Stochastic simulation of growth in pigs: protein turn-over-dependent relations between body composition and maintenance requirements

Abstract

AbstractA dynamic model for simulation of growth in pigs, that was extended by a module to describe protein turn-over, was made stochastic in order to simulate groups of pigs with among-animal variation in the maximum daily protein deposition (Pdep, maxK in the minimum lipid to protein deposition rate (Ri/pimin), and in the distributionof body protein over protein pools (muscle, connective tissue, and other proteins). As a result, these simulated pigs show among-animal variation in body protein content and composition. This in turn leads to among-animal variation in energy requirements for protein turn-over and this causes among-animal variation in maintenance metabolizable energy requirements (MEmaint)as a result of variation in body composition.Simulated population means for PieVimax were varied in seven steps from 100 to 250 g/day, with an among-animal variation coefficient of 0·10; the feeding level was also varied in seven steps. Dependent on the levels of these input variables, 100-kg pigs showed within-population standard deviations in body protein and lipid content of 0·31 to 0·54 kg and 1·22 to 2·17 kg, respectively. ME showed a protein-turn-over-related, within-population coefficient of variation of 0·014 to 0·02. Comparisons over populations suggests that a 1·50 proportional increase in Pdep, max (from 100 to 250 g/day) would increase protein-turn-over-related MEmaint by 11 to 15%, from between 470 and 486 to 541 k] ME per kg body weight0'75 per day. The inferences that can be made from this with regard to experimental design are discussed.