TRYPTOPHAN AND THREONINE REQUIREMENTS OF YOUNG PIGS

AND THEIR EFFECTS ON SERUM CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS

AND ZINC CONCENTRATIONS 1

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B. S. Borg, G. W. Libal and R. C. Wahlstrom 2

South D a k o t a State University

Brookings 57007

ABSTRACT
Four 28-d trials were conducted using a total of 432 pigs, with average initial weight across
trials ranging from 6.3 to 9.7 kg, to estimate the tryptophan (trials 1 and 2) and threonine (trials 3
and 4) requirements of pigs fed low protein, corn-sunflower meal diets9 The effect of tryptophan,
threonine and protein level on serum calcium, phosphorus and zinc also was studied. The diets
contained either 12 or 13% protein and were calculated to be adequate in all nutrients except
crude protein and the amino acid being investigated. A lysine supplemented, 18% protein, corn-
sunflower meal diet was included in all trials as a positive control. In trial 1, weight gains of pigs in-
creased linearly (P<.005) while feed conversion improved cubically (P<.05) as dietary tryptophan
increased from .14 to .22%. Pigs fed the 18% protein diet gained faster (P<.05) and required less
feed/gain than pigs fed low protein diets. In trial 2, weight gains improved quadratically (P<.O05)
and feed conversion improved linearly (P<.05) as dietary tryptophan increased from .104 to
.204%. Serum phosphorus and zinc concentrations were lower (P<.05) in pigs fed the 18% protein
diet. In both trials, serum urea N responded quadratically (P<.05) to increasing dietary tryptophan,
and was lower (P<.05) in pigs that were fed diets supplemented with L-tryptophan than in those
fed the low protein basal or 18% protein diets. Weight gains increased linearly (P<.05) and feed
conversion improved linearly (P<.O05) in trial 3 while serum urea N, daily gains and feed con-
version improved cubically (P<.005) in trial 4 with increasing levels of dietary threonine. Serum
urea N was lower (P<.05) in pigs fed diets containing supplmental L-threonine. Serum phosphorus
and zinc were lower (P<.05) in pigs fed the 18% protein diet than in pigs that were fed all 12%
protein diets. The results indicate that the minimum dietary threonine requirement of the young
weaned pig (8 to 21 kg) is approximately .63%, while the minimum dietary tryptophan require-
ment o f the 6- to 22-kg pig is approximately .16%.
(Key Words: Pigs, Tryptophan, Threonine, Requirements, Blood Composition, Sunflower Oilmeal.)

I ntroduction
S u n f l o w e r meal diets s u p p l e m e n t e d with
lysine have been shown to be similar to soybean
meal diets with respect to their nutritive value
for the pig (Seerley et al., 1974; Baird, 1982).
Wahlstrom et al. (1985) r e p o r t e d that pigs fed a
lysine-supplemented, 12% protein, corn-sun-
flower meal diet r e s p o n d e d to additions of b o t h
t r y p t o p h a n and t h r e o n i n e but n o t to supple-
m e n t a t i o n of one or the other.
t Published with the approval of the Director of the
South Dakota Agr. Exp. Sta. as Publication No.
2179 of the Journal Series.
2 Dept. of Anim. and Range Sci.
Received July 30, 1986.
Accepted November 25, 1986.
The dietary t r y p t o p h a n r e q u i r e m e n t o f the
5- to 10- and 10- to 20-kg pig is suggested to be
915 and .13%, respectively (NRC, 1979).
Z i m m e r m a n (1975b) r e p o r t e d a t r y p t o p h a n
r e q u i r e m e n t of .15% for pigs weighing 5 to 15
kg. Lewis et al. (1985) and Rossell and Zimmer-
man (1985) r e p o r t e d the dietary t h r e o n i n e
r e q u i r e m e n t o f 5- to 15-kg pigs was .68 and
.7%, respectively. A c c o r d i n g to their recom-
mendations, N R C (1979) estimates o f the
t h r e o n i n e r e q u i r e m e n t are below actual dietary
requirements.
Research data on the effect of protein level
on c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of calcium, p h o s p h o r u s and
zinc in the b l o o d are inconsistent. Blood
c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of calcium, p h o s p h o r u s and zinc
were depressed in pigs fed a l o w protein diet
(Pond and Yen, 1984). However, earlier research
(Hendricks et al., 1970; F a m m a t r e et al., 1977;

