C.N. Groesbeck

Effect of crude glycerol on pellet mill production and nursery pig growth performance

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of diets containing crude glycerol on pellet mill production efficiency and nursery pig growth performance. In a pilot study, increasing crude glycerol (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15%) in a corn-soybean meal diet was evaluated for pellet mill production efficiency. All diets were steam conditioned to 65.5 degrees C and pelleted through a pellet mill equipped with a die that had an effective thickness of 31.8 mm and holes 3.96 mm in diameter. Each diet was replicated by manufacturing a new batch of feed 3 times. Increasing crude glycerol increased both the standard (linear and quadratic, P < 0.01) and modified (linear, P < 0.01; quadratic, P </= 0.02) pellet durability indexes up to 9% with no further benefit thereafter. The addition of crude glycerol decreased (linear; P < 0.01) production rate (t/h) and production efficiency (kWh/t). In a 26-d growth assay, 182 pigs (initial BW, 11.0 +/- 1.3 kg; 5 or 6 pigs/pen) were fed 1 of 7 corn-soybean meal-based diets with no added soy oil or crude glycerol (control), the control diet with 3 or 6% added soy oil, 3 or 6% added crude glycerol, and 6 or 12% addition of a 50:50 (wt/wt) soy oil/crude glycerol blend with 5 pens/diet. The addition of crude glycerol lowered (P < 0. 01) delta temperature, amperage, motor load, and production efficiency. The addition of crude glycerol improved (P < 0.01) pellet durability compared with soy oil and the soy oil/crude glycerol blend treatments. Pigs fed increasing crude glycerol had increased (linear, P = 0.03) ADG. Average daily gain tended to increase with increasing soy oil (quadratic; P = 0.07) or the soy oil/crude glycerol blend (linear, P = 0.06). Adding crude glycerol to the diet did not affect G:F compared with the control. Gain:feed tended to increase with increasing soy oil (linear, P < 0.01; quadratic, P = 0.06) or the soy oil/crude glycerol blend (linear, P < 0.01; quadratic, P = 0.09). Nitrogen digestibility tended (P = 0.07) to decrease in pigs fed crude glycerol compared with pigs fed the soy oil treatments. Apparent digestibility of GE tended (P = 0.08) to be greater in the pigs fed soy oil compared with pigs fed the soy oil/crude glycerol blends. In conclusion, adding crude glycerol to the diet before pelleting increased pellet durability and improved feed mill production efficiency. The addition of 3 or 6% crude glycerol, soy oil, or a blend of soy oil and glycerol in diets for 11- to 27-kg pigs tended to increase ADG. For pigs fed crude glycerol, this was a result of increased ADFI, whereas, for pigs fed soy oil or the soy oil/crude glycerol, the response was a result of increased G:F.

Using heart girth to determine weight in finishing pigs

Heart girth and body weight were measured on 100 growing-finishing pigs (50 to 273 lb) at the KSU Swine Teaching and Research Center. Heart girth, in inches, was measured using a cloth measuring tape. The tape was placed directly behind the front legs and then wrapped around the heart girth and read directly behind the shoulders. Heart girth was strongly correlated (R=0 .98) with body weight, with the following regression equation: pig weight = 10.1709 × Heart girth 205.7492. The 95% confidence interval shows the projected weight to be ±10 lb of the actual weight of the pig. To validate our equation we weighed and measured heart girth on 40 pigs from a commercial breeding farm and a group of 165 pigs at the 2002 Swine Classic Youth Exposition. At the commercial breeding farm, the actual measured body weights fit within the 95% confidence interval from their projected weights, based on the regression equation. The average residual (difference between predicted and actual weight) of the 40 pigs was -0.70 lb with a range of ± 4 lb. The actual weights of pigs at the Swine Classic averaged 16 lb greater than their predicted body weights with a range of ±8.5 lb. The actual weights failed to fall within the 95% confidence interval for the developed regression equation. This was probably due to shrink during transportation to the show and limited feed and water. Heart girth as a means of determining body weight is a viable device for 4-Hers and producers, but it is important to use only on pigs with continuous access to feed and water.

Effects of Intermittent Ractopamine Hydrochloride Use on Pig Growth Performance in Late Finishing1

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding, withdrawal, and refeeding 10 ppm ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) on pig performance. In Exp. 1, the 4 treatments consisted of 1) a control diet fed for 56 d before marketing; 2) RAC fed for the first 21 d, and then the control diet fed for the last 35 d; 3) RAC fed for the first 21 d, the control diet fed for 14 d, and then RAC fed for the last 21 d; and 4) the control diet fed for the first 35 d, and then RAC fed for the last 21 d. Pigs fed RAC for the last 21 d of the study or those fed RAC from d 0 to 21 and then from d 35 to 56 had greater (P < 0.01) ADG and G:F than control pigs. In Exp. 2, the 5 treatments consisted of 1) a control diet fed for 56 d; 2) RAC fed for 56 d; 3) RAC fed for the first 21 d, the control diet for fed for 14 d, and then RAC fed for the last 21 d; 4) the control diet fed for the first 7 d, RAC fed for 21 d, the control diet fed for 7 d, and then RAC fed for the last 21 d; and 5) the control diet fed for the first 35 d, and then RAC fed for the last 21 d. When RAC was fed for 21 d and then withdrawn for either 7 or 14 d and refed for 21 d, the pigs had the same overall ADG and G:F as those fed RAC for only the last 21 d of the study.

