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Alternative by-products, such as maize distillers dried grain with solubles (MDDGS) and rapeseed meal (RSM) have been included in pig diets to reduce the cost of production, however, their use is subjected to performance parameters. The objective of the present study was to investigate the inclusion effects of a combination of RSM and MDDGS at two net energy (NE) concentrations in diets offered to finisher pigs on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics. A total of 160 pigs (80 barrows and 80 gilts) with an initial body weight of 47.5 kg were allotted to one of four dietary treatments: (T1) a cereal based diet formulated to give 9.3 MJ NE/kg; (T2) a cereal based diet formulated to give 9.9 MJ NE/kg; (T3) a by-product based diet (350 g/kg MDDGS and 210 g/kg of RSM) formulated to give 9.3 MJ NE/kg; and (T4) the same by-product based diet formulated to give 9.9 MJ NE/kg. All diets were formulated to contain similar levels of standardized ileal digestible lysine (8.5 g/kg). NE content was increased by including soya oil to the diet.
A higher average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) and a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) was reported in pigs offered the cereal based diet. Pigs fed the cereal based diet also showed a higher coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) and coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of nitrogen (N) and gross energy (GE) compared with pigs offered the by-product based diet. Higher energy concentration diets increased CATTD of dry matter (DM) and GE as well as the digestible energy (DE) compared to the low energy concentration diets. Pigs offered the cereal based diet had a higher carcass weight, carcass ADG and kill out percentage than pigs offered the by-product based diet.
Despite diminishing the cost of pork production, the inclusion of high levels of by-product feeds to the diet reduced nutrient digestibility and carcass net energy efficiency, moreover, cereal-based diet pigs showed a higher ADG and ADFI. High energy concentration in diets reduced ADFI but improved FCR.
Clarke, L.C., Duffy, S.K., Rajauria, G. and O’Doherty, J.V. 2018. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of finisher pigs offered either a by-product or cereal based diet at two different concentrations of net energy. Animal Feed Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2018.06.002