1070 J. Anim. Sci. 1987.64:1070-1078

 TRYPTOPHAN AND THREONINE FOR YOUNG PIGS 1071

Mahan et al., 1980) indicated blood concentra-
tions of calcium and phosphorus increased in
pigs that received low protein diets.
The objectives of this research were to
identify optimal levels of tryptophan and
treatments from outcome groups based on
litter, weight and sex. Pens contained equal sex
distribution, while individual pigs were assigned
within replications to minimize weight variation
among pens. Each treatment was replicated

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threonine in amino acid fortified, low protein,
corn-sunflower meal diets fed to young weaned
pigs, and to study the effect of tryptophan,
threonine and protein level on serum calcium,
phosphorus and zinc concentrations.
Materials and Methods
Four 28-d trials were conducted in an
environmentally controlled room with pens
(1.2 x 1.8 m) having plastic or plastic-coated
expanded metal floors. Pig weights and feed
intake were measured weekly throughout the
trials. Crossbred pigs (Large White • Landrace)
were weaned at 3 to 4 wk of age and allotted
directly to treatments in trials 1 and 3, but
allowed a 14-d adjustment period in trials 2 and
4. An 18% protein, .95% lysine, corn-soybean
meal pig starter diet was fed during the adjust-
ment period. Pigs, having average initial weights
of 6.3, 9.7, 7.8 and 9.7 kg in trials 1, 2, 3 and
4, respectively, were allotted to six dietary
four times with six pigs per pen in trial I and
four per pen in trials 2, 3 and 4. The basal,
12 or 13% protein, corn-sunflower meal diets
were designed to contain adequate levels (NRC,
1979) of all nutrients except protein and the
amino acid being studied. An 18% protein,
L-lysine-supplemented, corn-sunflower meal
diet served as a positive control in all trials. All
diets within trials were calculated to be
isolysinic, Composition of the experimental
diets and calculated analyses of the diets for
lysine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine and
methionine are presented in tables I and 2.
Proximate and amino acid analyses of the
sunflower meal used are shown in table 3.
Blood samples collected from the anterior
vena cava of the pigs on d 28 ir~ trials 1, 2 and 4
were analyzed for serum urea N according to
the procedure of Sigma Chemical Co. (1981).
Phosphorus concentrations were determined by
the phosphomolybdate method of Fisk and
Subbarow, as described by Oser (1965), while

TABLE 1. COMPOSITIONOF EXPERIMENTAL DIETS

Protein,%
Ingredient 12 13a 18a

%
Corn 86.1 81.2 67.8
Sunflower mealb 9 10.2 14.1 29.3
Dicalcium phosphate 1.25 1.7 .30
Ground limestone .80 1.0 1.20
Salt .30 .30 .30
Trace mineral premix c .05 .05 .05
Vitamin premix d .03 .03 .03
Antibiotice .05 .25 .25
Amino acid (s)f 1.22 1.37 .77

acontained 10% dried whey in trial 1. Protein, calcium, phosphorus and amino acids were equalized by ad-
justments of corn, sunflower meal, dicalcium phosphate and limestone.
bsee analysis, table 3.
Cprovided the following per kg of diet: Zn, 100 mg; Fe, 75 mg; Mn, 25 mg; Cu, 7.5 rag; I, .175 mg and Se,
.1 rag.
dprovided the following per kg of diet: vitamin A, 3,300 IU; vitamin D, 330 IU; vitamin E, 11 IU; vitamin
K, 2.2 mg; riboflavin, 3.3 mg; pantothenic acid, 13.2 mg; niacin, 17.6 rag and vitamin B~z, 13.2 btg.
eprovided the following per kg of diet: trials 1 and 3 - chlortetracycline, 110 rag; sulfamethazine, 110 mg
and penicillin, 55 mg; trials 2 and 4 - chlortetracycline, 55 rag.
fAdded to supply levels as shown in table 2.
1072 BORG ET AL.

