Article Title
Effects of Various Modified Corn Protein Inclusion Rates on Nursery Pig Growth Performance
Keywords
corn, corn protein, growth, nursery pig
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to determine the optimum feeding strategy of a modified corn protein product (MCP; P4000; Cargill Starches, Sweeteners, & Texturizers, Blair, NE) on growth performance and fecal dry matter of nursery pigs. A total of 360 barrows (DNA 200 × 400; initially 12.0 ± 0.14 lb) were used in a 42-d growth trial. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d of age, randomly allotted to pens in 1 of 2 weight blocks based on initial BW (initially 10.8 and 13.2 lb), and then allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. There were 5 pigs per pen and 12 pens per treatment across 2 barns. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based and arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with 2 levels of MCP in phase 1 (10 or 12%) and 3 inclusion rates of MCP in phase 2 (4, 6, or 8%). Treatment diets were formulated in two dietary phases and fed from d 0 to 10 and d 10 to 23, respectively, with a common phase 3 diet that did not contain any MCP fed for the remainder of the study. A tendency was observed for a 3-way interaction for weight block × phase 1 diet × phase 2 diet (P = 0.064) on d 42 BW. This interaction was a result of feeding increasing levels of MCP quadratically increasing, then decreasing, BW of lightweight pigs, regardless of phase 1 inclusion. However, in heavyweight pigs, increasing MCP in phase 2 diets quadratically decreased, then increased, BW of pigs fed 10% MCP in phase 1, while increasing MCP in phase 2 linearly decreased BW in heavyweight pigs fed 12% MCP in phase 1. Additionally, during the common period (d 23 to 42) there was a 3-way interaction (P = 0.038) for ADG, in which lightweight pigs previously fed 10 and 8% MCP (phase 1 and 2, respectively) had decreased ADG, while feeding increasing MCP in phase 2 to lightweight pigs fed 12% MCP in phase 1 quadratically increased, then decreased, common period ADG. However, for heavyweight pigs the previous MCP feeding strategies did not affect ADG during the common period. During phase 1 (d 0 to 10) pigs fed 10% MCP had greater (P = 0.032) ADFI than those fed 12% MCP, resulting in a tendency (P = 0.065) for greater ADG. Throughout the experiment (d 0 to 42) feeding 10% MCP in phase 1 tended (P = 0.077) to increase ADG. During phase 2 (d 10 to 23) feeding increasing levels of MCP quadratically improved, then worsened (P = 0.018) feed efficiency, leading to a tendency for a quadratic effect (P= 0.066) on feed efficiency throughout the treatment period. There were no 2- or 3-way interactions observed (P > 0.10) on fecal dry matter. Nevertheless, pigs fed 12% MCP had greater (P = 0.024) fecal dry matter at d 10 compared to those fed 10% MCP. However, the inverse was true on d 23, in which pigs fed phase 1 diets with 10% MCP had greater (P = 0.016) fecal dry matter compared to those fed 12% MCP. In summary, feeding 10% MCP in phase 1 tended to improve BW, ADFI, and ADG compared to a 12% MCP level. Moreover, 6% MCP during phase 2 appeared to have a positive impact on feed efficiency during the treatment period but did not impact overall feed efficiency.
Recommended Citation
Royall, Rafe Q.; Kim, Ty H.; Woodworth, Jason C.; Tokach, Mike D.; DeRouchey, Joel M.; Gebhardt, Jordan T.; Goodband, Robert D.; Mertz, Keith; and Patience, John F.
(2023)
"Effects of Various Modified Corn Protein Inclusion Rates on Nursery Pig Growth Performance,"
Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports:
Vol. 9:
Iss.
7.
https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.8518