Performance and carcass composition of large white toms as affected by dietary crude protein and threonine supplements.

This experiment evaluates the effect of decreasing dietary CP, in addition to the effects of dietary supplements of L-Thr to low CP diets, in Large White Nicholas toms from 0 to 18 wk of age. Toms were fed dietary treatments consisting of four levels of dietary CP as a percentage of NRC (1994) recommendations (100, 92, 84, and 76% of NRC recommendations). Additional treatments consisted of supplements of L-Thr (0.1 and 0.2% of diet) added to the 92 and 84% NRC CP treatments. All eight dietary treatments were formulated to meet a minimum of 105% of NRC (1994) recommendations for Met, TSAA, Lys, Thr, and Trp. Body weight, feed conversion, mortality, and carcass composition responses were measured. Decreasing CP to 84% of NRC resulted in 18-wk BW lower than that (P < or = 0.001) of toms fed diets containing 100 or 92% of NRC CP; however, toms fed 84% of NRC CP diet supplemented with 0.1% L-Thr had 18-wk BW equal to (P < or = 0.001) that of the 100 and 92% NRC CP treatments. Toms fed diets containing 76% of NRC CP had depressed BW and feed:gain in comparison to all other treatments. No adverse effects in cumulative feed:gain (0 to 18 wk) were noted by decreasing CP from 100 to 84% of the NRC recommendations. Mortality did not differ among treatments. Treatments had no effect on carcass fat expressed as a percentage of hot carcass weight. Breast meat yield (deboned Pectoralis major and Pectoralis minor) was highest (P < or = 0.001) in toms fed the 100 and 92% NRC CP treatments. The 84 and 76% NRC CP treatments resulted in decreased breast meat yield regardless of L-Thr supplements. These results indicate that diets containing Met, TSAA, Lys, Thr, and Trp at a minimum of 105% NRC recommendations may support favorable breast meat yield when CP is decreased to 92% of the NRC (1994) recommendation. If growth and feed conversion are the desirable traits, rather than breast meat yield, CP levels below 92% of the NRC (1994) recommendation may support favorable responses.