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Title: Efficacy of deuterium oxide to estimate body composition of growing swine

Journal Article · · J. Anim. Sci.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5527778

An experiment involving 73 pigs was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the deuterium oxide (D/sub 2/O) dilution procedure for in vivo estimation of body composition in swine. Pigs were infused with known quantities of D/sub 2/O at 6.4 and 18 kg and then at approximately 18 kg increments to 145 kg body weight. Postinfusion blood D/sub 2/O concentrations were partitioned into early- and total-equilibrating pools. Results from D/sub 2/O analyses were compared with empty (ingesta-free) and total body water values obtained from chemical analysis of the ground animals. Both early- and total-equilibrating D/sub 2/O pools seemed to be good estimators of empty body weight. Total body D/sub 2/O space was similar to total body water at 6.4 kg, but consistently overestimated body water (averaged 20%) as the pigs attained heavier weights. Early- or total-body D/sub 2/O pool measurements accurately predicted chemically determined components with residual coefficients of variation below 5% and R2 greater than or equal to .90. However, total body D/sub 2/O space provided as accurate an estimate of empty body water as the early-pool technique and may be easier to use because catheterization of blood vessels is not required. The incorporation of live weight and sex in multiple regression equations did not improve the accuracy of empty body water prediction over that obtained from D/sub 2/O measurements alone. A method to estimate total body composition (water, protein, fat, ash) from the total body D/sub 2/O space measurements is presented.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Anim. Sci., Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster
OSTI ID:
5527778
Journal Information:
J. Anim. Sci.; (United States), Vol. 57:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English