F.X. Aherne

The nutritive value of canola meal for early-weaned pigs

Abstract Four experiments using 900 crossbed pigs were conducted to determine the nutritive value of canola meal (CM) for pigs weaned at 3 or 5 weeks of age. Diets were based on barley and wheat, and CM replaced 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of the protein supplied by soya bean meal (SBM) on an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous basis. In Experiments 1 and 2, with pigs weaned at three weeks of age, regression analyses of the results indicated that, for each percent addition of CM to the diets, there was a significant ( P P P > 0.05) by the level of CM in the diet.

Canola meal as a protein supplement for growing-finishing pigs

Abstract Four hundred crossbred pigs of an average initial weight of 20.3 kg were used in two experiments to determine the effect of canola meal (CM) as a protein supplement for growing (20–60 kg) and finishing (60–90 kg) pigs. Diets were based on barley and wheat and CM replaced 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the protein supplied by soya-bean meal (SBM) on an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous basis. Average daily feed intake and feed-to-gain ratio of the growing pigs were not significantly (P > 0.05 affected by the level of CM in the diet. Rate of gain was significantly (P 0.05) by replacement of SBM by CM. It was concluded that growing pigs can be successfully fed diets containing a maximum of 9% CM, however, CM can be used as the sole protein supplement in the diets of finishing pigs.

Increasing food intake in late gestation improved sow condition throughout lactation but did not affect piglet viability or growth rate

Increasing sow food intake in late gestation prevents loss of sow fatness prior to farrowing. However, this may result in reduced food intake and greater overall fat loss during lactation and has also been associated with increased incidence of agalactia. In this experiment 78 Camborough sows (parities 1 to 3) were given food at one of two levels: either 1·15

The digestible energy value of canola oil for growing pigs as measured by level of inclusion

Four levels (20, 40, 60, and 80 g kg−1) of canola oil were included in a cereal-based diet to determine the digestible energy of each diet. The diets were formulated to a constant protein to energy ratio. A metabolism experiment (Experiment 1) based on a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square using eight (Yorkshire × Landrace) pigs of initial weight 18 kg, and a growth trial (Experiment 2) in which 40 (Yorkshire × Landrace) 7 kg pigs, weaned at approximately 28 days, assigned to one of the four dietary treatments, with equal numbers of the two sexes per treatment were conducted. With increasing dietary fat the apparent digestible energy of the diets increased linearly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.0001 for Experiments 1 and 2, respectively). Linear equations derived from regression analysis were used to calculate the apparent digestible energy value of canola oil (7.95 and 8.52 Mcal kg−1 for Experiments 1 and 2, respectively). The level of inclusion from 20 to 80 g kg−1 did not influence the digestible energy value. In Experiment 2, the average daily gain, feed intake, feed to gain and energy to gain did not differ with diet. Therefore, it can be concluded that the apparent digestible energy for canola oil for growing pigs of 20–30 kg, when given at an inclusion rate of between 20 and 80 g kg−1, is between 8.0 and 8.5 Mcal kg−1. This is higher than published digestible energy values for vegetable oils. Thus, canola oil is a good source of digestible energy for use in growing pig diets.

THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF TOWER RAPESEED MEAL FOR SWINE

Two experiments involving 144 Yorkshire × Lacombe gilts, with an average initial weight of 20 kg, were conducted. In Experiment 1 the gilts were allotted to a control diet containing soya bean meal (SBM) or to diets in which either 50% or all of the supplementary protein was provided by Tower rapeseed meal (RSM). In the second experiment the two diets had either SBM or Tower RSM as the supplementary protein source. In a third diet Tower RSM was supplemented with sufficient lysine to equal the calculated available lysine level of the SBM control diet. In Experiment 1, gilts given the SBM diet grew from 20 to 60 kg significantly faster (P<0.01), and had better feed conversion efficiency (P<0.01), than those given the RSM diets. A 50% replacement of SBM by Tower RSM gave intermediate results. Partial or total replacement of SBM by Tower did not significantly affect the growth rate or feed conversion efficiency of the gilts when growing from 60 to 100 kg liveweight. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations of the gilts at 100 kg were lower in pigs fed on the RSM diets but the differences were not significant. In the second experiment, total replacement of SBM by Tower RSM, with or without the addition of lysine, significantly (P<0.001) reduced growth rate and feed conversion efficiency during the growing period (20–60 kg) but did not significantly affect performance during the finishing period (60–90 kg). Serum T3 concentration was not significantly affected by the addition of Tower RSM to the diet but T4 concentrations were significantly reduced (P<0.01). None of the carcass parameters studied were significantly affected by the addition of Tower RSM to the diets.

