A trial was conduced to evaluate decreasing levels of CP with amino acid supplementation on performance of gilts on thermoneutral environment. Thirty-five crossbreed gilts (Landrace x Large White) averaging initial weight of 60.5 kg were allotted to a complete randomized design with five treatments (17.3, 16, 14.7, 13.4 and 12.1% of CP) of seven replications (one animal per experimental unit). The experimental diets were fed ad libitum until the end of the experiment when the animals reached the average weight of 100.6 kg. No effect of decreasing dietary levels of crude protein on performance (feed intake, weight gain and feed gain ratio) was observed. Decreasing dietary CP levels did not affect the carcass characteristics (carcass length, loin eye area, backfat thickness and carcass, lean growth, fat and ham yield), but affected the relative and absolute weights of liver and the greatest value was observed in animals fed diet with 16.0% of CP. Decreasing dietary CP levels from 17.3 to 12.1% for gilts from 60 to 100 kg on thermoneutral environment did not affect performance, since diets are supplemented with limiting essential amino acids.
amino acids; finishing; gilts; nutrition; temperature
