Determining an optimum lysine:calorie ratio for barrows and gilts in a commercial finishing facility

Our objective was to determine an op- timum Lys:calorie ratio (g of total dietary Lys/Mcal of ME) for 35- to 120-kg barrows and gilts (Pig Improve- ment Company, L337 × C22) in a commercial finishing environment. Seven (3 barrow and 4 gilt) trials were conducted using randomized complete block designs (42 pens per trial, a total of 7,801 pigs). Six treatments with increasing Lys:calorie ratio were used in each study. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based with 6% choice white grease. Lysine:calorie ratios were attained by adjusting the amount of corn and soybean meal. No crystalline Lys was used. In barrow trial 1 (43 to 70 kg), increasing the Lys:calorie ratio (2.21, 2.55, 2.89, 3.23, 3.57, and 3.91) increased (quadratic, P < 0.01) ADG, G:F, income over feed costs (IOMFC), and feed cost per kilogram of gain, and decreased (linear, P < 0.01) backfat. In barrow trial 2 (69 to 93 kg), increasing the Lys:calorie ratio (1.53, 1.78, 2.03, 2.28, 2.53, and 2.78) improved (linear, P < 0.01) ADG, G:F, and IOMFC, and decreased (quadratic, P < 0.01) backfat. In barrow trial 3 (102 to 120 kg), increasing the Lys:calorie ratio (1.40, 1.60, 1.80, 2.00, 2.20, and 2.40) increased (linear, P < 0.03) ADG and G:F, and numerically improved (linear, P = 0.12) IOMFC. In gilt trials 1 (35 to 60 kg), 2 (60 to