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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Agroecosystems Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #234416
Title: Evaluation of Crude Glycerol, a Biodiesel Co-product, in Growing Pig Diets to Support Growth and Improve Pork Quality

Author
item SCHIECK, S. - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item JOHNSTON, L. - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item SHURSON, G. - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Kerr, Brian

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2009
Publication Date: 3/16/2009
Citation: Schieck, S.J., Johnston, L.J., Shurson, G.C., Kerr, B.J. 2009. Evaluation of Crude Glycerol, a Biodiesel Co-product, in Growing Pig Diets to Support Growth and Improve Pork Quality. Journal of Animal Science. 87:90.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two-hundred sixteen crossbred pigs (BW = 31.28 + 1.76 kg) were used to determine the effects of long-term and short-term feeding of glycerol on growth performance, carcass traits, and pork quality of growing-finishing pigs. Pigs were blocked by initial BW and pens within blocks were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 dietary treatments in a 4-phase feeding program (24 pens, 9 pigs/pen). Dietary treatments were: Control - a corn-soybean meal based diet (CON); Long-term – CON + 8% glycerol fed throughout the entire experiment (LT); and Short-term – pigs fed CON for the first 6 weeks followed by CON + 8% glycerol fed during the last 8 weeks of the experiment (ST). Pigs fed LT had higher (P < 0.05) ADG and pigs fed ST tended (P = 0.07) to grow faster than CON. Pigs assigned to LT but not ST expressed greater (P < 0.05) ADFI compared to CON. Dressing percentage for pigs on LT and ST treatments was not different from CON-fed pigs. Fat-free lean percentage tended (P < 0.10) to be greater in CON pigs than LT pigs. Short-term glycerol feeding increased (P < 0.05) belly firmness compared to CON, and tended (P < 0.10) to have firmer bellies than LT-fed pigs. Dietary treatments had no effect on total moisture loss or subjective color, marbling, and firmness scores of loins. Growing-finishing pigs fed diets containing 8% crude glycerol achieved growth performance similar to pigs fed a typical corn-soybean meal diet. Effects of crude glycerol on carcass traits appear to be limited to improvements in belly firmness with shorter-term feeding regimens.