Influence of germination of cereals on viscosity of their aqueous extracts and nutritive value

Abstract A study was undertaken using Single Comb White Leghorn chickens to determine changes in the nutritive value of barley, wheat and hulless barley during the germination process. The viscosity of aqueous extracts of non-germinated and germinated grain was also determined. In Experiment 1, non-germinated barley or barley germinated for 48, 72 and 96 h formed 72% of the diets. Weight gain was not affected by germination, but chick performance, as measured by feed to gain (F:G) ratio and apparent retention of dry matter and fat, was greater for chicks fed on diets containing germinated barley. There was a decrease in the viscosity of aqueous extract of barley germinated for 48 to 96 h. In Experiment 2, barley, wheat and hulless barley, raw or germinated for 48 h, were each given to chickens in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. No influence of germination on feed consumption or weight gain was noted, but the viscosity of aqueous extracts was markedly lower and retention of dry matter and fat, particularly long-chain saturated fatty acids, was significantly improved by germination of barley and hulless barley, but not of wheat.

Ileal and faecal energy digestibility coefficients of full-fat canola seed for swine

Experiments were conducted to determine the ileal and faecal apparent digestible energy (ADE) value of canola seed (CS) for pigs. In the first experiment, five barrows were cannulated at the ileum and given purified diets containing CS with dysprosium chloride as an inert marker. Digestibility of crude protein and lysine were also determined. In Experiment 2, ADE values for CS were determined using the mobile nylon bag technique (MNBT). The true metabolizable energy (TME) of CS was determined using adult cockerels to determine its value as a predictor of ADE for swine. The faecal ADE value for CS was 19.7 MJ kg−1 DM. The ileal ADE value for CS was 17.6 MJ kg−1 DM. The MNBT ADE value for CS was 17.1 MJ kg−1 DM. The TME value for CS was 19.93 MJ kg−1 DM. The ADE value of CS predicted from the TME value for CS was 16.85 MJ kg−1 DM, which was 4.2 and 14.5% lower than the ADE values derived by ileal and faecal collection methods. The linear equation determined from regression analysis that was used to predict ADE from TME was: Y=3.895-0.65X (r=0.91; d.f.=4; SEM=0.38, < 0.01) where X is TME and Y is the ADE value. Faecal digestibility coefficients for dry matter, energy, protein and lysine of CS were 71.7, 82.3, 62.6 and 75.9%, respectively, and those values determined by the ileal method were 59.7, 75.7, 69.5 and 72.1%, respectively.

Efficacy of sulfur dioxide as a grain preservative

Abstract High-moisture barley (30–32% moisture) was ensiled in a Harvestore silo (control), or treated with 1% (wt/wt) liquid sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and stored in an upright bag (69-ton capacity) woven of polyester (305 μm) with a 102-μm polyethylene coating. Liquid SO 2 was applied, through a plastic tube inserted 1m from the auger boot, as the grain was augered into storage. Retention of added sulfur was 50% at bin opening (74 days post filling) with no significant loss of sulfur for 7 months thereafter. Aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and fungal numbers for control and SO 2 treated barley, respectively, were: 10 3 , 10 3 ; 10 8 , 10 3 ; 10 3 , 10 3 colonies g −1 . Concentration (mg g −1 dry matter) of ethanol, acetate, lactate, and pH were significantly lower in SO 2 treated barley (20.6 vs. 0.8; 1.4 vs. 0.4; 8.1 vs. 5.3 and 5.7 vs. 3.3). SO 2 -treated barley was well preserved at the bin perimeter. However, high temperatures (40–60°C) and extensive spoilage of grain occurred at the bin core. Spoiled grain had extensive mould growth, high pH and increased concentrations of acetate, furfural, ammonia nitrogen and acid detergent-insoluble nitrogen. Preserved SO 2 -treated grain, from the bin perimeter, exhibited no visible signs of spoilage during 7 months of storage in unsealed wooden boxes (700-kg capacity). Moisture migration and resultant loss of molecular SO 2 appeared to be the primary factors leading to grain spoilage. In large-scale bins, aeration appears to be a critical factor in maintaining the efficacy of SO 2 as a grain preservative.

