Nutrient Requirement tables for Sows based on NRC standards

Dietary Amino Acid requirements of Gestating Sows (90% dry matter)
  Body Weight at breeding (kg)
125 150 175 200 200 200
Gestation weight gain (kg) 55 45 40 35 30 35
Anticipated piglets in the litter 11 12 12 12 12 14
DE content of diet (mj/kg) 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24
ME content of diet (mj/kg) 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67
Estimated feed intake /day (g/day) 1960 1840 1880 1920 1800 1850
Crude Protein (g/kg) 129 128 124 120 121 124
Amino Acids Total basis (g/kg)
Arginine 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Histidine 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.7
Isoleucine 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.1
Leucine 5.00 4.92 4.62 4.2 4.3 4.5
Lysine 5.80 5.70 5.40 5.20 5.20 5.40
Methionine 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.4
Methionine + Cystine 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.7
Phenylalanine 3.2 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.8 3.0
Phenylalanine + Tyrosine 5.4 5.4 5.1 4.9 4.9 5.1
Threonine 4.4 4.5 4.4 4.3 4.4 4.5
Tryptophan 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.1
Valine 3.9 3.8 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.6


Daily intakes of DE, feed and amino acid requirements are estimated by the gestation model.

Weight gains include maternal tissue and products of conception.

Assumption; ME = 96% of DE

Crude protein and total amino acids are based on a maize soyabean meal diet.

Dietary Amino Acid requirements of Lactating Sows (90% dry matter)

  Body Weight post-farrowing kg
175 175 175 175 175 175
Anticipated Lactational weight change 0 0 0 -10 -10 -10
DE content of diet (mj/kg) 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24 14.24
ME content of diet (mj/kg) 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67 13.67
Estimated feed intake /day (g/day) 4310 5350 6400 3560 4610 5660
Crude protein g/kg 163 175 184 172 185 192
Amino Acids Total basis (g/kg
Arginine 4.0 4.8 5.4 3.9 4.9 5.5
Histidine 3.2 3.6 3.8 3.4 3.8 4.0
Isoleucine 4.5 5.0 5.3 5.0 5.4 5.7
Leucine 8.6 9.7 10.5 9.5 10.5 11.2
Lysine 8.2 9.1 9.7 8.9 9.7 10.3
Methionine 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.2 2.4 2.6
Methionine + Cystine 4.0 4.4 4.6 4.4 4.7 4.9
Phenylalanine 4.34 4.84 5.24 4.74 5.24 5.54
Phenylalanine + Tyrosine 9.0 10.0 10.7 9.8 10.8 11.4
Threonine 5.4 5.8 6.1 5.8 6.3 6.5
Tryptophan 1.5 1.6 1.75 1.7 1.85 1.95
Valine 6.8 7.6 8.2 7.6 8.3 8.8


Daily intakes of DE, feed and amino acid requirements are estimated by the lactation model

Assumes 10 pigs per litter and a 21 day lactation period.

Assumption; ME = 96% of DE

Crude protein and total amino acids are based on a maize soyabean meal diet.

Dietary Mineral, Vitamin and fatty acid requirements of

Gestating & Lactating Sows (90% dry matter)
  Gestation Lactation
DE content of diet (mj/kg) 14.24 14.24
ME content of diet (mj/kg) 13.67 13.67
Estimated feed intake /day (g/day) 1850 5250
Mineral requirements
Calcium g/kg 7.5 7.5
Phosphorus (available) g/kg 3.5 3.5
Sodium g/kg 1.5 3.5
Chlorine g/kg 1.2 1.6
Magnesium g/kg 0.4 0.4
Potassium g/kg 2.0 2.0
Copper mg/kg 5.0 5.0
Iodine mg/kg 0.14 0.14
Iron mg/kg 80 80
Manganese mg/kg 20 20
Selenium mg/kg 0.15 0.15
Zinc mg/kg 50 50
Vitamin Requirements
Vit A IU/kg 4000 2000
Vit D3 IU/kg 200 200
Vit E IU/kg 44 44
Vit K mg/kg 0.5 0.5
Biotin mg/kg 0.2 0.2
Choline mg/kg 1250 1250
Folacin mg/kg 1.3 1.3
Niacin (available) mg/kg 10 10
Pantothenic acid mg/kg 12 12
Riboflavin mg/kg 3.75 3.75
Thiamin mg/kg 1.0 1.0
Vit B6 mg/kg 1.0 1.0
Vit B12 mg/kg 0.15 0.15
Linoleic acid g/kg 1.0 1.0


The requirements are based on the given feed intakes. If less feed is consumed the values may need to be increased.

Assumption; ME = 96% of DE

The niacin in maize, grain sorghum, wheat and barley is unavailable. Similarly, the niacin in by-products from these cereal grains is poorly available unless they too have undergone a fermentation or wet milling process.