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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 #234434
Title: Energy Determination of Corn Co-products Fed to Finishing Pigs and Use of In Vitro OM Digestibility to Predict In Vivo ME

Author
item ANDERSON, P. - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
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: Anderson, P.V., Shurson, G.C., Kerr, B.J. 2009. Energy Determination of Corn Co-products Fed to Finishing Pigs and Use of In Vitro OM Digestibility to Predict In Vivo ME. Journal of Animal Science. 87:69.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Twenty co-products from various ethanol plants were fed to finishing pigs to determine ME and to generate an equation to predict ME based upon each ingredient’s chemical analysis. Additionally, a 3-step enzymatic assay was used to determine if in vitro OM digestibility would predict in vivo ME or improve the prediction estimate of ME for corn co-products. Co-products included: DDGS (7), HP-DDG (3), bran (2), germ (2), gluten meal and feed, dehulled degermed corn, dried solubles, starch, and corn oil. The in vitro OM digestibility for each co-product was determined in triplicate using procedures as described by Boisen and Fernandez (1997). For the in vivo study, the control diet was based on corn (97.1%), limestone, salt, vitamins, and trace minerals. All but two test diets were formulated by mixing the control diet with 30% of a co-product. Dried solubles and oil were included at 20% and 10%, respectively. Eight groups of 24 gilts (n=192, 112.7 final BW± 7.9 kg) were randomly assigned to a test diet and each diet was fed to a total of 8 pigs. Gilts were placed in metabolism crates and fed an amount equivalent to 3% BW daily for 9 days followed by collecting feces and urine separately for 4 days. Ingredients were analyzed for GE, CP, moisture, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, total dietary fiber (TDF), NDF, and ADF. Gross energy was determined on the feed, feces, and urine to calculate ME for each ingredient. The in vitro OM digestibility ranged from 33.3 to 93.5% for corn bran and dried solubles, while ME ranged from 2,334 to 8,755 kcal/kg for corn gluten feed and corn oil, respectively. Although in vitro OM digestibility was correlated to in vivo ME (r = 0.62, P < 0.01), it did not improve the prediction of ME from ingredient analysis. Stepwise regression resulted in the equation: ME, kcal/kg = (0.949 × GE) – (32.238 × TDF) – (40.175 × ash) (r2 = 0.95, SE = 306 P < 0.01). These results indicate that OM digestibility and ME vary substantially between corn co-products and the best predictors of ME are GE, TDF, and ash.