A note on the amino acid composition of sow's milk

Abstract

Effects of dietary protein concentration on the amino acid composition of sow's milk was studied using 10 crossbred first-litter sows. At parturition, diets containing similar concentrations of digestible energy but with either 63 or 238 g crude protein per kg and 4.4 and 15.1 g lysine per kg respectively, were given through lactation (five sows per treatment). The ratios of other amino acids to lysine were in excess of those currently recommended for lactating sows. Dietary protein level significantly affected milk yield, gave higher milk protein output (P> 0.05) but was without significant effect on the proportions of amino acids in the milk.