A note on the influence of methionine content in the diet of pigs from 21 to 49 days of age on their performance from 49 to 97 days of age

Abstract

ABSTRACTOne hundred and twenty-five boars were given diets containing five levels of methionine: 1·5, 1·7, 1·9, 2·1 and 2·3 g methionine per kg diet, from 21 to 49 days of age. The mean weight gain of the pigs given the diet containing 1·5 g methionine per kg was 71 g/day and this increased linearly to 346 g/day for the pigs given the diets containing 2·3 g methionine per kg.From 49 to 97 days of age all pigs were given a commercial pig grower diet containing 160 g protein per kg. Live-weight gains over this period increased linearly from 477 to 689 g/day with increasing methionine content of the starter diets. There was no compensatory weight gain.