1, 80.3, 31.6, and 5 6.3%, respectively, for growing pigs. The ME/DE ratio was lower (P < 0.01) in sows (94.8%) than in growing pigs (96.5%), as a result of higher urinary energy losses in sows. The difference in DE values (on average, 0.6 MJ/kg of DM) between adult sows and growing pigs was not constant (P < 0.01) but increased with dietary fiber content (3.3, 8.6, and 10.1 kJ for each gram o f NDF, ADF, and crude fiber increase in the diet, respectively), which sugg ests that the origin of the difference between the two physiological stages is mainly due to a higher rate of degradation of dietary fiber in the hind gut of sows. The DE and ME values could be accurately predicted from total tract digestible nutrients or from chemical characteristics for each physio logical stage. Equations for predicting urinary energy loss from urinary N are also proposed. From a practical point of view, it is suggested to use t wo energy values for pig feeds: one applicable to growing-finishing pigs an d one to adult sows. Equations for predicting DE in adult sows from energy values obtained in growing pigs are proposed.