Distillers' By-Products in Swine Rations

Abstract

The fortification of a basal lactation ration composed of yellow corn, tankage, soybean meal, alfalfa meal and minerals with six per cent dried corn distillers' solubles did not result in any important measurable difference in either pigs or sows up to weaning time. After weaning, a basal ration composed of ground yellow corn, wheat flour middlings, soybean meal, tankage, fishmeal, fortified cod-liver oil, and minerals was nutritionally inadequate. The basal growing-fattening ration was improved by supplementing it with dried corn distillers' solubles or alfalfa meal, and the improvement is attributed to the water-soluble vitamins contained in these products. Alfalfa meal, when used as a supplement to the basal growing-fattening rations, produced as rapid growth as the addition of six per cent dried corn distillers' solubles, but not as rapid growth as the addition of 12 per cent dried corn distillers' solubles. If the gross symptoms can be attributed to nutritional inadequacy, the alfalfa meal was a more adequate supplement (at the levels fed) in promoting normal development of feet and legs than the dried corn distillers' solubles fed at the six per cent level. However, the two products were quite comparable in promoting thriftiness of skin and haircoat, especially when the solubles were fed at the 12 per cent level. During the growing-fattening period, the pigs from the sows fed a fortified ration during lactation manifested a residual effect of the higher nutritional regime. It is postulated that the water-soluble vitamins of the distillery by-product increased the water-soluble vitamin content of the milk resulting in a storage of these factors in the bodies of the pigs, which enabled them to survive on the basal growing-fattening ration. There was degeneration of the femoral and sciatic nerves characterized chiefly by incomplete demyelination in “goose-stepping” pigs.