Effects of Intact Protein Diets Versus Reduced Crude Protein Diets Supplemented with Synthetic Amino Acids on Pig Performance and Ammonia Levels in Swine Buildings

Purdue University 1998 Swine Research Report. Government regulations, neighbor complaints, and nuisance lawsuits are forcing the swine industry to address odor and manure management issues. The threat of odors from swine farms has restricted growth in some areas of the country and has created negative relationships between neighbors. Along with these, in certain situations, high levels of gases have been shown to reduce pig performance and compromise worker health. Ways to reduce nutrient excretion and compounds creating the odors in manure are needed to help nurture environmental stewardship and bolster relationships with those outside of agriculture. One manner in which this can be accomplished is by minimizing nutrient excesses in diets by more closely meeting the pigs actual needs. It has previously been demonstrated in metabolism studies that by reducing dietary crude protein levels and supplementing diets with synthetic amino acids, reductions in nitrogen excretion and aerial ammonia concentrations can reach upwards of 40 to 50%. The objectives of this study were to determine whether a reduced crude protein diet could significantly impact aerial ammonia levels and pit composition while maintaining similar growth performance in confinement swine buildings.