Feeding behavior and compensatory growth response pattern to lysine restriction of growing-finishing pigs before and after immunocastration

• Grant number: 25/17717-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Luciano Hauschild
• Grantee: Eloá Bispo Bosso
• Supervisor: Marie-Pierre Letourneau-Montminy
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Laval, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/20338-0 - Effect of dietary lysine restriction on performance and body composition of immunocastrated pigs with high genetic potential, BP.MS

Abstract

Nutritional strategies that enable cost reduction without compromising productive efficiency represent a valuable tool in swine production systems. Compensatory gain is a physiological and complex phenomenon in which pigs previously submitted to a period of nutrient and/or feed intake restriction, exhibited a subsequent accelerated growth rate under adequate nutrition. However, the expression of this phenomenon depends on several factors, including genetics, duration, and severity of the restriction, as well as the refeeding pattern following the restriction period. Therefore, the aim of the present proposal is to deepen the investigation of feeding behavior based on data obtained from a previously approved study funded by FAPESP (Process no. 2024/20338-0). In the original project, our objective was to evaluate the compensatory growth dynamics on performance and body composition of immunocastrated male pigs previously submitted to a period of Lys restriction. In the present proposal, our objective is to identify and explore changes in feeding patterns of pigs subjected to controlled Lys restriction, both before and after the administration of the immunocastration vaccine to better explain the obtained results. To achieve these objectives, this project proposes an international collaboration to analyze feeding behavior data generated through the Automatic and Intelligent Precision Feeder (AIPF) system. If successful, the application of this technique will help to address existing knowledge gaps in this area of research, and the results may contribute to future industrial projects focused on the development of nutritional strategies for immunocastrated pigs. Additionally, the international internship period will allow for in-depth discussions on the feeding behavior data generated by AIPF with international experts in the field, aiming to enhance the applicability of the acquired knowledge at FCAV UNESP facilities.