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last update:Dec 22, 2006
Pigs benefit from higher levels of DDGS
It has been discovered that distiller's grains, which are added to pig's
diets at levels up to 30%, increase performance.
Large amounts of nutrient-dense dried distiller's grains (DDGS) have been
generated in the US. This is a valuable livestock feed ingredient; however, many
swine nutritionists and formulators limit the inclusion rate of DDGS in pig feed
to 10% of the ration.
Swine nutrition researchers at the University of Illinois, in cooperation
with researchers at The Maschhoffs and United Feeds Inc., have found that DDGS
can be added to the diets of growing pigs at up to 30% of the ration without
negatively impacting performance.
The research
Researchers evaluated the effect of dietary level of DDGS and fat in a
study involving 2,560 growing pigs. This was divided into 2 periods:
- Period one: (21-40 kg), four levels of
DDGS (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and two levels of added fat (0 and 3%) were
evaluated.
- Period two: (40-60 kg), researchers compared an
additional factor of two levels of fat (0 ands 6%).
During Period one, there was no effect of DDGS inclusion level on body
weight gain or feed intake. Including DDGS at 20 or 30%, however, had a positive
effect on feed efficiency. In Period two, previous level of DDGS did not affect
growth performance.
The researchers concluded that DDGS can be included at up to 30% of the
diet of growing pigs without detrimentally affecting growth performance.
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