The net energy (NE) system describes the useful energy for growth better than the metabolizable energy (ME) system. This NE system should maintain growth performance and carcass parameters when diverse ingredients are used. However, this statement needs to be demonstrated in practice. This study compared the pig growth performance, carcass characteristics and caloric efficiency on diet programs formulated using either the ME or NE systems. A total of 944 gilts and 1,110 castrates (initial BW=40.8±2.0 kg) were allotted to separate pens and assigned to one of 5 different feeding programs. A simple corn-soybean meal control (Ctl) served as the basis to establish baseline levels of ME and NE concentrations. One set of two treatments added DDGS to the Ctl diet formulated using the ME or the NE system (ME-D and NE-D; respectively) and another set of diets that added both DDGS and corn germ meal and was formulated using the ME or the NE system (ME-DC and NE-DC; respectively).