Lysine requirement of finishing pigs administered porcine somatotropin by sustained-release implant

To alleviate the need for daily injection of porcine somatotropin (pST), a sustained-release implant (pSTSR) was devised that continuously delivers a daily dose of 2 mg of pST for 42 d. Ninety-six white composite (Large White x Landrace) finishing barrows (83.6 [+ or -] 1.2 kg BW) were assigned to receive zero or two pSTSR implants (4 mg pST/d) and to consume one of six diets differing in total Lys concentration (0.29, 0.52, 0.75, 0.98, 1.21, or 1.44%, as-fed basis). Diets were formulated to be isocaloric and based on the ideal protein concept. Pigs were housed individually, allowed ad libitum access to feed and water, and slaughtered at 112 kg of BW. The pSTSR affected neither ADG (P = 0.88) nor 10th rib LM area (LMA; P = 0.51), but it decreased (P < 0.01) ADFI, average backfat thickness, 10th rib fat depth, weights of leaf fat and ham fat, improved (P < 0.05) G:F, and increased (P < 0.01) weights of four trimmed lean cuts (T-cuts), and percentages of ham lean and bone. Increasing total Lys increased ADG (quadratic; P < 0.05) and ADFI (linear; P < 0.01). The G:F, plasma urea N concentrations (PUN), and T-cuts were affected by the interaction pSTSR x dietary Lys (P < 0.01). Without pSTSR, the G:F did not differ (P -0.37) among pigs fed 0.52% and greater total Lys. With pSTSR, the G:F was less (P < 0.05) for pigs fed 0.52% than 0.98 and 1.44% total Lys. Increases in dietary total Lys resulted in increased PUN (P < 0.01), and incremental increases were less in pSTSR-implanted pigs. Maximal yield of T-cuts was at 0.98% dietary total Lys in nonimplanted pigs and 1.21% total Lys in pSTSR-implanted pigs. Estimates of total Lys requirements of pigs without and with pSTSR, respectively, were 0.52 and 0.86% for growth (ADG and G:F) and 0.73 and 0.88% for lean production (LMA and T-cuts). Equivalent apparent ileal digestible Lys requirements of pigs without and with pSTSR, respectively, were 0.44 and 0.68% for growth, and 0.62 and 0.75% for lean production. With ADFI of 3.5 kg daily, an intake of approximately 26.1 g of total daily Lys (0.75%) or 22.4 g of apparent ileal digestible Lys is needed to maximize lean production in finishing barrows receiving 4 mg pST/d via sustained-release implant. Key Words: Finishing Pig, Lysine Requirement, Porcine Somatotropin, Sustained-Release Implant