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Title: THE USE OF DUAL-ENERGY X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY TO MONITOR TOTAL BODY AND REGIONAL CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF GROWING PIGS DURING MAINTENANCE FEEDING

Author
item Mitchell, Alva
item SCHOLZ, A. - LUDWIG-MAXMILIANS UNIV.

Submitted to: Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2000
Publication Date: 5/1/2001
Citation: Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals Symposium Proceedings

Interpretive Summary: Differences in body composition can contribute to differences in maintenance energy requirements among animals. In this study dual-energy X- ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure the maintenance energy requirements of growing pigs based on changes in body composition during maintenance. In order to evaluate the possible influence of body composition on maintenance energy requirements, (independent of genetic background) differences in body composition (fat/lean) were induced by preliminary feeding of either a high or low protein diet. Overall, there were few differences in the maintenance energy requirements as a result of the dietary treatments, however the maintenance energy requirement for pigs switched from a low protein diet to a high protein diet was lower than that of pigs switched from a high protein diet to a low protein diet.

Technical Abstract: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessment of body composition was used to adjust the maintenance energy requirements (MEm) of 60-kg pigs while subjected to an 8-week period of weight maintenance feeding. At the beginning weight of 60 kg, pigs fed a 12% CP diet had a total body fat content of 12.2 kg and 9.3 kg protein, compared to 10.2 kg of fat and 9.8 kg of protein for pigs fed a 21% CP diet (P<0.05). The average daily MEm for all pigs during the 8-week period was 555 kJ/W0.75. During the 2nd 4-we period, the MEm was 502 for pigs switched from the 12 to 21% CP diet compared to 593 for pigs switched from the 21 to 12% CP diet (P<0.05).