Effects of the Low-Crude Protein and Lysine (Low CP/lys) Diet and a Yeast Culture Supplemented to the Low CP/lys Diet on Growth and Carcass Characteristics in Growing-finishing Pigs

The present study was performed to investigate long-term effects of the low-crude protein and lysine (low CP/lys) diet and a yeast culture supplemented to the low CP/lys diet on growth and carcass characteristics in growing-finishing pigs. Forty-five gilts and 45 barrows weighing approximately 25 kg born to Yorkshire Landrace dams and Duroc sires were allocated to nine pens, with five gilts and five barrows assigned per pen. Every three pens received CP/lys-rich grower and finisher diets (control), low CP/lys grower and finisher (basal), or the low CP/lys grower and finisher supplemented (2%) with a yeast culture providing 3.2×10∨8 Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells/kg diet (yeast) for 31 and 79 days, respectively. The ADG was less in the low CP/lys (basal + yeast) group than in the control group (P less than 0.01) during both grower (0.59 vs. 0.70 kg) and finisher (0.75 vs. 0.89 kg) phases. However, marbling score was greater (P less than 0.05) in the low CP/lys group vs. control (3.86 vs. 3.12) at slaughter, which resulted in a twice percentage of the 1+-quality grade carcasses in the former compared with that for the latter. Supplementation of the yeast culture to the basal diet caused a decrease in ADG during the grower phase (P less than 0.01), but not during the finisher phase (0.64 vs. 0.53 kg and 0.73 vs. 0.77 kg for the basal vs. yeast group during the grower and finisher phases, respectively), without influencing the marbling score or percentage of the 1+-quality grade carcasses. In conclusion, results indicate that long-term provision of the low CP/lys diet has a beneficial effect on marbling and carcass quality grade as well as a negative effect on weight gain and that the yeast culture supplemented to the low CP/lys diet has no beneficial effect on weight gain or carcass quality.