McGhee, Molly L., and Hans H. Stein. 2022. Metabolizable energy in corn is greater than in hybrid rye when fed to gestating sows, but exogenous enzymes did not increase energy digestibility. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 102: 392–395 (2022) dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2021-0054. Link to full text.

McGhee, M. L., H. H. Stein. 2021. Inclusion of hybrid rye in diets for weanling pigs does not compromise daily gain, but may reduce diarrhea incidence despite pigs having preference for consuming corn over hybrid rye. Animal Feed Science and Technology 281 (2021) 115113.

McGhee, M. L., and H. H. Stein. 2021. Hybrid Rye May Replace Corn in Diets for Nursery Pigs Without Negatively Affecting Average Daily Gain, but gain:feed May Be Reduced. J. Anim. Sci. 99(Suppl. 1): 51–52. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab054.087. Link to Abstract.

McGhee, Molly L., Hans H. Stein. 2020. Hybrid rye may replace up to 75% of the corn in diets for gestating and lactating sows without negatively impacting sow and piglet performance. J. Anim. Sci. 98(Suppl. 3): 102-103.  doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa054.176. (Abstr.). Link to abstract.

In many parts of the world, including the United States, corn is the primary energy source used in diets for pigs, but there are no published data comparing the growth performance of growing pigs fed diets in which hybrid rye replaces corn. Unfamiliarity with hybrid rye also makes some producers in the United States reluctant to try feeding hybrid rye to pigs, as there is a long-standing belief that rye is less palatable than other feed ingredients. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses that there is no difference in feed preference for diets containing either hybrid rye or corn as the exclusive cereal grain source, and that hybrid rye may replace a portion of corn in diets for growing pigs without adversely affecting growth. 

Production of hybrid rye in North America is increasing after being introduced to Canada and the United States in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Compared with corn, hybrid rye contains similar amounts of standardized ileal digestible amino acids, a greater concentration of standardized total tract digestible P, and approximately 94% of the metabolizable energy. Hybrid rye contains more fermentable dietary fiber than corn, which has the potential to improve gut health, but its reduced digestibility of amino acids may simultaneously have a negative impact on the health of the large intestine. Two experiments were conducted to determine the maximum amount of hybrid rye that can be included in diets for weanling pigs without influencing growth performance or diarrhea incidence.

McGhee, Molly L., Hans H. Stein. 2019. Effects of microbial phytase on standardized total tract digestibility of phosphorus in hybrid rye, barley, wheat, corn, and sorghum fed to growing pigs. Transl. Anim. Sci. 2019.  Volume 3, Issue 4, Pages 1238–1245. Link to full text.