Effect of phosphorus on growth performance, skeletal integrity and phosphorus utilization in growing pigs

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of phosphorus (P) in growing pigs. In experiment 1, fifty-four pigs were randomly allotted to three diets with available phosphorus (aP) concentrations of 0.23%, 0.17% and 0.11%. In experiment 2, twenty-eight pigs were assigned to four treatments including T1 (diet with 0.23% aP for three wks), T2 (diet with 0.11% aP for wk1 replaced by diet with 0.23% aP for wk2 and wk3), T3 (diet with 0.11% aP for wk1 and wk2 replaced by diet with 0.23% aP for wk3) and T4 (diet with 0.11% aP for all three wks). The 0.11% aP diet proved to be very low with negative effects on performance and bone quality. Reduced dietary P resulted in reduced P intake and reduced P excretion. In conclusion, growing pigs are sensitive to P and environmental pollution because of dietary P can be reduced by dietary manipulation of P.