Fifty gilts were used, with initial weight of 30.17 ± 2.03kg, to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of digestible lysine on performance and carcass characteristics. The animals were distributed in a random block experimental design, with five treatments (0.83; 0.93; 1.03; 1.13 and 1,23% of digestible lysine), five replicates and two animals which were considered one experimental unit. The criteria for the formation of the blocks were the animals initial weight. There was no effect of levels of digestible lysine on daily feed intake and daily weight gain. A quadratic effect was observed on feed conversion that improved until an estimated level of 1.11% of digestible lysine. A linear effect was observed on daily protein deposition, however, the data were adjusted through the Linear Response Plateau model, which indicated the estimated level of 1.09% of digestible lysine for best daily protein deposition. No effect was observed on daily fat deposition among the treatments. It conclude that the level of 1.11% of digestible lysine provided the best performance and daily protein deposition results for gilts with high potential for lean deposition, from 30 to 60kg.
digestible amino acid; performance; requirement; growing-phase