Total tract digestibility of nitrogen in pigs exposed to high environmental temperatures.
The effect of environmental heat stress on N metabolism was studied using 7 gilts (50.5 ± 1.7 kg initial BW). Pigs were housed in metabolism cages in a climate-controlled room. After a 4-d adaptation, two 14-d experimental periods followed during which the animals were exposed to thermo-neutral temperature (NT; 20.61 ± 0.1°C) or high environmental temperature (HT; 30.41 ± 0.4°C). In each experimental period, two 24-h balance periods were carried out to collect feces and urine (via bladder catheters) for N analysis. Based on N intake and N excretion, N balance was calculated. At HT conditions, N intake was lower (P = 0.028), urinary N excretion increased (P = 0.040), and N retention decreased (P = 0.001) in comparison with NT conditions. Exposure of pigs to HT tended to reduce (P = 0.070) digestibility of N as compared to NT conditions. When pigs are exposed long term to continuous HT, N retention decreases presumably due to decreased use of ME during respiration.
Animal Production Research Centre Nitra, Institute of Nutrition, 95141 LuŽianky, Slovakia. m_brestensky@cvzv.sk
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M
Brestensky
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J
Heger
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S
Nitrayová
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P
Patrás
D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*
D009584:Nitrogen