TABLE 2. CALCULATED ANALYSES OF EXPERIMENTAL DIETS a

Treatment
Item 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Trial 1
Lysine 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10
Threonine .72 .72 .72 .72 .72 .74
Tryptophan .14 .16 .18 .20 .22 .2:3
Isoleucine .69 .69 .69 .69 .69 .79
Methionine .38 .38 .38 .38 .:38 .38
Calcium .80 .80 .80 .80 .80 .80
Phosphorus .70 .70 .70 .70 .70 .70
Trial 2
Lysine 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Threonine .72 .72 .72 .72 .72 .71
Tryptophan .104 .129 .154 .179 .204 .210
Isoleucine .67 .67 .67 .67 .67 .76
Methionine .36 .36 .36 .36 .36 .39
Calcium .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60
Phosphorus .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60
Trial 3
Lysine 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10
Threonine .53 .58 .63 .68 .73 .71
Tryptophan .21 .21 .21 .21 .21 .21
lsoleucine .77 .77 .77 .77 .77 .77
Methionine .38 .38 .38 .38 .38 .:39
Calcium .80 .80 .80 .80 .80 .80
Phosphorus .70 .70 .70 .70 .70 .70
Trial 4
Lysine 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Threonine .50 .57 .64 .71 .78 .71
Tryptophan .20 .20 .20 .20 .20 .21
Isoleucine .72 .72 .72 .72 .72 .76
Methionine .36 .36 .36 .36 .36 .39
Calcium .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60
Phosphorus .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60

achemical analyses were conducted on all diets for verification of calculated values.

calcium a n d zinc were d e t e r m i n e d b y a t o m i c d i f f e r e n c e s were i d e n t i f i e d w i t h use o f t h e

a b s o r p t i o n s p e c t r o s c o p y , c a l c i u m in t h e p r e s e n c e
o f .5% l a n t h a n u m a n d zinc in a 1:1 d i l u t i o n o f
distilled w a t e r (trials 2 a n d 4). Feed samples
were h y d r o l y z e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r o c e d u r e o f
R o a c h a n d G e h r k e ( 1 9 7 0 ) a n d a m i n o acids
were q u a n t i t a t e d w i t h use o f a B e c k m a n 1 1 8 B L
a m i n o acid analyzer. H y d r o l y s i s o f a d d i t i o n a l
f e e d samples for t r y p t o p h a n analysis were
a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r o c e d u r e o f J o n e s e t al.
( 1 9 8 1 ) . D a t a were a n a l y z e d b y trials as
r a n d o m i z e d c o m p l e t e b l o c k designs u s i n g t h e
analysis o f variance p r o c e d u r e . T r e a t m e n t
variance was s u b d i v i d e d i n t o linear, q u a d r a t i c
a n d c u b i c c o m p o n e n t s u s i n g t h e F-test t o
d e t e r m i n e s i g n i f i c a n t responses. T r e a t m e n t
Waller-Duncan t e s t for m u l t i p l e c o m p a r i s o n s
(Steel a n d Torrie, 1980). T h e m o d e l i n c l u d e d
t r e a t m e n t (T), replicate ( R ) a n d T • R.
In trial 1, 1 4 4 pigs were used. Pigs a l l o t t e d
t o t r e a t m e n t s 1 to 5 received t h e 13% p r o t e i n
basal diet supplemented w i t h increasing
i n c r e m e n t s o f .02% L - t r y p t o p h a n t o s u p p l y .14,
.16, .18, .20 a n d .22% d i e t a r y t r y p t o p h a n . In
all trials, pigs in t r e a t m e n t 6 were f e d t h e 18%
p r o t e i n diet. Ninety-six pigs were utilized in
each o f trials 2, 3 a n d 4. In trial 2, t h e 12%
p r o t e i n basal diet was s u p p l e m e n t e d with
L - t r y p t o p h a n t o c o n t a i n . 104, . 129, . 1 5 4 , . 179
a n d .204% d i e t a r y t r y p t o p h a n . In trial 3, t h e
13% p r o t e i n diet was s u p p l e m e n t e d w i t h
 TRYPTOPHAN AND THREONINE FOR YOUNG PIGS 1073

TABLE 3. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF L-threonine to provide .53, .58, .63, .68 and
SUNFLOWER MEALa .73% dietary threonine, while the t h r e o n i n e
levels in the 12% protein corn-sunflower meal
Item % basal diets fed in trial 4 were .50, .57, .64, .71
and .78%.
Moisture 6.24

