Dietary lysine requirement for optimal growth performance and carcass characteristics of late finishing gilts

Abstract

In Exp. 1, increasing dietary lysine from .40% to .70% linearly improved ADG, F/G, 10th rib fat depth, and percentage lean in finishing gilts from 200 to 250 lb. Increasing dietary lysine also tended to improve longissimus muscle area. Results from Exp. 2 indicate no improvement in growth or carcass performance of gilts fed greater than .60% lysine. The combined results of Exp. 1 and 2 indicate that finishing gilts from 200 to 250 lb requires between .60% to .70% (18 to 20 g/d) dietary lysine to maximize both growth performance and carcass characteristics.