Feoli, Carolina2008-12-022008-12-022008-12-02http://hdl.handle.net/2097/1022Twelve experiments were completed to evaluate corn- and sorghum-distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets for nursery and finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, corn-DDGS had 223 kcal/kg greater DE than sorghum-DDGS (P<0.02). In Exp. 2, pigs fed a corn-soy control diet had greater ADG, nutrient digestibility, HCW, and dressing percentage (P<0.02) and lower iodine value (IV) of jowl fat (P<0.001) than pigs fed diets with 40% DDGS. High-energy DDGS supported lower ADG, ADFI, and digestibility of DM (P<0.06) than moderate-energy DDGS, and sorghum-DDGS resulted in lower IV than corn-DDGS (P<0.001). In Exp. 3 and 4, addition of sodium bicarbonate to adjust dietary pH and electrolyte balance did not improve growth performance in nursery or finishing pigs (P>0.16) and adding molasses to improve palatability decreased (P<0.05) G:F for finishing gilts. In Exp. 5 and 6, enzyme additions improved nutrient digestibility in nursery (P<0.04) and finishing (P<0.01) pigs fed diets with high inclusion of DDGS. In Exp. 7, expander processing improved (P<0.02) ADG, G:F, and digestibility of DM, N, GE, and cellulose compared with standard steam conditioning of diets for nursery pigs, with the greatest response in G:F for pigs fed sorghum-DDGS (DDGS source × conditioning; P<0.02). In Exp. 8 and 9, expander conditioning improved G:F and dressing percentage (P<0.007) and digestibility of DM, N, and GE compared with standard conditioning (P<0.02), with the greatest response in digestibility of DM for the DDGS diets (diet × conditioning, P<0.01). In Exp. 10, 11, and 12, increasing tallow from 0 to 5% in diets with 40% DDGS improved (P<0.05) G:F. Dressing percentage was improved with addition of tallow and palm oil (P<0.08), but IV become worse (linear, P<0.06) as tallow was increased in the diet. Adding coconut oil improved growth performance and carcass firmness in pigs fed diets with 40% DDGS (P<0.01). In conclusion, growth performance and nutrient digestibility decreased with addition of DDGS to diets for nursery and finishing pigs. However, adding enzymes partially restored nutrient digestibility; expander conditioning improved G:F, dressing percentage, and nutrient digestibility; and adding coconut oil to diets with 40% DDGS improved G:F and carcass firmness.en-US© the author. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/DDGSDistillers dried grainsPigGrowth performanceCarcass characteristicsSorghumDissertationAgriculture, Animal Culture and Nutrition (0475)