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Crude protein 41.2
Crude fiber Results
13.1
Ether extract 1.79 Trial 1. Effects of varying levels of tryp-
Ash 6.7 t o p h a n on pig p e r f o r m a n c e and serum urea N
Amino acids c o n c e n t r a t i o n s are presented in table 4. Weight
Lysine 1.37 gains increased linearly ( P < . 0 0 5 ) as dietary
Histidine 1.02
Arginine 3.4 t r y p t o p h a n increased f r o m a basal diet value of
Aspartic acid 3.75 .14 tO .22%. Daily gains and feed conversion
Threonine 1.52 were i m p r o v e d (P<.05) by feeding the 18%
Serine 1.71 protein diet c o m p a r e d to the 13% protein
Glutamic acid 8.54 diet.
Proline 1.76
Glycine 1.51 Daily feed c o n s u m p t i o n increased qua-
Alanine 1.79 dratically (P<.05) with increasing dietary
Valine 2.13 t r y p t o p h a n . Pigs fed the negative control diet
Methionine .86 or the L-tryptophan-supplemented diet
Isoleucine 1.69
Leueine 2.72 c o n t a i n i n g .16% dietary t r y p t o p h a n c o n s u m e d
Tyrosine 1.06 less feed (P<.05) than pigs fed the 18% protein
Phenylalanine 1.95 diet. Supplemental L - t r y p t o p h a n resulted in a
linear decrease (P<.05) in feed/gain. Serum
aAs-fed basis. urea N c o n c e n t r a t i o n s decreased quadratically

TABLE 4. EFFECT OF DIETARY TRYPTOPHAN LEVELS ON

PERFORMANCE OF YOUNG WEANED PIGS (TRIAL 1)

13 a 18
.14 b .16 .18 .20 .22 .23
Item 1c 2 3 4 5 6 SE d

Initial wt, kg 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.2 6.3 6.3 .139

Avg daily gain, kg~.h .24 .27 .29 .28 .30 .35 .012
Avg daily feed, kgfi .46 .52 .57 .55 .56 .58 .017
Feed/gaineI 2.05 1.94 1.95 1.96 1.88 1.73 .033
Serum urea N, mg/dlgk 8.1 5.7 6.0 5.9 6.5 9.9 .687

aprotein, %.
bTryptophan, %.
eTreatment.
dstandard error of the mean.
eTreatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
fTreatments 1 and 2 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
gTreatments 2, 3, 4 and 5 differ (P<.005) from treatment 6.
hLinear tryptophan response (P<.005).
iLinear (P<.O005) and quadratic (P<.0$) tryptophan response.
JLinear tryptophan response (P<.01).
kQuadratic tryptophan response (P<.05).
1074 BORG ET AL.

(P<.05) and were lower (P<.05) in pigs fed
L-tryptophan-supplemented diets than in pigs
that were fed the negative and positive control
diets.
Trial 2. Addition o f graded levels of L-
Serum urea N concentration decreased
quadratically (P<.01) when the low protein
diet was supplemented with L-tryptophan, and
was increased (P<.05) in pigs receiving the 18%
protein diet. Serum phosphorus increased

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tryptophan to the basal diet resulted in a
quadratic (P<.005) increase in daily gain and
feed consumption (table 5). Weight gains
plateaued at a level of .154% dietary tryp-
tophan. There were no differences (P>.05) in
daily gains or daily feed intake among pigs fed
the low protein basal diet containing .154, .179
or 9 dietary trypto.phan and the 18%
protein diet. Feed/gain decreased linearly
(P<.05) as dietary tryptophan increased. How-
ever, feed/gain was similar (2 9 2.14 and
2.21) for diets containing .154, .179 and
.204%, respectively. Increasing dietary protein
to 18% improved (P<.05) feed conversion
relative to pigs fed the negative control diet or
to pigs fed diets containing .129 or .204%
dietary tryptophan.
linearly (P<.025) as dietary tryptophan in-
creased. Pigs receiving the 18% protein diet had
lower (P<.05) serum phosphorus than pigs fed
12% protein diets. Serum zinc remained
relatively constant among pigs fed diets sup-
plemented with L-tryptophan, but was lower
(P<.05) when pigs were fed the 18% protein
diet compared to the 12% protein diets. Serum
calcium responded quadratically (P<.01) to
additions of L-tryptophan to the negative
control diet. Pigs fed the positive control
diet had higher (P<.05) serum calcium than
pigs fed all other diets except pigs receiving the
diet containing. 15% dietary tryptophan.
Trial 3. Pig performance data for trial 3 are
summarized in table 6. Increasing increments of
L-threonine providing dietary threonine levels

