Non-ruminantsFull-length research article Dried distillers grains with solubles in diets during late gestation affects behavior and maintains the performance of sows ABSTRACT -We examined the effect of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets for late gestating sows on sow and litter performance, colostrum chemical composition, and sow behavior. Sixty gestating sows of 3.77±1.65 parity were divided into three groups of 20 animals, in a randomized block design with 0 (corn-soybean meal diet), 150, or 300 g kg −1 DDGS from 84 days of gestation until farrowing. Sows fed 300 g kg −1 DDGS presented a lower frequency of standing position and eating activity. The lying lateral position was more frequent in the first 40 min post-feeding for sows fed the highest DDGS level. There was no effect of diets on sow and litter performance; however, DDGS inclusion tended to increase lactation feed intake. Inclusion of DDGS was inclined to produce more lactose and less protein in colostrum, but did not affect colostrum fat, total solids, and ash contents. Inclusion of up to 300 g kg −1 DDGS in the diet of late gestation sows does not change sow and litter performance and colostrum composition compared with corn-soybean meal diets, but it favored animal welfare.

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Corn distiller dried grains (corn-DDG) addition to pig diets has been limited due to fiber concerns. The purposes were to determine the metabolizable energy of corn-DDG (Exp. I) and the dose–response effects of dietary xylanase plus β-glucanase on nutrient and energy digestibility of growing pigs fed diets containing 25% corn-DDG (Exp. II). Pigs in individual cages were submitted to feeding periods of 5 d for voluntary feed intake quantification followed by 5 d for collection of feces and urine. In Exp. I, 10 barrows with 61.10 ± 3.25 kg BW distributed in a randomized complete block design experiment with five replications were fed a reference diet or a test diet (75% reference diet plus 25% corn-DDG). In Exp. II, 10 castrated male pigs with 29.69 ± 3.57 kg BW distributed in a Latin square design (two squares with four replicates in time) experiment were fed with 5 dietary xylanase plus β-glucanase levels (0, 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) added to diets formulated with 25% corn-DDG. The corn-DDG had 26.5% crude protein, 5.94% ether extract, 55.5% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 4,248 kcal/kg gross energy. The metabolizable energy of corn-DDG was 3,657 ± 189 kcal/kg. Increasing dietary xylanase plus β-glucanase quadratically influenced (P < 0.05) the NDF digestibility and digestible energy in growing pigs fed diets containing 25% corn-DDGS. Compared to the control, dietary xylanase plus β-glucanase addition increased digestibility and reduced metabolizability of crude protein. Dietary xylanase plus β-glucanase addition in growing pig diets containing corn-DDG increased NDF digestibility, allowing additional dietary energy and protein availability.