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Table 4 Energy balance of sows fed Control (CON; 187.4 g/kg crude protein), Optimal (OPT; 137.8 g/kg crude protein) or Optimal + Leucine (OPTLEU; 142.5 g/kg) diets between day 4 and 8 of lactation (early lactation) and between day 14 and 18 of lactation (peak lactation)1

From: Reduced protein diet with near ideal amino acid profile improves energy efficiency and mitigate heat production associated with lactation in sows

Item

Diet

SEM2

P-value

CON

OPT

OPTLEU

OPT vs. CON

OPT LEU vs. CON

OPTLEU vs. OPT

Early lactation (day 4 to 8)

 Number of sows

12

11

11

    

Input

 Feed intake, kg/d

4.9

4.9

4.6

0.2

0.981

0.415

0.530

 Energy intake, MJ/d

84.68

83.27

79.82

3.53

0.937

0.475

0.690

 Energy absorbed, MJ/d

74.52

72.40

67.81

3.36

0.869

0.268

0.536

Output, kg/d

 Feces (dry matter basis)

0.52

0.54

0.59

0.06

0.980

0.716

0.827

 Urine (as-is)

10.68

4.66

5.49

1.68

0.041

0.087

0.930

 Milk (as-is)

8.82

8.86

9.51

0.85

0.999

0.762

0.789

Energy concentration, MJ/kg

 Feces (dry matter basis)

19.41

20.20

20.10

0.13

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.756

 Urine (as-is)

0.22

0.26

0.26

0.05

0.766

0.791

0.999

 Milk (as-is)

4.72

5.10

4.75

0.21

0.170

0.989

0.232

Energy output, MJ/d

 Feces

10.08

10.88

11.79

1.03

0.847

0.477

0.808

 Urine

1.68

1.10

1.23

0.28

0.311

0.481

0.948

 Milk

41.35

45.38

44.74

3.71

0.718

0.791

0.992

Energy for maintenance, MJ/d3

25.94

26.76

26.02

0.59

0.442

0.992

0.502

Total energy retention, MJ/d4

46.92

44.66

40.37

3.57

0.926

0.113

0.222

Maternal energy retention, MJ/d5

5.84

−0.97

−1.83

3.93

0.434

0.352

0.987

Peak lactation (day 14 to 18)

 Number of sows

11

11

11

    

Input

 Feed intake, kg/d

6.8*

6.7*

6.3*

0.2

0.975

0.169

0.242

 Energy intake, MJ/d

116.79*

114.95*

109.64*

3.50

0.898

0.216

0.418

 Energy absorbed, MJ/d

102.84*

100.22*

93.08*

3.34

0.811

0.073

0.230

Output, kg/d

 Feces (dry matter basis)

0.72*

0.74*

0.81*

0.06

0.969

0.463

0.605

 Urine (as-is)

12.04*

5.64

6.14

1.68

0.029

0.047

0.974

 Milk (as-is)

11.68*

13.93*

12.13*

0.85

0.077

0.893

0.178

Energy concentration, MJ/kg

 Feces (dry matter basis)

19.41

20.20

20.10

0.13

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.756

 Urine (as-is)

0.26

0.25

0.31

0.05

0.973

0.750

0.613

 Milk (as-is)

4.45

5.03

4.81

0.21

0.027

0.213

0.562

Energy output, MJ/d

 Feces

13.85*

14.87*

16.33*

1.03

0.766

0.223

0.581

 Urine

2.50*

1.29

1.77

0.28

0.012

0.163

0.446

 Milk

51.76*

70.21*

58.09*

3.73

0.005

0.461

0.072

Energy for maintenance, MJ/d3

26.26

26.26

26.31

0.59

0.999

0.997

0.996

Total energy retention, MJ/d4

74.15*

72.51*

65.06*

3.54

0.926

0.113

0.222

Maternal energy retention, MJ/d5

22.51*

2.26

7.05

3.92

0.003

0.026

0.668

  1. 1Data are least squares means
  2. 2Maximum value of the standard error of the means
  3. 3Energy required for maintenance (MJ/d) was calculated as 0.42 MJ/kg0.75 [13]
  4. 4Total energy retention = energy intake-fecal energy-urinary energy-maintenance energy
  5. 5Maternal energy retention = energy intake-fecal energy-urinary energy-maintenance energy-milk energy
  6. *Main effect of period (early and late) was significant (P < 0.05)
  7. Main effect of period (early and late) tended to be significant: urinary energy output (OPTLEU P = 0.054); maternal energy retention (OPTLEU P = 0.088)