An evaluation of a dry-fat product as a source of supplemental energy in pig diets.

Abstract

Three feeding trials (278 pigs) and one balance trial (14 pigs) were conducted to evaluate acceptance and utilization of diets containing a dry-fat product containing 90% fat. The fat was a mixture of equal parts vegetable and animal fats. In Trial 1, 4-wk-old pigs fed diets with 5% dry-fat added had average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and gain/feed (G/F) values equal to pigs fed the diet containing 4.5% liquid fat, the unprocessed equivalent to the dry-fat. Values for G/F with both diets were higher (P less than .05) than for pigs fed the unsupplemented control diet. In Trial 2, dry-fat and roasted soybeans were compared as sources of supplemental fat in diets for finishing pigs. Both were efficiently utilized, with no differences (P greater than .05) among diets. In Trial 3, diets with 0, 5 and 10% levels of added dry-fat were fed to pigs from 34 to 100 kg. Rates of gain were not affected, but ADFI decreased (P less than .05) and G/F increased (P less than .05) with increased fat level. Carcass measurements were not affected by dietary treatment, but iodine number of backfat increased (P less than .05) with dietary fat level. In Trial 4, values for grams of N absorbed and retained and megacalories of energy absorbed and metabolized did not differ (P greater than .05) between diets with 0 and 5% added dry-fat. These results show that the dry-fat product was efficiently utilized by growing and finishing pigs.