Long, C. J., L. B. Kondratovich, M. F. Westphalen, H. H. Stein, and T. L. Felix. 2017. Effects of exogenous phytase supplementation on phosphorus metabolism and digestibility of beef cattle. Transl. Anim. Sci. 1:168-178. Link to full text (.pdf)

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are fed to pigs as a source of energy and amino acids. In recent years, ethanol plants have begun recovering corn oil from DDGS to sell for biodiesel and other uses. Conventional corn DDGS contains 10-12 fat, compared with 5-9% fat in low oil DDGS. Previous research in our lab showed that amino acid digestibility was reduced in low oil DDGS compared with conventional DDGS, but that research used DDGS from only one supplier. An experiment was conducted to compare the digestibility of amino acids in low oil DDGS sourced from multiple different suppliers.

Casas, G. A. and H. H. Stein. 2017. The ileal digestibility of most amino acids is greater in red dog than in wheat middlings when fed to growing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 95:2718-2725. Link to full text (.pdf)

Distillers dried grains with solubles, or DDGS, is a co-product from the dry-grind ethanol production. It is increasingly in demand for use in livestock feeding, including diets fed to pigs. Conventional DDGS (DDGS-CV) contains approximately 27% crude protein. A high protein DDGS (DDGS-HP) product, containing 38 to 40% crude protein, has recently been developed by Lincolnway Energy by using front end separation that allows for fractionation of the corn kernel before it is fermented. The nutritional value for pigs of the resulting  DDGS-HP has, however, not yet been fully described.

Therefore, two experiments were conducted. The objective of the first experiment was to determine the concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy in DDGS-HP and DDGS-CV fed to growing pigs. In the second experiment, the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein and amino acids in DDGS-CV and DDGS-HP were compared.

Canola meal is second only to soybean meal as a protein source used in animal diets. However, the digestibility of amino acids and digestible energy is lower in canola meal than in soybean meal because of the high concentration of fiber in canola meal. The high fiber content and the presence of glucosinolates limit inclusion of canola meal in diets fed to pigs.

Research on using canola meal in pig diets at different stages has indicated that it can be used in gestation diets without limitation and 15 to 20% may be included in lactation diets. However, at least one study indicated that including canola meal in gestating and lactation diets reduced the number of pigs born alive and the number of pigs weaned, and also reduced lactation feed intake and litter weaning weight.

New canola varieties have been developed that yield meal with more protein and less fiber compared with conventional canola meal (CM-CV). The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of feeding diets containing high protein canola meal (CM-HP) or CM-CV to sows during gestation and lactation, and to determine the optimum inclusion rates of CM-HP and CM-CV in gestation and lactation diets.

Mathai, J. K., Y. Liu, and H. H. Stein. 2017. Values for digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAAS) for some dairy and plant proteins may better describe protein quality than values calculated using the concept for protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAS). Brit. J. Nutr. 117:490-499. Link to full text (.pdf)

Walsh, M. C., L. Payling, I. H. Kim, and H. H. Stein. 2017. Effects of a multistrain Bacillus spp. direct-fed microbial and protease combination at different doses on apparent ileal and total tract digestibility of nutrients in growing pigs fed corn–soybean meal–based diets – A combined analysis of two studies. J. Anim. Sci. 95(Suppl. 5):141 (Abstr.) Link to abstract (.pdf)

Yoder, A. D., M. B. Muckey, C. R. Stark, H. H. Stein, and C. K. Jones. 2017. Determining starch gelatinization from grains collected at various locations within the extrusion process. J. Anim. Sci. 95(Suppl. 5):129 (Abstr.) Link to abstract (.pdf)

Navarro, D. M. D. L., E. M. A. M. Bruininx, L. de Jong, and H. H. Stein. 2017. Effects of physicochemical characteristics of feed ingredients on total tract digestibility of dry matter, energy, fiber, and protein by growing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 95(Suppl. 5):90 (Abstr.) Link to abstract (.pdf)