The use of maize distiller’s dried grains with solubles in pig diets

Increasing quantities of maize distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are being produced in the USA, and the nutritional value of “new generation” DDGS for pigs is much improved compared to traditional DDGS sources in the dry mill ethanol industry. Results from recent studies indicate that “new generation” DDGS is higher in digestible and metabolizable energy, apparent digestible amino acids, and available phosphorus than published values. Satisfactory growth performance is obtained when feeding up to 25% DDGS in nursery diets, provided that pigs weigh at least 7 kg and diets are formulated on a digestible amino acid basis. When grow-finish diets are formulated on a total lysine basis and contain more than 10% DDGS, growth performance may be reduced. The relatively high oil content of DDGS may reduce pork fat quality at increasing levels of the diet. Sows can be fed diets containing up to 50% DDGS in gestation and 20% DDGS in lactation. Feeding these high levels of DDGS to sows may improve litter size weaned in the subsequent reproductive cycle, compared to sows receiving maize-soyabean mealbased diets. However, initial feed consumption may be reduced as the sows adapt to the high DDGS diet. The high available phosphorus content of DDGS reduces the amount of inorganic supplementation needed in the diet while reducing P excretion in manure. Feeding DDGS to grow-finish pigs may reduce the incidence, severity, and length of lesions caused by Lawsonia intracellularis during a moderate disease challenge, but not during a severe disease challenge.