TABLE 5. EFFECT OF DIETARY TRYPTOPHAN LEVELS ON PERFORMANCE AND

SERUM CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG WEANED PIGS (TRIAL 2)

12 a 18
.104 b .129 .154 .179 .204 .210
Item 1c 2 3 4 5 6 SEd

Initial wt, kg 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 .251

Avg daily gain, kgei .26 .35 .44 .44 .43 .45 .017
Avg daily feed, kgel .63 .79 .94 .95 .94 .91 .027
Feed/gainfJ 2.38 2.30 2.17 29 2.21 2.00 .057
Serum, m~g/dl
Urea Ngg 9.41 7.32 5.34 5.46 5.25 12.71 .661
Phosphorusg I 10.62 10.87 11.10 11.26 11.31 8.66 .206
Calcium hk 8.93 9.11 9.60 9.28 9.42 9.76 .108
Zinc,/ag/mlg 9 .86 .88 .87 .86 .57 .029

aprotein %.
bTryptophan, %.
CTreatment.
dstandard error of the mean.
eTreatments 1 and 2 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
fTreatments 1, 2, and 5 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
gTreatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
hTreatments 1, 2, 4 and 5 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
iLinear and quadratic tryptophan response (P<.O05).
JLinear tryptophan response (P<.005).
kLinear (P<.O05) and quadratic (P<.01) tryptophan response.
ILinear tryl~tophan response (P<.025).
 TRYPTOPHAN AND THREONINE FOR YOUNG PIGS
TABLE 6. EFFECT OF DIETARY THREONINE LEVELS ON
PERFORMANCE OF YOUNG WEANED PIGS (TRIAL 3)
13a
.53 b .58 .63
Item 1c 2 3
Initial wt, kg 7.7 7.8 7.7
Avg daily gain, kgeg .35 .43
Avg daily feed, kg .83 .92
Feed/gain fh 2.34 2.18 2.03
aprotein, %.
bThreonine, %.
CTreatment.
dstandard error of the mean.
eTreatment 1 differs (P<.05) from treatment 6.
fTreatments 1, 2 and 4 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
gLinear threonine response (P<.05).
hLinear threonine response (P<.005).
of .53, .58, .63, .68 and .73% resulted in linear
improvements in daily gain (P<.05) and feed
efficiency (P<.005). Gains of pigs that received
diets containing supplemental L-threonine did
not differ (P>.05) from those of pigs receiving
the positive control, 18% protein diet. How-
ever, pigs fed the 18% protein diet gained faster
(P<.05) than pigs fed the 13% protein, negative
control diet. The 18% protein diet was utilized
more efficiently than the 13% protein, nega-
tive control diet or this diet supplemented with
L-threonine to contain .58 and .68% dietary
threonine. Average daily feed intake did not
differ (P> .05) among treatments.
Trial 4. Performance and blood analysis data
are summarized in table 7. Addition of .07%
increments of L-threonine to the low protein,
negative control diet to provide .5, .57, .64, .71
and .78% dietary threonine resulted in cubic
responses (P<.005) with respect to average
daily gain, feed conversion and serum urea N
concentration. Pigs that received the 18%
protein diet gained faster (P<.05) than pigs fed
the low protein, negative control diet. Average
daily feed intake did not differ (P>.05) among
treatments. Feed/gain did not differ (P>.05)
among pigs that were fed the low-protein diets
containing .64, .71 or .78% dietary threonine
and the positive control, 18% protein diet.
Serum urea N decreased as L-threonine was
supplemented to the negative control diet. Pigs
fed diets containing .64, .71 and .78% dietary
1075
18
.68 .73 .71
4 5 SEd
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6
7.8 7.8 7.8 .342
.41 .41 .48 .48 .028
.83 .86 .95 .90 .050
2.07 2.00 1.87 .059
threonine had lower (P<.05) serum urea N than
pigs receiving the 18% protein diet. Serum
calcium, phosphorus and zinc responded
cubically (P<.005) to increasing dietary thre-
onine. Serum calcium was lower (P<.05),
while serum phosphorus and zinc were higher
(P<.05), in pigs fed the 12% protein diets
compared with pigs on the 18% protein diet.
Discussion
T w p t o p b a n Requirement. Daily gain, feed
intake and serum urea N data suggest a mini-
mum dietary tryptophan requirement of
approximately. 16% for pigs weighing from 6 to
22 kg and fed a low protein, corn-sunflower
meal diet. This requirement is slightly higher
than the NRC (1979) estimated requirement of
.15% for the 5- to 10-kg pig and considerably
higher than the estimate of .13% for the 1 0 - t o
20-kg pig. Baker et al. (1971) and Zimmerman
(1975b), utilizing pigs initially weighing 6.0 and
5.5 kg, respectively, estimated dietary tryp-
tophan requirements of .121 and .15%, res-
pectively. These tryptophan requirements may
differ from each other and from our estimate
because of differing experimental diet composi-
tion. Baker et al. (1971) fed pigs a 17.5%
protein, corn-gelatin diet (.045% tryptophan),
thus a greater portion of the total dietary
tryptophan was supplied in synthetic form, and
their estimate of .121% could reflect the
1076 BORG ET AL,

