Tryptophan requirement of growing pigs at various body weights

The purpose of this study was to determine the tryptophan (Trp) requirement of growing pigs at different body weight (BW) ranges. Three performance experiments were conducted with female pigs in the BW ranges of 25-50, 50-80 and 80-115 kg. In addition to the performance experiments, nitrogen balance experiments were carried out in which pigs weighing 56, 66 and 86 kg were used. Trp-deficient basal diets were formulated to which varying amounts of l-Trp were added. The amino acid concentrations of the diets were analysed; concentrations of standardized digestible amino acids were calculated on the basis of tabular values. The calculated concentrations of standardized ileal digestible tryptophan were 0.81, 1.11, 1.41, 1.71, 2.01 g/kg diet in the lower BW range (25-50 kg), 0.71, 0.96, 1.21, 1.46, 1.71 g/kg diet in the middle BW range (50-80 kg), and 0.49, 0.69, 0.89, 1.09, 1.29 g/kg diet in the upper BW range (80-115 kg). Dose-response relationships were evaluated by means of an exponential regression model. In all three age ranges, performance parameters as well as nitrogen retention were strongly influenced by the dietary concentration of standardized ileal digestible tryptophan. According to the exponential model, in the 25-50 kg BW range, 95% of the maximum feed consumption, BW gain and nitrogen retention were achieved at concentrations between 1.96 and 2.00 g of standardized ileal digestible Trp per kilogram diet, corresponding to 3.32-3.39 g/day. In the BW range of 50-80 kg, 95% of the maximum of these parameters occurred at concentrations of standardized ileal digestible tryptophan in excess of the highest concentration of 1.71 g/kg diet, corresponding to 3.71 g/day. In the BW range of 80-115 kg, 95% of the maximum of BW gain and nitrogen retention were recorded at concentrations of 1.22 and 0.84 g standardized ileal digestible Trp per kilogram diet, corresponding to 3.77 and 2.25 g/day, respectively. Related to the energy value of the diets, the optimal concentration of standardized ileal digestible tryptophan are between 140 and 143 mg/MJ metabolizable energy (ME) in the BW range of 25-50 kg, in excess of 127 mg/MJ ME in the BW range of 50-80 kg and between 62 and 90 mg/MJ ME in the BW range of 80-115 kg. In conclusion, it is suggested that the requirement of standardized ileal digestible tryptophan for growing pigs might be higher than currently assumed.