Effect of dietary L-tryptophan supplementation on growth performance and serum metabolites of weaner pigs

Abstract

The effect of dietary L-tryptophan supplementation on growth performance and serum metabolites of weaner pigs was studied using a total of 12 male pigs weaned at 28 days of age. Four different diets with graded inclusion levels of 0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% L-tryptophan/kg to corn-soyabean meal based diets were fed to a group of 3 piglets each. Pigs were allotted in a completely randomized design Experimental diets and water were supplied ad libitum for the period of six weeks. After the feeding trial, weekly growth performance (body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio), haematological parameters and serum indices were determined. Increased dietary tryptophan supplementation significantly (P<0.05) affected only the lymphocytes and eosinophils among all haematological indices examined and there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in all serum indices measured. Total feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) affected by all the parameters measured for growth indices. This experiment showed that dietary tryptophan improved the growth performance and health status of weaner pigs.

Keywords: Tryptophan, Growth performance, Blood parameters, Weaner pigs