Use of Distiller Dried Grains with Solubles for Swine
A total of 482 pigs were used in an experiment to determine the effects of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on the performance of 2.9 kg pigs. The pigs were allotted to either a control diet (64.5% corn, 30.4% SBM and no DDGS) or an experimental diet (56.05% corn, 29.05% SBM and 10% DDGS). Results of the 22-day study indicated the pigs fed the control diet had slightly higher average daily gains (0.95 vs. 0.88 lbs/day), ate slightly more feed (1.50 vs. 1.55 lbs/day) and a slightly lower feed per gain ration (1.50 vs. 1.55). The research group calculated feed costs at three different DDGS costs. They indicated that the slight reduction in gain and the lack of advantage in feed cost per pound gain, reduced the margin over feed cost for the pigs fed the DDGS diet. In this study, feed costs per pound of gain were similar for the two treatments when DDGS were priced at $80/ton.

Linneen, S.K. 2006. Effects of distillers dried grains with solubles on nursery pig performance. Kansas State University Swine Report. Pages 100-102.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding DDGS to growing-finishing pigs. In the first experiment, 1,050 pigs weighing 104.9 lbs were fed diets containing 0 or 15% DDGS, or 0, 3 or 6% added fat. The results indicated no interactions between DDGS and added fat; linear improvement (P<0.01) in ADG and F/G with increasing additions of fat; and no performance differences by including 15% DDGS in the diet.
In the second study, 1,038 pigs were fed diets containing 0, 10, 20, or 30% DDGS for 56-days. Results showed a trend for reduced gain (P<0.10) and average daily feed intake (P<0.06) as the DDGS was increased in the diet. Most of the reduction occurred in the pigs fed over 10% DDGS.

The third study was to evaluate the diet preference. The pigs were provide a choice of four feeders containing either a (67.05% corn, 30.05% SBM, 0% DDGS); (59.0% corn, 28.4% SBM, 10% DDGS); (50.85% corn, 26.8% SBM, 20% DDGS); or a (42.75% corn, 25.2% SBM, 30% DDGS) feed. They found a significant decrease (P<0.01) in average daily feed intake as DDGS were increased in the feed formulation. The researchers indicated that the pigs preferred feeds without DDGS compared to feed containing DDGS.

The researchers summarized the three studies by stating that if a producer or feed mill can obtain a DDGS source from a single ethanol plant that has been shown not to affect feed intake, data from these trials indicate that up to 10-15% DDGS could be included in swine growing-finishing feeds. Note-It is interesting that in the finishing feed that was used in the third experiment, 10% DDGS replaced 8.05% of the corn and 1.65% of the SBM in the feed. The higher protein content of DDGS replaced some of the need for SBM, however, as can be seen the DDGS had a much greater impact on the corn need in the finishing ration. In the diets containing DDGS, SBM still made up 28.4% of the ration and contributed greatly to meeting the feed’s amino acid specifications.

Linneen, S.K. and co-workers. 2006. Effects of dried distillers grains with solubles on growing-finishing pig performance. Kansas State University Swine Report. Pages 103-110.

Performance of Genetic Modified Soybean Meal in Trout Diets
Japanese researchers investigated the use of genetically modified (GM) soybean meal in trout diets. A GM defatted soybean meal was compared to a regular soybean meal fed at two levels (15 and 30%) in a 42% protein diet fed to juvenile trout (48.3 g) for 12 weeks. The results showed no significant differences in growth or feed performance between the two soybean meal sources. Promoter fragments were detected in muscle of fish fed the GM soybean meal, however, these fragments were not detected after five days on the non-genetically modified meal diet. Note-These research results are another example showing that the nutritional value of protein in GM soybean meal is similar to non-GM soybean meal.

Chainark, P. and co-workers. 2006. Availability of genetically modified soybean meal in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diets. Fisheries Sci. 72(5): 1072-1078.