Effects of irradiation of feed ingredients added to meal or pelleted diets on growth performance of weanling pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of irradiated ingredients in meal and pelleted diets on nursery pig performance. In Exp. 1, a total of 192 pigs (initial BW, 6.0 kg) were used in a 25-d experiment. Pigs were blocked by BW and randomly allotted in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with main effects of diet form (meal or pellet) and either irradiated (11.92 kGy) or nonirradiated spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP). Irradiated SDAP had less total bacterial amounts than nonirradiated SDAP, and pelleted diets also had less bacterial amounts than diets in meal form. However, the complete diets with and without irradiated SDAP had similar bacterial concentrations. There was a diet form x SDAP irradiation interaction (P < 0.05) for ADG from d 0 to 11 and d 0 to 25. Pigs fed irradiated SDAP in meal form had increased ADG compared with pigs fed the nonirradiated meal diet, with no change in ADG of pigs fed pelleted diets. In addition, from d 0 to 11, pigs fed irradiated SDAP or pelleted diets had greater G:F (P < 0.01) compared with pigs fed regular SDAP and meal diets, respectively. In Exp. 2, a total of 350 pigs (initial BW, 4.9 kg) were used in a 22-d experiment to determine the effects of feeding irradiated protein sources (SDAP, soybean meal, fish meal, or all 3) in meal and pellet diets on pig performance. Pigs were blocked by BW and randomly allotted to 1 of 10 treatments consisting of a single diet formulation fed in either meal or pellet form containing either no irradiated protein sources or irradiated SDAP, soybean meal, fish meal, or all 3 irradiated protein sources (10.20 kGy). Irradiated SDAP, soybean meal, and fish meal tended to have reduced total bacterial concentrations compared with nonirradiated plasma, and pelleted diets had reduced bacterial concentrations compared with diets in meal form. No irradiation x diet form interactions (P > 0.16) were observed. From d 0 to 11, pigs fed diets containing irradiated protein sources had greater (P < 0.03) G:F compared with pigs fed the control diets, with no difference in ADG or ADFI. From d 0 to 11, and overall (d 0 to 22), pigs fed pellet diets had greater G:F (P < 0.01) compared with pigs fed meal diets, with no difference in ADG and ADFI. These studies indicate that both irradiation and pelleting are manufacturing processes that can reduce bacteria concentrations in feed ingredients and diets. Irradiated SDAP, soybean meal, and fish meal improved G:F compared with control diets containing nonirradiated ingredients. Furthermore, pigs fed pelleted diets had increased G:F compared with pigs fed meal diets.

Effect of glycerol on flow ability of swine diets

We conducted two experiments to determine the effect of added glycerol or a 50:50 soy oil/glycerol blend on the flow ability characteristics of ground corn or ground corn and 15 or 30% spray-dried whey. Experiments were conducted using corn ground by either a full circle, tear drop hammer mill or a threehigh roller mill at the Kansas State University Grain Science Feed Mill. Flow ability was determined by measuring angle of repose. In Exp. 1 we evaluated the effects of added soy oil, glycerol, or a 50:50 soy oil/glycerol blend on the flow ability of ground corn. Samples were ground through a roller mill (RM) or hammermill (HM). Particle size mean and standard deviations of the ground corn were 645 microns and 1.97 for the roller mill and 674 microns and 2.31 for the hammer mill. Soy oil, glycerol, or a 50:50 blend of soy oil/glycerol was added to the ground corn at 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8% for a total of 30 samples (1 RM sample, 1 HM sample, 3 liquid sources, and 5 levels of added liquid). In Exp. 2, we evaluated the effects of added soy oil, glycerol, or a 50:50 soy oil/glycerol blend on the flow ability of 85:15 or 70:30 blend of HM ground corn and spray-dried whey. Soy oil, glycerol, or a 50:50 blend of soy oil/glycerol was added to the ground corn and spray-dried wheybased diets at 0, 4, or 8% for a total of 18 samples (1 HM sample, 2 levels of added whey, 3 liquid sources, and 3 levels of added liquid). Angle of repose was then measured, and replicated 4 times on each sample. In Exp. 1 there was a three way interaction (P<0.05) between mill type, liquid source, and percent liquid added. Roller mill ground grain had decreased angle of repose (better flow ability) compared to HM ground grain. The addition of soy oil increased angle of repose, decreasing flow ability. The addition of glycerol or a 50:50 soy oil/glycerol blend decreased angle of repose, improving flow ability with HM ground corn. Addition of glycerol did not influence flow ability when added to RM corn ground. In Exp. 2 there was a three way interaction (P<0.05) between spray-dried whey level, added liquid source, and percent of liquid added. The addition of glycerol or the 50:50 soy oil/glycerol blend decreased angle of repose, improving flow ability. The addition of glycerol decreased angle of repose greater in the 15% spray-dried whey sample compared to the 30% spray-dried whey sample. The addition of soy oil increased angle of repose regardless of spray-dried whey concentration. These data suggest that the addition of glycerol to a meal diet containing HM ground corn will improve flow ability.