TABLE 7. EFFECT OF DIETARY THREON1NE LEVELS ON PERFORMANCE AND

SERUM CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG WEANED PIGS (TRIAL 4)

12a 18
.50 b .57 .64 .71 .78 .71
Item 1c 2 3 4 5 6 SEd

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Initial wt, kg 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.7 .381
Avg daily gain, kgeh .37 .40 .43 .41 .40 .44 .019
Avg daily feed, kg .98 .97 .95 .89 .90 .95 .032
Feed/gain fi 2.68 2.45 . 2.23 2.19 2.23 2.15 .077
Serum, m.g/dl
Urea Ngl 13.14 10.68 7.63 7.68 7.71 16.23 .632
Phosphorusg i 9.92 9.38 10.23 9.88 9.46 7.50 .197
Calciumgh 9.45 9.35 9.79 9.92 9.66 10.41 .127
Zinc, ug/mlgk .88 .71 .76 .74 .79 .56 .032

aprotein, %.
bThreonine, %.
CTreatment.
dstandard error of the mean.
eTreatment 1 differs (P<.05) from treatment 6.
fTreatrnents 1 and 2 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
gTreatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 differ (P<.05) from treatment 6.
hCubic threonine response (P<.005).
tLinear, cubic (P<.O05) and quadratic (P<.05) threonine response.
JLinear, quadratic and cubic threonine response (P<.005).
kQuadratic (P<.025) and cubic (P<.005) threonine response.

