Table 3 The effects of adding sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) to low-protein diets on the nitrogen balance and apparent digestibility of other nutrients in 40-kg pigs

 Average daily feed intake

1.60

1.66

1.66

0.07

0.543

 Intake of nitrogen, g/d

46.0^a

35.8^b

35.9^b

0.54

<.001

 Urinary nitrogen, g/d

13.6^a

10.4^b

7.52^c

0.17

<.001

 Fecal nitrogen, g/d

9.03^a

5.87^b

5.54^b

0.11

<.001

 Total nitrogen excretion, g/d

22.6^a

16.3^b

13.1^c

0.26

<.001

 Retention of nitrogen, g/d

23.4^a

19.5^b

22.8^a

0.35

<.001

 Urinary nitrogen/intake of nitrogen, %

29.6^a

29.1^a

20.9^b

0.28

<.001

 Fecal nitrogen/intake of nitrogen, %

19.6^a

16.4^b

15.4^b

0.20

<.001

 Total nitrogen excretion/intake of nitrogen, %

49.2^a

45.4^b

36.4^c

0.36

<.001

 Urinary nitrogen/total nitrogen excretion, %

60.2^ab

63.9^a

57.6^b

0.38

<.001

 Fecal nitrogen/total nitrogen excretion, %

39.9^b

36.1^c

42.4^a

0.38

<.001

 Retention of nitrogen/intake of nitrogen, %

50.8^c

54.6^b

63.6^a

0.36

<.001

 DM digestibility

75.3^b

77.1^ab

79.5^a

0.48

<.001

 Organic matter digestibility

74.9^b

77.9^ab

79.4^a

0.40

<.001

 Digestive energy digestibility

70.8^b

73.4^ab

75.8^a

0.57

<.001

 Metabolic energy/digestive energy ratio

84.1^b

87.2^ab

90.2^a

0.44

<.001