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Table 4 Nitrogen balance of pigs in response to low-protein diets

From: Different dietary starch patterns in low-protein diets: effect on nitrogen efficiency, nutrient metabolism, and intestinal flora in growing pigs

Items

W LP

C + W LP

C LP

P + W LP

P LP

SEM1

P-value

Average daily feed intake, g/d

1040

1067

1070

1035

1048

35

0.941

Dietary N intake, g/d

21.64

22.36

22.78

21.66

22.22

1.41

0.947

Urinary N excretion, g/d

2.05a

1.37b

2.17a

1.61ab

1.91a

0.13

0.018

Fecal N excretion, g/d

4.26

4.25

4.39

4.73

4.50

0.25

0.743

Total N excretion, g/d

6.31a

5.62b

6.56a

6.34a

6.41a

0.20

0.046

Retention of N, g/d

15.33

16.74

16.22

15.32

15.81

0.78

0.342

Total N excretion/intake of N, %

29.17

25.13

28.80

29.26

28.84

1.75

0.390

Urinary N excretion/N excretion, %

32.48a

24.37b

33.08a

25.39ab

29.80ab

2.12

0.050

Fecal N excretion/N excretion, %

67.52b

75.63a

66.92b

74.61ab

70.20ab

2.42

0.050

Apparent biological value2, %

88.20b

92.44a

88.20b

90.49ab

89.22ab

1.25

0.043

Protein efficiency of utilization3, %

70.79

74.76

71.16

70.86

71.30

3.42

0.269

  1. a-c Means in the same row with different superscripts differ (P ≤ 0.05)
  2. 1n = 6
  3. 2 (Intake of nitrogen - fecal nitrogen - urinary nitrogen) / (intake of nitrogen - fecal nitrogen)
  4. 3 (Intake of nitrogen - fecal nitrogen - urinary nitrogen) / intake of nitrogen
  5. W LP waxy corn starch low-protein diet, C + W LP corn starch + waxy corn starch low-protein diet, C LP corn starch low-protein diet, P + W LP pea starch + waxy corn starch low-protein diet, P LP pea starch low-protein diet. Values are means of 6 observations per treatment