greater availability of synthetic amino acids
than those amino acids supplied in the feed-
stuffs, thus lowering the dietary tryptophan
requirement. The tryptophan requirement of
the lO-kg pig fed a corn-gelatin diet was reported
to increase from .071 to .119% as dietary
protein increased from 10 to 18% (Boomgaardt
and Baker, 1973). Thus, protein level of diets
could partially explain reports of differing
tryptophan requirements. Klay (1964) and
Baker et al. (1975) have suggested that feed
intake increases as dietary protein decreases, so
the pig could satisfy its daily tryptophan
requirement by consuming more of a feed
containing a lower level of tryptophan. Feed
intake of pigs in these trials increased up to a
level o f . 16% dietary tryptophan, then plateaued.
These results indicate that dietary amino acid
balance also influences daily feed intake.
Becker et al. (1955) suggested that availabil-
ity of tryptophan varies with differing feed
sources, while Jorgensen et al. (1984) reported
indispensible amino acid availability of sun-
flower meal to be inferior to soybean or fish
meal diets. Although tryptophan availability
was not measured in Jorgensen's research, all
other indispensible amino acids had a lower
availability in sunflower meal relative to soy-
bean meal. If the tryptophan in sunflower meal
is less available, a higher total dietary tryp-
tophan requirement would be expected than
when soybean meal is the dietary protein
source.
In trial 1, but not in trial 2, performance of
pigs fed the low protein, tryptophan-sup-
plemented diets did not equal t h a t of pigs
assigned to the high protein diet. This dif-
ference between trials may have been due to
the difference in initial age and weight of the
pigs. It is possible that the low protein diet was
deficient in dietary N required for the younger
and smaller pigs used in trial 1. Zimmerman
(1975a) fed 5-kg pigs a 16% protein diet, which
proved to be deficient in dietary N to support
maximum growth of young pigs.
Tbreonine Requirement. The improvement
in average daily gain feed/gain and serum urea
N following L-threonine supplementation sug-
 TRYPTOPHAN AND THREONINE FOR YOUNG PIGS
gests that pigs, 8 to 21 kg, fed low protein,
corn-sunflower diets require a minimum of
.63% dietary threonine. This estimate is greater
(23%) than the NRC (1979) estimate of .51%
for the 10- to 20-kg pig, but is less than the
values of .68 and .70% reported by Lewis et al.
(1985) and Rossell and Zimmerman (1985),
respectively. However, these investigators used
younger pigs and had a higher protein (16%)
diet, both of which would increase the amino
acid requirement. Our estimate (.63%) is in
close agreement with that of Zhang et al.
(1984), who fed a 14.5% protein, barley-
soybean meal diet to 28-d-old pigs and reported
a dietary threonine requirement of .64%.
There is evidence that a relationship between
lysine and threonine may exist. Rossetl and
Zimmerman (1985) calculated the requirement
of threonine to be .61% of the lysine require-
ment. This ratio is intermediate between the
threonine to lysine ratios of .57 and .64 found
in these trials. Using NRC (1979) requirements,
for the 5- to 10-kg and 10-to 20-kg pig, the
threonine requirement is calculated to be .59
and .64%, respectively, of the lysine require-
ment.
Although addition of L-threonine improved
weight gains and feed conversion, L-threonine
supplementation did not affect feed intake of
pigs. Similar results to threonine supplementa-
tion were reported by Grosbach et al. (1985).
Effects of Tryptopban and Tbreonine on
Blood Traits. The depression of serum urea N
when diets contained supplemental tryptophan
or threonine illustrates the reduction of urea
synthesis with improvement of the dietary
amino acid profile. Brown and Cline (1974)
reported decreased urea synthesis by pigs as
lysine was supplemented to a lysine deficient
diet. The high serum urea N of pigs fed the low
protein, negative control d i e t indicates an
amino acid deficiency, which was corrected by
dietary additions of that deficient amino acid.
Serum urea N was constant upon meeting the
minimum requirement of both tryptophan
(.16%) and threonine (.63%), and remained low
as dietary tryptophan and threonine were
increased. The increase in serum urea N when
pigs were fed the 18% protein diet is in agree-
ment with Wahlstrom et al. (1986). They fed
pigs corn-sunflower meal diets containing 12,
15, 18 and 21% protein and found that serum
urea N increased with increasing dietary protein.
The decline in serum phosphorus concentra-
tions observed when pigs were fed the 18%
1077
protein diet is supported by work of Fammatre
et al. (1977) and Mahan et al. (1980). As
dietary protein level increases, the amount of
phosphorus supplied to the diet by the protein
source also increased. If the protein is of plant
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origin, the phosphorus contained therein may
be bound as phytin-phosphorus and largely not
available to the pig. This may explain the lower
serum phosphorus concentrations in pigs that
were fed the high protein diets. In contrast,
P o n d and Yen (1984) reported plasma calcium,
phosphorus and zinc to be depressed in low
protein (9%) diets. Their diets were deficient in
many of the amino acids that were supplied to
our low protein diets. The possibility exists that
some of the deficient amino acids were involved
in phosphorus absorption. They postulated that
amino acids, which may be involved in zinc
absorption, are deficient in the low protein diet
and this may cause reduced plasma zinc. In
contrast, our low protein diets were supple-
mented to supply adequate amounts of amino
acids. It is also possible that phytate content of
the diet, which increased as dietary protein
increased, could be involved in binding the
dietary zinc, as reported by Pond and Maner
(1984).
The increase in serum calcium due to in-
creased dietary protein might be expected
because serum calcium and phosphorus vary
inversely (Underwood, 1966). In both trials 2
and 4, the lowest serum phosphorus and highest
calcium concentrations were found in pigs that
received the high protein diet.
We conclude that the minimum dietary
tryptophan requirement of the young weaned
pig (6 to 22 kg) fed a low protein, corn-sun-
flower meal diet is approximately .16%. Also,
the minimum dietary threonine requirement of
the young weaned pig (8 to 21 kg) fed a 12 to
13% protein, corn-sunflower meal diet is
approximately .63 %.
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