Statistical assessment of feeding corn with higher oil content to piglets in the starter phase

The aim of this study was to assess the digestibility coefficients (DC) of corn [maize] with an oil content above 3.46% and its effects on the performance of piglets when fed as dry grain (DG) and as rehydrated corn grain silage (RCGS). In Experiment I, 15 piglets (22.51 + 2.39 kg) were allocated to a reference diet (RD) and to two test diets in which corn in the RD was replaced with DG or RCGS. There were five replications of each treatment. Experiment II involved 36 piglets (14.76 ± 2.72 kg), which were assigned to a control diet with common corn grain and to diets in which DG or RCGS replaced the common corn. There were six replications of each treatment. Data were analysed with four statistical models. Model 1 included only the effect of treatment. Model 2 was similar to Model 1 but included initial bodyweight as a covariate. Model 3 was similar to model 1 but included the interaction of diet and period. Model 4 was similar to Model 3 but included the covariate. The more complicated models were generally preferred to Model 1 as they controlled more of the nuisance variation. Feeding a diet that contained RCGS reduced feed intake and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR)

Effects of feed particle size on energy values for broiler chickens at various ages

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various geometric mean diameters (GMDs) of particles of corn, pelleted soybean meal and a corn-soy mixture in the proportion of 70% and 30%, respectively, on the nutritional value of the feeds. The study evaluated energy consumption, the contents of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and AME corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) and the metabolizability coefficients for broiler chickens at various ages. A total of 540 Cobb 500 male broilers were housed in metabolic cages (experimental units). Trials were performed separately with each feed. A completely randomized design was used with four treatments, namely corn with 573, 636, 851, and 1012 μm GMDs; pelleted soybean meal with 538, 550, 665, and 741 μm GMDs; and the corn-soy mixture with 627, 658, 893, and 1040 μm GMDs. Birds were evaluated on days 1 - 10, 11 - 20, 21 - 30, and 31 - 40. Larger GMDs resulted in lower energy consumption. From 1 to 10 days, birds consumed less metabolizable energy than older birds. Birds fed corn from days 1 to 10 had higher metabolizable energy (P <0.05) with increasing GMD up to 1042 μm. However, the results varied, depending on the feed and its combinations. The use of coarse particles could reduce the costs of grinding, and would have few effects on the metabolizable energy of broiler chickens

Method of using increasing levels of substitution of the basal diet by test feedstuffs in pig digestibility trials

Two experiments were carried out to study the methodology of using increasing levels of substitution of the basal diet with fibrous test feedstuffs (sticky coffee hull - SCH) in digestibility trials with pigs. In Experiment 1, a digestibility trial was conducted using 30 crossbred barrows, allotted in a randomized block design. In Experiment 2, 42 growing and 42 finishing pigs were used, allotted in a completely randomized design, with six diets and seven replicates, with one animal per experimental unit. The six diets consisted of: a control diet, four diets using SCH ME values as obtained in Experiment 1 plus a diet using SCH ME value estimated by linear regression equation for 15% substitution. The digestibility study indicated that the use of increasing levels of substitution (7, 14, 21 and 28%) reduced SCH digestibility. ME values, as-fed basis, were 2,456, 2,377, 2,247 and 1,945kcal/kg. The overall results indicate that higher levels of substitution overestimate the energy value and that the method of increasing levels of substitution of the basal diet with feedstuffs test can be used to more accurately estimate the energy values of fibrous feedstuffs for pigs. For growing and finishing pigs respectively, up to 28% and 15% of sticky coffee hull can be used without impairing pig performance and economic feasibility

Levedura de cana-de-açúcar spray dry na alimentação de suínos na fase de crescimento e terminação

Foi estudado o valor nutricional (digestibilidade total e ileal) de duas leveduras spray dry (cana-de-açúcar - LEV35 e cerveja+cana-de-açúcar - LEV40) e o efeito da sua inclusão em rações para suínos na fase de crescimento e terminação. Os valores de ED (kcal/kg) da LEV35 e da LEV40 foram 3.496 e 3.901 e EM (kcal/kg) foram 3.475 e 3.862, respectivamente. Os valores de lisina, metionina+cistina e treonina digestível para a levedura de cana-de-açúcar e da levedura de cerveja+cana-de-açúcar são 2,66 e 2,64, 1,11 e 1,03, 1,95 e 1,92, respectivamente. No desempenho foram utilizados 40 suínos com peso inicial de 34,39± 7,57kg (crescimento) e de 62,45± 5,68kg (terminação), distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco níveis de inclusão (0, 5, 10, 15 e20%) da LEV35. Na fase de crescimento, houve piora do GDP e da CA com o aumento da inclusão. Na fase de terminação, porém, houve efeito quadrático para o CDR, sendo o melhor nível 3.32%. Da mesma forma, ocorreu piora linear para o GDP, CA, peso de carcaça quente, rendimento de carcaça fria e peso de pernil. Os resultados sugerem que a adição de níveis crescentes da LEV35 pode prejudicar o desempenho dos suínos

Levedura mista (cerveja + cana-de-açúcar) spray-dry na alimentação de leitões na fase inicial

Three experiments were carried out to deter- mine the nutritional values of the spray-dry yeast sugar cane (LEV35) and mixed (brewer + sugar cane – LEV40) and the inclusion effect on starting pigs diets on performance and economic feasibility. In total digestibility assays were used fifteen barrow pigs with initial body weight of 21.49 ± 4.85 kg were allotted in a completely randomized design. The values of digestible and metabolizable energy as-fed basis for LEV35 and LEV40 were: 2788 and 3455 (kcal/kg); 2761 and 3289 (kcal/kg), respectively. In performance trial were evaluated five inclusions levels of LEV40 (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 %) utilizing 50 piglets, with initial weight of 14.60 ± 1.28 kg in meal form, distributed in a completely randomized bloc design. In second performance trial were evaluated five inclusions levels of previous assay in meal form or pellet form, using 80 piglets, with initial weight of 15.16 ± 2.00 kg, allotted in a completely randomized factorial 5 x 2. The results indicate that the inclusion of up to 20 % of LEV40 in diets for piglets in the two forms did not affect performance. However, the economic feasibility will depend on the price relationship between the ingredients.Foram conduzidos três experimentos para determinar o valor nutricional das leveduras spray- dry cana-de-açúcar (LEV35) e levedura mista (cerveja + cana-de-açúcar – LEV40) e o efeito da inclusão da LEV40 em rações para leitões sobre o desempenho e viabilidade econômica. No ensaio de digestibilidade total foram utilizados 15 leitões machos castrados, com 21,49 ± 4,85 kg de peso vivo, distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Os valores de energias digestível e metabolizável na matéria natural para a LEV35 e LEV40 foram de 2788 e 3455 (kcal/kg); 2761 e 3289 (kcal/kg), respectivamente. No primeiro ensaio de desempenho foram avaliados cinco níveis de inclusão da LEV40 (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20 %) na forma farelada, utilizando 50 leitões, com peso inicial de 14,60 ± 1,28 kg, distribuídos em delineamento de blocos inteiramente casualizado. No segundo ensaio de desempenho foram avaliados os cinco níveis de inclusão utilizados no ensaio anterior nas formas farelada ou peletizada, utilizando 80 leitões, com peso inicial de 15,16 ± 2,00 kg, distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 5 x 2. Os resul- tados indicam que a inclusão de até 20 % da LEV40 em rações para leitões nas duas formas não afeta o desempenho. Entretanto, a viabilidade econômica vai depender da relação de preços entre os ingredientes