[Effect of a 2-day increased energy supply on heat production and energy utilization in full-grown sows]

In a respiration trial with 12 nongravid, nonlactating sows, the effect of supplying energy at greatly discrepant levels for 2 days (18, 45, 4.5 and 4.5 g feed/kg 0.75 per meal) on parameters of energy metabolism was studied in comparison with a consistent feed intake (18 g feed/kg 0.75 per meal). The trial was conducted as a change-over design (AB - BA) and included a total of 24 balance periods. The isoenergetic nutrition was aimed at the maintenance energy level. Digestion coefficients for dry matter, nitrogen, carbon and energy were not affected by the inconsistent distribution of the feed supply. Similarly, all parameters of energy metabolism in the sum of the 2-day periods were not different between the two treatments. The maintenance energy exchange averaged 49.1 MJ/2 . days when the energy supply was inconsistent and 48.4 MJ/2 . days in the control group. In the course of the 48-hour measurements, heat production during inconsistent energy supply was higher by 1.8 MJ on the 1st day and 1.2 MJ lower on the 2nd day than in the control group. The additional energy of 17 MJ (75%) supplied in treatment B on the 1st day above that in the control did not seem to have been stored by fat synthesis within this time.