Effects of Feeding Growing Pigs Less or More Than Their Estimated Lysine Requirement in Early and Late Finishing on Overall Performance1

Abstract Our objective was to determine the effects of feeding gilts less than (d 0 to 27 = 2.75 g Lys/Mcal ME, and d 27 to 55 = 2.25 g Lys/Mcal ME) or at (d 0 to 27 = 3.30 g Lys/Mcal ME, and d 27 to 55 = 2.75 g Lys/Mcal ME) the estimated Lys-to-calorie ratio required for optimal performance in early finishing, coupled with feeding less than, at, or more than (1.75, 2.25, and 2.75 g Lys/Mcal ME, respectively) the estimated Lys requirement in late finishing. A total of 1,154 pigs (initially 32.8 kg), were used in a split-plot design. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based. In early finishing, pigs fed at the Lys requirement had improved (P