Table 1. Ingredients and nutrient composition of the experimental diets.

	Starter		Finisher
Ingredients %	Basal	Basal+ALA	Basal	Basal+ ALA
Corn	54.86	54.86	63.14	63.14
SBM	39.5	39.5	29.6	29.6
Soybean oil	2	2	4.5	4.5
Limestone	1.27	1.27	0.85	0.85
Monocalcium phosphate	0.75	0.75	0.5	0.5
Lysine	0.23	0.23	0.18	0.18
Methionine	0.14	0.14	0.12	0.12
Threonine	0.2	0.2	0.16	0.16
NaCl	0.43	0.43	0.35	0.35
Sodium bicarbonate	0.12	0.12	0.1	0.1
Vitamin + Mineral mix*	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
ALA, mg/kg (top dressing)	0	500	0	500
Calculated nutrient content, %
MEn, kcal/kg	2909	2909	3203	3203
CP	22.09	22.09	18.07	18.07
Ca	0.75	0.75	0.52	0.52
Total P	0.57	0.57	0.47	0.47
Available P	0.3	0.3	0.23	0.23
Lysine	1.39	1.39	1.10	1.10
Methionine	0.48	0.48	0.41	0.41
Cystine	0.43	0.43	0.38	0.38
Threonine	1.03	1.03	0.85	0.85
Tryptophan	0.33	0.33	0.26	0.26
Methionine + Cysteine	0.91	0.91	0.8	0.8
Arginine	1.61	1.61	1.31	1.31
Valine	1.22	1.22	1.03	1.03
Isoleucine	0.93	0.93	0.76	0.76
Leucine	1.89	1.89	1.63	1.63
dig Lys	1.25	1.25	0.99	0.99
dig Met	0.45	0.45	0.39	0.39
dig Thr	0.85	0.85	0.69	0.69
NDF	9.13	9.13	8.78	8.78
CF	3.97	3.97	3.46	3.46
Na	0.22	0.22	0.18	0.18
Cl	0.30	0.30	0.25	0.25
Choline (mg/kg)	1419	1419	1200	1200

*Providing the following (per kg of diet): vitamin A (trans-retinyl acetate), 10,000 IU; vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol), 3,000 IU; vitamin E (all-rac-tocopherol-acetate), 30 mg; vitamin B₁, 2 mg; vitamin B₂, 8 mg; vitamin B₆, 4 mg; vitamin B₁₂ (cyanocobalamin), 0.025 mg; vitamin K₃ (bisulphatemenadione complex), 3mg; choline (choline chloride), 250 mg; nicotinic acid, 60 mg; pantothenic acid (D-calcium pantothenate), 15 mg; folic acid, 1.5 mg; betaíne anhydrous, 80 mg; D-biotin, 0.15 mg; zinc (ZnO), 80 mg; manganese (MnO), 70 mg; iron (FeCO₃), 60 mg; copper (CuSO₄·5H₂O), 8 mg; iodine (KI), 2 mg; selenium (Na₂SeO₃), 0.2 mg.