Supplementing a low protein diet with the limiting amino acids is often more cost effective than using an additional amount of the particular protein source. Two experiments conducted using grower and finisher pigs confirmed that performance could be maintained when either high or low crude protein diets are fed if amino acids are balanced and the diets are formulated to be similar in net energy. Reducing CP levels by 4% in grower and finisher pig diets did not adversely impact performance when these diets were formulated to be equivalent in true ideal AA digestibility, NE and dietary electrolyte balance.
Response of Finishing Pigs to High and Low CP Diets (View pdf)
