Tryptophane requirements of pigs between 28 and 56 days of age

Abstract

Sixty-four male pigs between 28 and 56 days of age were fed ad libitum on diets based on maize and meat meal, supplemented with 0 - 0.8 g of L-tryptophanelkg of diet. It was found that the tryptophane requirement of pigs for maximum weight gain and feed conversion ratio was met by 1.64 - 1.67 g/kg of diet between 28 and 56 days of age. There was a linear increase in the retention of nitrogen by the pigs up to the highest level of dietary tryptophane fed in these experiments, viz. 1.67 g/kg of diet. The concentration of urea and tryptophane in the blood plasma suggest that the tryptophane requirement was met by 1.64 g/kg of diet.