Effects of dietary level of barley hulls and fibre type on protein and energy digestibilities of Condor hulless barley in growing swine

Abstract Condor barley hulls were added by weight (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g kg −1 ) to Condor barley kernels to study the effect of added hulls and fibre level on apparent protein and energy digestibilities using the Mobile Nylon Bag Technique (MNBT) with growing castrates. Twenty-four 1-g samples of the hull-kernel mixtures and hulls alone were placed into nylon mesh bags and were inserted through a simple T-cannula in the duodenum of six growing pigs using a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Bags were collected from faeces approximately 24–36 h after insertion and cleaned. Samples were analysed for crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and acid-detergent (ADF) and neutral-detergent (NDF) fibre. The addition of hulls to Condor kernels linearly increased ADF and NDF levels in the kernel-hull mixtures. Condor kernels had a crude protein (CP) content of 142 g kg −1 ; the apparent digestibility of protein was 88.6%. The addition of hulls linearly decreased CP content ( P P = 0.006). Condor kernels had a GE content of 17.6 MJ kg −1 and a digestibility of 87.4%. Energy digestibility coefficients decreased linearly ( P = 0.27) as the proportion of hulls in the kernel/hull mixture was increased to 200 g kg −1 . Regression models based on CP, GE, ADF and NDF were highly significant and produced accurate estimates of protein and energy digestibility in the six Condor kernel-hull mixtures. Correlation coefficients relating predicted CP and GE digestibilities in 25 barley samples using regression equations based on ADF or NDF and data from the kernel-hull mixtures and MNBT digestibilities were 0.53 ( P = 0.006) and 0.79 ( P = 0.0001) for CP and GE, respectively. Condor hulless barley represents a good source of digestible energy and protein for swine and digestibility coefficients could be reliably predicted from regression models using chemical components as independent variables.

Growth performance of pigs given a choice of natural ingredient diets containing different levels of protein and amino acid(s)

Abstract Seventy-two crossbred pigs with an initial bodyweight (BW) of 24.6 kg were assigned to 24 groups of three pigs to determine whether pigs have the ability to select a lysine intake and/or a protein intake to meet their requirements and to determine the effects of supplementation of a combination of lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), and threonine (Thr) on diet selection when pigs were given a choice of a pair of isoenergetic diets from 25 to 70 kg BW. Dietary treatments consisted of control, C, (conventional two phase feeding 16-14% crude protein), and three different choice feeding regimens: 1) protein choice, PC, (18 vs. 10% crude protein CP), 2) lysine choice, LC, (choice between a Lys-supplemented and -unsupplemented diet 0.90 vs. 0.53% lysine with 14% CP diets), 3) amino acid choice, AC, (choice between a diet supplemented with a combination of Lys, Met, and Thr on an ideal protein basis) and unsupplemented diet Lys (0.90 vs. 0.53%), Met (0.50 vs. 0.45%), and Thr (0.59 vs. 0.40%) with 14% CP diets). The diets based on ideal protein were formulated by supplementing synthetic Lys, Met, and Thr to meet a ratio relative to lysine of 65% for Thr, 55% for Met + cystine, and 18% for tryptophan. The two growth phases for the C treatment were 25 to 50, and 50 to 70 kg BW. All diets contained the same energy level (13.7 MJ DE kg −1 ). At any weight interval and the overall period, daily feed intake was not affected ( P > 0.05) by different feeding regimens and pigs in C and PC grew faster ( P P P P > 0.05) a similar amount of dietary protein and lysine per unit gain of BW to that of control pigs. These results suggest that pigs are unable to control their protein and lysine intake to meet their requirement for growth when given a choice of two isoenergetic diets differing in protein and lysine content. Supplementation of Lys alone, or in combination with Met, and Thr did not affect the pattern of diet selection.