Determination of the biological value of a protein source with a supposedly ideal amino acid balance (a.r.c. 1981) for the young pig (10 to 20 kg liveweight)

Fourteen entire-male pigs of 16 kg mean liveweight were given a synthetic diet, the sole protein source of which comprised enzymically hydrolysed casein and free synthetic amino acids. The amino acid balance of the 80 g kg^?1 crude protein diet was formulated to equal the Agricultural Research Council (1981) recommended ideal amino acid balance for the growing pig (20 to 90 kg liveweight). In two separate metabolism trials the biological value (BV) of the diet was estimated to be 0.86±0.012 (n=8) and 0.82±0.025 (n=5), respectively. Both BVs were significantly lower than unity, indicating that this dietary amino acid balance was less than ideal for the young pig.