Particle Size, Mill Type, and Added Fat Influence Angle of Repose of Ground Corn 1

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of particle size (PS), mill type (MT), and added fat on flow characteristics of ground corn. In Exp. 1, PS of samples ground with a roller mill (RM) ranged from 1,235 to 502 µm; samples ground with a hammermill (HM) ranged from 980 to 390 µm. Soy oil was added at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% to each sample. Flow ability was determined by measuring angle of repose. A PS × fat × MT interaction (P

Lactose and specialty protein sources influence flow ability of nursery pig diets

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of lactose products and specialty protein sources on feed flow ability as measured by angle of repose. Angle of repose is the maximum angle in which a pile of ingredient retains its slope. A large angle of repose represents a steeper slope and poorer flow ability. A 70:30 corn-soybean meal blend served as the base to which all specialty ingredients were added. In Experiment 1, six lactose sources were evaluated. Three sources were fine, powdered whey permeates, and the other sources were coarse-ground whey permeate, edible-grade spray-dried whey, and a crystalline lactose source. Lactose sources were added at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30% to the corn-soybean meal blend. Angle of repose was then measured on these mixtures, as well as on the individual lactose sources. There was a lactose source × level interaction (P<0.0001) observed. Increasing lactose source decreased angle of repose, but the coarse whey permeate had a much greater improvement in flow ability, resulting in the interaction. In Experiment 2, five specialty protein sources were evaluated: powdered or granulated spray-dried animal plasma, powdered or granulated spray-dried blood cells, and select menhaden fish meal. Specialty protein sources were added at 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% to the 70:30 corn-soybean meal blend. There was a specialty protein source × level interaction (P<0.0001) observed. As powdered animal plasma and blood cells increased, angle of repose increased, resulting in poorer flow ability. With the addition of granulated animal plasma and blood cells, angle of repose decreased, indicating better flow ability. Increasing fish meal did not influence angle of repose. These data confirm that greater flow ability is observed with granulated specialty protein or coarsely ground lactose sources.

Particle size, mill type, and added fat influence flow ability of ground corn.

We conducted three experiments to determine effect of particle size, mill type, and added fat on flow characteristics of ground corn. In Experiment 1, corn was ground with either a hammer mill or a roller mill to produce six samples with different particle sizes. The particle size for the corn ground with a roller mill ranged from 1,235 to 502 microns with standard deviation ranging from 1.83 to 2.03. Particle size for corn ground with a hammer mill ranged from 980 to 390 microns with standard deviation ranging from 2.56 to 2.12. All samples were dried 12 hours to equalize moisture content. Soy oil was then added at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% to each sample.

Effects of extruded-expelled soybean meal and solvent extracted soybean meal level of growth performance of weanling pigs

Summary A total of 350 weanling pigs (initially 15.7 lb) were used to evaluate the effects of soybean meal source and level on growth performance of early weaned pigs. Dietary treatments included a control diet containing no soybean meal, or diets containing 20% or 40% of either solvent extracted soybean meal (SBM) or extruded-expelled soybean meal (EESOY). The SBM and EESOY were analyzed for trypsin inhibitor (0.7 mg TI/g and 1.8 mg TI/g, respectively) to ensure quality, and actual crude protein values (46.9% and 48.3% as-fed, respectively) were used in diet formulation. From d 0 to 14, increasing EESOY decreased ADG and ADFI (linear, P 0.05) were found between soybean meal sources throughout the trial. The results of this study suggest extrudedexpelled soybean meal processed properly and fed in diets immediately after weaning did not improve growth performance of nursery pigs relative to conventional solvent extracted soybean meal. When EESOY or SBM was included at 40% in diets fed immediately after weaning, growth performance of weanling pigs was poorer than if fed at lower levels (20%). Feeding properly processed EESOY resulted in similar growth performance compared to feeding SBM.

Evaluation of Hemicell® on growth performance of late nursery pigs.

Summary A total of 276 pigs (initially 21.9 lb) was used to determine the effects of added Hemicell® on growth performance. Hemicell ® is a patented fermentation product of Bacillus lentus. The active ingredient in the fermentation product is β-mannanase. However, other enzymes such as amylase, xylanase, cellulases, and α-galactosidase also are present. It is claimed that Hemicell ® degrades β-mannan in feed, thus, removing its effects as an antinutritive factor in swine diets. Dietary treatments were arranged as a 2 x 3 factorial, with or without 0.05% Hemicell ® , in diets with 3 levels of energy density (1,388, 1,488, 1,588 ME, kcal/lb). The 100 kcal increments were achieved by the addition of wheat bran or soy oil to a corn-soybean meal based diet. The addition of Hemicell ® to the diets, regardless of energy level, did not lead to an improvement in growth performance in these late nursery pigs. Increasing energy density of the diet, however, resulted in an improved ADG and F/G.